There are two student categories in Tier 4 of the points-based system:

• General student – for students coming to the United Kingdom for post-16 • education
• Child student – for children between 4 and 17 years old to come to the United • Kingdom for their education. Children between 4 and 15 years old may only be educated at independent fee paying schools.

Students must meet the full requirements of the Immigration Rules and have 40 points in 7. total as shown in the table below:

Main Changes in the future:
# From April 2012, any institution wanting to sponsor students will need to be classed as a Highly Trusted sponsor, and will need to become accredited by a statutory education inspection body by the end of 2012. The current system does not require this, and has allowed too many poor-quality colleges to become sponsors.
# Students coming to study at degree level will need to speak English at an 'upper intermediate' (B2) level, rather than the current 'lower intermediate' (B1) requirement.
# UK Border Agency staff will be able to refuse entry to students who cannot speak English without an interpreter, and who therefore clearly do not meet the minimum standard.
# Students at universities and publicly funded further education colleges will retain their current work rights, but all other students will have no right to work. We will place restrictions on work placements in courses outside universities.
# Only postgraduate students at universities and government-sponsored students will be able to bring their dependants. At the moment, all students on longer courses can bring their dependants.
# We will limit the overall time that can be spent on a student visa to 3 years at lower levels (as it is now) and 5 years at higher levels. At present, there is no time limit for study at or above degree level.