University Centre Colchester | International Applications and Entry Requirements

Further Education

Higher Education

What happens to my application?

Entry Requirements

The course you choose must be a continuing higher level of study to the qualifications you have already achieved and aim to help you with your future career goals.     

In order to for us to consider your application you must show that you meet the following requirements:

• Be over the age of 18 (Colchester Institute will only accept applicants over the age of 18).
• Meet the course entry requirements.
• Meet the English language requirement.
• Be able to pay the tuition fee in advance if offered a place on the course.
• Show financial evidence of funds to be able to support yourself as stated by UK Visas and Immigration.  Exemptions may apply depending on the country you are a national of.

Please view the following link for financial evidence for students and the list of countries where exemptions apply:

Financial evidence for Student and Child Student visa applicants

Please view the International Fee Policy for information on tuition fees and financial requirements to support yourself.

Qualification Entry Requirements

To be eligible for a course you must meet the entry requirements, these are listed on each course page in terms of GCSE or A-levels.  These are UK standard qualifications that are awarded at the end of a student’s time at school or college.

We will consider the qualifications you have achieved from your own country of study if they are shown to be equivalent to the course entry requirements.  An assessment to compare the equivalence of your qualifications will be necessary.  Please email Admissions on international@colchester.ac.uk for information on what documents you need to provide.

You may be asked by Colchester Institute, or you may wish to consider for your own purposes, obtaining a Statement of Comparability from UK ENIC:

www.enic.org.uk

UK ENIC is the national agency who provides official information on comparability levels for international qualifications and skills.  This enables informed decisions to be made by many organisations including employers, colleges and universities.

Students whose first language is not English need to provide evidence of their English language ability.

You must be able to demonstrate proof of your English language skills, by showing that you have ‘intermediate’ level English. This is a requirement for all students and provides an indication of a student’s ability to succeed on a course.

Students at Colchester Institute usually require an overall IELTS score of:

• 5.5 with a minimum of 5.0 in reading, writing, speaking and listening for Further Education courses.
• 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in reading, writing, speaking and listening for Higher Education courses.

Students intending to enter the UK on a student visa must take a test from an approved provider of Secure English Language Tests (SELT) and provide a certificate to us that proves you have successfully completed test.

The result must meet the minimum requirement stated by the Home Office and Colchester Institute.

Please ensure that the test you take is a UKVI test and not a standard test. You can book your test online using this link.  We recommend that you take the Academic version of the test (if available).

Finance

Ensure you have your finances arranged so you can pay your tuition fees and living costs for the duration of your course.

Living in the UK with valid residency (Overseas student)

If you live in the UK but are not a UK national, you may be able eligible to apply for student finance depending on your nationality, immigration status and length of residency.

Student finance for undergraduates: Eligibility

Check what undergraduate student finance you can apply for depending on your nationality and residency

When you apply to Colchester Institute you will be asked to complete a questionnaire about your residency status and provide evidence of your passport and status share code.  You may be asked to provide further information depending on whether you are over or under 19+ years and which country you have been residing in.

What is a Share code?

You can obtain a Share code from your UKVI account. View and prove your immigration status: get a share code

UK Visas and Immigration are changing physical documents to eVisas which is an online record of your immigration status:

You can view information about online immigration status (eVisa) by following the link: Online immigration status (eVisa)

Living in the UK with Immigration Permission

If you have either limited or permanent immigration permission to live in the UK, we will ask you to complete a questionnaire about your residency status.  We will request evidence of your passport, status share code or if you have not created a UKVI account yet evidence of your documents, for example:

• Biometric residence permit or card.
• Passport endorsements.
• Vignette stickers.
• Application Registration Card (ARC)
• Or any other type of evidence that may apply to your immigration status.

Finance for international students with a student visa

When you apply for a student visa you need to provide evidence that you can financially support yourself while studying in the UK.

You will need money for the following:

• Accommodation and living costs: Accommodation information
• Application for a student visa: Application information
• Immigration Healthcare Surcharge: UK Healthcare information

Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)

You need to be issued with a CAS reference number before you can apply for a student visa. Colchester Institute will only issue you with a CAS when you have met the following requirements:

• You have been made an unconditional offer of a place on your course.
• You have paid the tuition fees in advance.
• You are able to show evidence to Colchester Institute and UK Visas and Immigration that you can financially support yourself.

The earliest you can apply for a student visa from outside of the UK is 6 months before the start of the course or 3 months if applying from inside of the UK.

Please follow the link for information on student visas: Student visa

Accommodation

You will need to arrange where you are going to live before you arrive in the UK.

Please see the Essential Students Guide to Student Accommodation for more support and information. We are only able to offer accommodation to students studying at University Centre Colchester who are 18 years old or above.

Please be aware all accommodation listed is provided by external third parties for which University Centre Colchester receives no financial benefit. Any contract of services entered into is purely between the recipient and the third-party organisation.

For maps and more information on any of the below accommodation, please email accommodation@colchester.ac.uk or telephone (01206) 712613.

Please note: Prices may be subject to change.

Travelling to and from Colchester

Colchester is easily accessible by car, bus or train and is approximately 50 minutes by car to Stansted airport.

Train

Trains run between Colchester (North) station and London Liverpool Street every 20 minutes. The journey takes approximately 50 minutes to 1 hour. Train services from Colchester also run to Norwich, Ipswich, Felixstowe and Harwich. Colchester has three stations with the main station being Colchester (North) and not Colchester Town or Hythe.

Colchester Train Station Information

Bus

There are several bus companies to help you travel in and around Colchester and the surrounding areas.

Arriva Bus

First Bus

Times & maps – Hedingham and Chambers

Essex County Council also run a Park and Ride service located by the Stadium just off the A12 (junction 28). This service runs to Colchester city centre with numerous stops but does not operate in the evening.

Airports

Stansted is the closest airport to Colchester and is approximately 50 minutes away by car.

National Express offers regular services to Stansted, Gatwick and Heathrow airport.

National Express

Harwich International Port

The port is approximately 17 miles from Colchester and is accessible by car, bus or train. You can travel to the Hook of Holland using the Stena Line Ferry. Please check what documents and visas are required before you travel.

Harwich Port

Healthcare

You will be required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge when you apply for a student visa. This will allow you to access medical treatment from the NHS (National Health Service) if necessary. You will still need to pay for dental treatment, routine eye care appointments and prescriptions.

You should register with your local GP Practice (Doctors surgery) after you have arrived in the UK: UK healthcare

UK Council for International Student Affairs

British Council

UCAS International Students

IELTS for UKVI Academic

GOV.UK Student visa