International Students

To apply for any of our courses, please complete the Application for International Students form and post it to:

Student Records
Basingstoke College of Technology
Worting Road
Basingstoke
Hampshire
RG21 8TN

Alternatively, you can complete and scan the form, and email it to studentrecords@bcot.ac.uk.

Basingstoke College of Technology operates by the UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) Licensed Institution rules, which means that more checks will be carried out by UKVI to ensure that learners actually study once they have arrived in the UK. Please refer to the UKVI website.

As a licensed institution Basingstoke College of Technology will:

• Keep a copy of a student’s passport showing evidence of their entitlement to study
• Keep a copy of a student’s prior qualification certificates
• Keep each student’s contact details and update them as necessary
• Report any student who fails to enrol on their course to the UKVI
• Report any unauthorised absences in accordance with UKVI requirements
• Report any student who withdraws from their studies to the UKVI
• Report any significant changes in learner circumstances to the UKVI
• Maintain any appropriate accreditation
• Only offer courses at level 3 or above which comply with the Student Route conditions
• From 5 October 2021, the Student route will replace the Tier 4 route.
• The Student route, which falls under the UK's new points-based immigration system, improves on the previous Tier 4 route making for a more streamlined experience for both sponsoring institutions and students.
• Visas that have been issued through the Tier 4 route are still valid and those eligible will still be able to apply for the Graduate Route when it opens in summer 2022.
• The Graduate Route will be available to international students who have completed a degree at undergraduate level or above at a Higher Education Provider with a track record of compliance and who have a valid Student (or Tier 4) visa at the time of application.
• More information about the UK’s new points-based immigration system can be found here. Further guidance for EU, EEA and Swiss students, who from 1 January will need to comply with the new system can be found here.
• EU, EEA and Swiss citizens resident in the UK before 31 December should apply to the EU settlement scheme.

Applications from international students to study on full-time courses as advertised in the college prospectus are welcomed. However, such applications need to be for a Level 3 course or above and must be a genuine full-time programme (minimum of 15 hours per week); we do not offer individual programmes that are made up of a number of part-time courses. Students are expected to be able to understand and express themselves in both written and spoken English at a level appropriate to the course of study. A minimum overall SELT/IELTS score of B1/5.5 across every element for Further Education Level 3 courses and a minimum overall SELT/IELTS score of B2/6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 across every element for Higher Education courses.

In order to ensure that applicants are offered a course appropriate to their needs, they are required to complete an application form and attend an interview, for those applicants that are in the UK. For those applicants, who are residing outside the UK, complete an application form (which can be downloaded from the website), and enclose a handwritten personal statement and evidence of a SELT/ IELTS test score, qualification certificates and transcripts. The statement should consist of approximately 500 words and should state the reason for choosing the particular course of study, any previous experience or previous study which is relevant, and why BCoT is the preferred choice. Contact may be made by email, telephone or SKYPE if necessary in lieu of an interview.

International students will be charged an ‘international’ fee which is higher than the advertised ‘home’ fee to cover the total cost of their tuition. The whole fee must be paid and students should ensure that they have sufficient funds to cover the college fees and their living expenses for the duration of the course as set out on the UKVI website. Students on two-year programmes must pay all fees due for the first year of study before they can join the second year and certificates will be only issued at the end of the course when all fees due have been paid.

If an offer of a place is made, the course fees can either be paid in full or by payment of a £2250 deposit and a £250 administration charge that is non-refundable to secure a place on the course. On enrolment, you will need to pay your outstanding balance. Any monies paid to secure the place less the £250 administration charge will be refunded in the event of the student’s visa application being rejected. Outstanding monies not received at the time of enrolment will result in the non-commencement of studies.

Students will be required to bring their passport (with a valid visa) and original educational certificates to enrolment.

All international (non-EEA) students must organise their own visa.

The last date for international applications for academic courses is 30 June 2023 for fully complete forms and receipt of all correct documentation. In our experience, you will need at least 8 weeks to obtain your visa to come to the UK.

Any queries about applications should be directed to the Student Records Manager in writing or by emailing studentrecords@bcot.ac.uk