The Tier 4 (Doctorate Extension Scheme) visa or 'DES' is specifically aimed at PhD students who are about to finish their course and want to remain in the UK to gain some professional experience and/or finish off any publications or research.
At Bangor University you must apply for the Tier 4 (DES) before your award date. If you are successful in your viva and you have no corrections, then the start date on the CAS letter would be the first day of the month following the viva month, or 28 days whichever is latest. If you have minor corrections of up to 6 weeks or major corrections of up to 6 months, then the start date on the CAS letter would be the expected date of your final submission. If you are unsuccessful in your viva and have more than 6 months' corrections, you will not qualify for a DES sponsorship from Bangor University and may need to consider other options - please come and see us to discuss.
The Home Office states that: "If you are a student completing a PhD at a UK higher education institute you can apply to stay in the UK for a further 12 months after your course completion date*. If you do want to apply for the Tier 4 (Doctorate Extension Scheme) you will need a new confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) from your Tier 4 sponsor. You must apply no more than 60 days before your DES start date as listed in your CAS letter ."
To apply for the DES at Bangor University you must meet all of the following requirements:
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You must be studying for a Doctorate level qualification and near the end of your studies. (The Home Office state "60 days before date of award").
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You must have finalised your viva date and agreed the date for final submission of your thesis.
- You must express an interest in applying for DES by completing a DES CAS request form given on the right-side panel, after initial submission and before your viva takes place.
- Please note that there is a University admin charge of £100.
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You must have had £2,030 in your bank account for a minimum period of 28 consecutive days (plus £1,360 for each dependant)**
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You must be able to pay the visa application fee: £494.20 per applicant, plus £300 per applicant for the Immigration Health Surcharge**
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If you have previously had financial sponsorship, you must have written authorisation from your Sponsor giving permission for you to remain in the UK for a further 12 months.
For more detailed general information about the DES, see the
If all the above points apply to you then you should contact the International Student Support Office on 01248 382882 or email internationalsupport@bangor.ac.uk to request an appointment. Further information and specific guidance will be provided.
* 'Course completion date' at Bangor is the award date - as defined above.
**These figures are correct at the time of publication (04 February 2020).