Minimum duration of course for UK student visa+sponsorships

[Reinette]

Hi,

Is there a minimum duration a course have to be in order to qualify for a UK student visa? Would even a 2 week full time (15+ hours a week) qualify?

Also, can more that one person provide sponsorship? I have heard that the sponsor have to provide 3 months' bank statements. Does the balance at the time have to show that the sponsor can pay for the proposed course and other expenses of the student? How do they determine how much money the sponsor should have in addition to the course fee in order to support the student? Are there any guidelines?

Many thanks,
Reinette

[John]

Is there a minimum duration a course have to be in order to qualify for a UK student visa? Would even a 2 week full time (15+ hours a week) qualify?

If the course is just two weeks, do appreciate that IND have no problem people coming to the UK as a visitor and then attending short-term courses. So that begs the question, are we talking about a so-called Visa National here? (who need a visa to enter the UK for any reason) Or non-Visa National? (who don't need a visa to enter as a visitor)

So where is the person from?

If a visa is needed, and applied for on the basis of a two-week course, don't be surprised if the visa duration is little more than two weeks.

For a two-week course, would it really be necessary to think about providing multiple sponsors?

[Reinette]

I won't be needing a visa to enter as a visitor (South African passport).

My situation is the following:

I am applying for my US H2B visa from the UK. I have been approved and have my interview booked with the US embassy. As I am a non-UK citizen (but have been living in the UK since Feb 2004) applying from the UK I will have to prove sufficient ties to the UK and prove that I will be returning to the UK. I have sufficient documents to prove ties to the UK. Problem is that my working holiday visa will run out while in the US, so I am planning to provide documentation of sponsorship and prospective studies to prove that I am coming back here.

So I am basically just getting the official stance on sponsorships, possible courses and student visas, so there is no gaps in my story when I go for my US interview.

Thanks.
Reinette

[philgeorge999]

I read this on the London US embassy web site:
"Many recent immigrants to the United Kingdom cannot demonstrate sufficiently strong ties here to qualify for a non-immigrant visa to the United States. There is no magic formula that will work in each case. In general, you must be able to show that you have settled in the United Kingdom and that this is, and will remain, your permanent home. In reviewing your application, the consular officer considered many aspects such as: How long have you been at your current address? How long have you been at your current job? Are you, or are your children enrolled in school? What commitments do you have here that would compel you to return to the United Kingdom? What social ties do you have in the United Kingdom? Often it is a question of time, and the best way to qualify for a visa is to reside in the United Kingdom for a longer period of time and to build further social and economic ties here."

So... good luck! You'll need it!