The University of Wolverhampton
  1. University of Wolverhampton
  2. International
  3. Visa and Immigration
  4. New Students

Visa Information for New Students

Welcome to the University of Wolverhampton. We look forward to greeting you when you arrive in Wolverhampton and have prepared this information so that you are able to arrive and enrol safely.

By now you should have applied for your visa and we hope that your application will be successful. If you have not yet applied for your visa you will be able to view our Visa Application Guide .

When your visa is granted you should receive a letter confirming this along with your passport and other supporting documents. It is important to keep the letter with your passport when you travel to the UK. Your passport will contain a visa sticker (vignette) that is valid for 30 days. You must travel to the UK during this 30 days and must collect your actual visa, which will be a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) that will cover the duration of your course, when you are inside the UK. Your letter should confirm that you will be able to collect your BRP from a Post Office close to the University when you have arrived in the UK, and you will need to have the letter and your passport with you to collect the BRP.

Travelling to the UK

When you travel to the UK you should have the documents you used to apply for the visa with you, plus your passport, which should have the 30 day travel permit inside, and the letter which confirms where you need to go to pick up your Biometric Residence Pemit (BRP). You also need to make sure you bring a copy of your CAS statement with you (this can be printed from your e:Vision account).

You must travel to the UK before your 30 day travel permit expires and before the latest start date for your course.

You must also enrol by the stated deadline – if you don’t arrive in time you will not be allowed to start the course and your visa will be curtailed (cancelled), meaning you will need to leave the UK. 

If you are concerned about the date when you will be arriving in the UK please contact us before you travel.

Collecting your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)

Your letter confirming your visa details will contain information on where you must go to collect your BRP. This should be the main Post Office in Wolverhampton. A guide to help you find this Post Office is available here.

If you are under 18 you will need a responsible adult to travel to the Post Office with you to collect your BRP. Alternatively, the university can collect your BRP on your behalf.

You must collect your BRP within 10 days of arrival in the UK and before your entry clearance expires.

Travelling to the University

Please find information about travelling to the University of Wolverhampton on our webpages here.

If you are travelling from overseas, there are direct trains from Birmingham International Airport to Wolverhampton railway station, or from London Euston if you choose to travel to one of the London airports.

egates

Nationals from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the United States of America can now use an eGate for entry at the UK border.

However, students from these countries must not use the eGates, as they must see a Border Force officer to receive the correct immigration stamp in their passport, which grants permission to study. If you are from one of these countries please follow signs for ‘See an officer’ to get your passport stamped. You should make sure the stamp says Short Term Study or Short Term Student before you leave the desk.

When you arrive at the University of Wolverhampton we will check your passport to confirm your permission to study. If you have not been given the correct entry stamp you will be required to leave the UK and return through the border again so you can be issued with the correct permission.

If you already have a visa sticker (vignette) in your passport you may use the eGates, but you must keep evidence of the day you entered the UK with your passport, as you may need to prove your date of entry to the university, prospective landlords and other authorities. Acceptable evidence might be a copy of your flight details, boarding pass or booking confirmation that shows your date of arrival.

If you have any questions about eGates before you travel, please email visa-enquiries@wlv.ac.uk

Accommodation

If you have booked university accommodation you should receive an email from the Accommodation Services Team with details of when you can move in and how to collect your key. If you choose to travel to the UK before your accommodation contract begins you will need to arrange alternative accommodation until the contract start date. For more information about university accommodation, please see the Accommodation Services webpages.

Enrolment

Enrolment - when you arrive at the University, you will be required to complete your enrolment by the deadline date given in e:Vision. This includes uploading a copy of your passport and visa to your record through e:Vision and showing the original documents to a member of staff to verify. You may also be required to produce your original qualification certificates.

Contact details - you must keep your contact details in e:Vision up to date at all times, even if you have not secured accommodation when you first arrive and have to move to a few different locations. We expect you to maintain a current postal address, email address and telephone/mobile number at all times.

Police registration - it will be clearly stated on your visa or supporting letter if you are required to register with the police. You must do this within 7 days of arriving in the UK.  Further information can be found on the Overseas Visitors Registration webpages or talk to International Student Support in MX Student Centre if you need any help with the process.

In September, West Midlands Police will visit City Campus to help you complete your registration here. You must book an appointment in advance to do this so please talk to the International Student Support team in MX Student Centre if you need to do this. It is important to book your appointment at an appropriate time for your schedule, and you must attend on time. If you are unable to attend for any reason please inform the police as early as possible so your appointment can be rescheduled. If you need help booking or changing an appointment please see the International Student Support team in MX Student Centre.

Students already in the UK

If you are holding a Tier 4 student visa for another sponsor, you must make an appointment with our Visa & Immigration Support Officer and you must receive a University of Wolverhampton CAS number before you can enrol. You will be expected to apply for a new visa to study at Wolverhampton so must show the Visa & Immigration Support Officer you meet the visa application requirements. If you do not apply to switch your visa or if your new Tier 4 application is refused, you may not be able to continue with your studies at the University of Wolverhampton.  Further information about changes to your visa can be found on the following Home Office webpages