Tier 4 (General) Students following a course at NQF 6 or QCF 6 or SCQF 9 or above at a

Non-HEI

126. If you will be following a course at NQF 6 or QCF 6 or SCQF 9 with a Tier 4 sponsor who is not a HEI, your Tier 4 Sponsor must check your English language ability is at CEFR level B2 by ensuring that you:

• are from a majority English-speaking country; or

• have completed an academic qualification at least equivalent to a UK Bachelors

degree taught in a majority English-speaking country

• have passed an English language test from the list of approved tests for Tier 4 that is still within its validity date, and has achieved at least CEFR level B2 in all four components (reading, writing, speaking and listening) unless exempted from sitting a component by a test provider on the basis of your disability; or

• have successfully completed a course as a Tier 4 (Child) student (or under the student rules that were in force before 31 March 2009, where you were granted permission to stay whilst you were under 18 years old) which was:

• at least six months in length; and

• ended within two years of the date the sponsor assigned the CAS.

All Tier 4 (General) students following a course at NQF 3/4/5/ or QCF 3/4/5 or SCQF 6/7/8

127. If you will be following a course at NQF 3/4/5 or QCF 3/4/5 or SCQF 6/7/8, your Tier 4

Sponsor must check your English language ability is at CEFR level B1 by ensuring that you:

• are from a majority English-speaking country; or

• have completed an academic qualification at least equivalent to a UK Bachelors

degree which was taught in English in a majority English-speaking country

• have passed an English language test from the list of approved tests for Tier 4 that is still within its validity date, and has achieved at least CEFR level B1 in all four components (reading, writing, speaking and listening) unless exempted from sitting a component by a test provider on the basis of your disability; or

• have successfully completed a course as a Tier 4 (Child) student (or under the student

rules that were in force before 31 March 2009, where you were granted permission to

Tier 4 Policy Guidance version 11/2014 page 21 of 81

stay whilst you were under 18 years old) which was:

• at least six months in length; and

• ended within two years of the date the sponsor assigned the CAS.

How we will confirm a Tier 4 (General) Student’s English language ability

128. You are from a majority English language speaking country if you are a national of:

• Antigua and Barbuda;

• Australia;

• The Bahamas;

• Barbados;

• Belize;

• Canada;

• Dominica;

• Grenada;

• Guyana;

• Jamaica;

• New Zealand;

• St Kitts and Nevis;

• St Lucia;

• St Vincent and the Grenadines;

• Trinidad and Tobago;

• United States of America.

We will confirm your nationality using your passport.

129. You have completed an academic qualification at least equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree which was taught in a majority English-speaking country if the qualification was taught in one of the following countries:

• Antigua and Barbuda;

• Australia;

• The Bahamas;

• Barbados;

• Belize;

• Dominica;

• Grenada;

• Guyana;

• Ireland;

• Jamaica;

• New Zealand;

Tier 4 Policy Guidance version 11/2014 page 22 of 81

• St Kitts and Nevis;

• St Lucia;

• St Vincent and the Grenadines;

• Trinidad and Tobago;

• The UK;

• United States of America.

Where your sponsor has used such a qualification to check that you are competent in English language, they must include information about this qualification on your CAS. You must include your course certificate with your application. We will check that your qualification is at least equivalent to a UK degree using UK NARIC.

130. Where you are following a course of study below NQF 6 or QCF 6 or SCQF 9, your sponsor must use an approved English language test to check that you are competent in English language at a minimum of CEFR level B1 in each of the four components. Your

Tier 4 Sponsor must include information about your test on your CAS. A list of the approved English language tests for Tier 4, including the time period for which tests are valid, and the scores a Tier 4 (General) must achieve, is available on the Home Office

131. Where you are following a course of study at NQF 6 or QCF 6 or SCQF 9 or above with

a Tier 4 sponsor that is not a UK HEI, your sponsor must use an approved English language test to check that you are competent in English language at a minimum of CEFR level B2 in each of the four components. Your Tier 4 sponsor must include information about this test in your CAS. A list of the approved English language tests for Tier 4, including the time period for which tests are valid, and the scores you must achieve, is available on the Home Office You must include the specified evidence with your application.

132. Where you are following a course of study at NQF 6 or QCF 6 or SCQF 9 or above with a Tier 4 sponsor that is a UK HEI, your sponsor may choose its own method to check that you are competent in English language at a minimum of CEFR level B2 in each of the four

components. Your Tier 4 sponsor must confirm that you are proficient to the required level on

your CAS. You do not need to send in any documents to support this.

133. Where your sponsor has used a course that you successfully completed as a Tier 4 (Child) student (or under the student rules that were in force before 31 March 2009, where you were granted permission stay whilst you were under 18 years old) to prove that you are competent in English language, they must include information about this course on your CAS. You must include the specified evidence with your application.

134. If you are considered by your Tier 4 Sponsor to be a gifted Student, your Tier 4 sponsor will explain this on your CAS. Your Tier 4 sponsor will also give you a letter confirming that the Academic Registrar has approved the waiving of the English language requirement. If you are applying from overseas, you should ensure that you have the letter with you when you enter the UK.

Tier 4 Policy Guidance version 11/2014 page 23 of 81

Claiming points for a CAS

135. To claim 30 points for a valid CAS, you must send us the CAS reference number you have been assigned by your Tier 4 sponsor. This number must be written on your application form.

Documents used to obtain a Tier 4 (General) CAS*

* Please note, this does not apply if you are studying English Language Courses at level B2 of the CEFR or if you are taking a recognised Foundation Programme for Postgraduate Doctors/ Dentists.

136. Where you qualify for our differentiation arrangements, you are not required to include the evidential documents from this section with your application. You must however confirm on your application form that you meet the requirements set out in this section, and that you hold documentary evidence in the manner required. We reserve the right to request any or all of the evidential documents from this section from you even where you qualify for our differentiation arrangements.

137. If your Tier 4 sponsor has assessed your qualifications in order to assign your CAS, you must send us these qualifications with your application. For each qualification listed, you must provide either:

i. The original certificate(s) of qualification. Each document must be the original (not a

copy) and must clearly show;

• your name; and

• the title of the award; and

• the date of the award; and

• the name of the awarding institution.

(We will not accept original provisional certificates whether original or a copy).

Or

ii. The transcript of results. Each document must be the original (not a copy) and must clearly show:

• your name; and

• the name of the academic institution; and

• your course title; and

• the confirmation of the award.

This transcript must be original unless the applicant has applied for their course through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service), and:

• the applicant is applying in the UK to study at a Higher Education Institution which has

Highly Trusted Sponsor status, and

• the qualification is issued by a UK awarding body for a course that the applicant has

studied in the UK.

Tier 4 Policy Guidance version 11/2014 page 24 of 81

138. You will need to know what evidence your sponsor has included on your CAS so you can provide it with your application. You must get this information directly from your Tier 4 sponsor before making your application. We will not provide this information to you.

139. If your course is at NQF level 3 or above and you have been assessed by other means (for example, references or a portfolio of artwork, interview or your Tier 4 sponsor’s own test or entrance exam), you do not have to include these documents with your application, but your Tier 4 sponsor must still include details of how they assessed you on your CAS.

140. If you have been offered a place because of the progress you have made on an existing course, your Tier 4 sponsor must include this information on your CAS. You will not need to send any documents if this is how you have been assessed.

141. Where you are following a course of study below NQF 6 or QCF 6 or SCQF 9, your sponsor must use an approved English language test to check that you are competent in English language at a minimum of CEFR level B1 in each of the four components.

Your sponsor must include information about this test on your CAS. You must include the specified evidence with your application. We reserve the right to request any or all the evidential documents from this section from you, even if you qualify for our differentiation arrangements.

142. Where you are following a course of study at NQF 6 or QCF 6 or SCQF 9 or above with

a sponsor that is not a UK HEI, your sponsor must use an approved English language test to check that you are competent in English language at a minimum of CEFR level B2 in each of the four components. The sponsor must include information about this test in your CAS. You must include the specified evidence with your application. We reserve the right to request any or all the evidential documents from this section from you, even where you qualify for

our differentiation arrangements.

143. In all cases, where two or more components (reading, writing, speaking and listening) of an English language test are examined and awarded together, for example a combined exam and certificate for reading and writing skills, the specified evidence you submit must show that you achieved the required scores in all the relevant components during a single sitting of that examination, unless exempted from sitting a component on the basis of disability.

144. Where you are following a course of study at NQF 6 or QCF 6 or SCQF 9 or above with a sponsor that is a UK HEI, your sponsor may choose its own method to check that you are competent in English language at a minimum of CEFR level B2 in each of the four

components. The sponsor must confirm that you are proficient to the required level on your

CAS. You do not need to send in any documents to support this.

Date: 2016-03-03; view: 968