Right-to-study check, enrolment and BRP cards

Information about the right-to-study check which is required prior to enrolment to check immigration status
Right-to-study check, enrolment and BRP cards
The University is required by UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) to conduct a right-to-study check on every student who is not a British, Irish, Channel Islands or Isle of Man national. This is to demonstrate that they have the right-to-study in the UK and at the University of Plymouth (including University of Plymouth International College).
The University must retain a copy of these documents and check regularly for any updates to students’ immigration status. The right-to-study check is done prior to enrolment and at the start of every new stage of a student’s programme.
What this means for you:
This year, the check will be conducted using an online form. The documents that you will be required to provide will differ depending on the type of visa or immigration permission you hold.
Please note that until the check has been completed satisfactorily, you will not be permitted to enrol or re-enrol.
Check below for the documents we need from you. In every case, you must upload the information page from your current passport (or travel document if you do not have a passport).

Documents you need to show us

Find the category that applies to you below to see which documents you need to upload so that we can conduct your right-to-study check.
This is an essential visa requirement so please ensure you do this promptly when we instruct you to.
You hold a Student visa or Tier 4 visa with a visa vignette pasted in your passport

Once you have arrived in the UK, please upload the following documents:
  • Your current passport.
  • Your stamped visa vignette issued for studies at the University of Plymouth. We only need this if you are a new student or have a new visa.
  • If your vignette was not stamped because you entered the UK through an e-gate, you must also provide a copy of your flight ticket or boarding pass clearly showing the date you entered the UK.
  • Your visa decision letter from UKVI. We only need this if you are a new student or have a new visa.
  • Your BRP card if you have it (upload a copy of the front and back of the card).

If you are a new student and due to collect your BRP from the Post Office in Plymouth, please do this as soon as possible after arriving.

If your BRP is available from the Post Office, please upload all documents when you complete the right-to-study check. If your BRP has not arrived, you will need to upload your passport, visa vignette and travel details (where applicable) as mentioned above.

If your visa decision letter states you should collect your BRP from the University, your BRP will not be available from the campus and will be sent to you in a different way. Please contact the UKVI Compliance team if your visa decision letter states this.

You cannot complete the right-to-study check until you have arrived in the UK, as your student permission will not have been activated.

Do not attempt to enter the UK before the start date of your Student visa (whether issued as a visa vignette or digitally) as then you will not have activated your Student permission and will need to leave the UK again in order to do this. You may not be able to enrol until your Student visa permission has been activated.

Your Student visa was granted digitally

Once you have arrived in the UK, please upload the following documents:
  • Your current passport.
  • Your visa decision email from UKVI (stating that your visa was granted – this may be called “decision notification”).
  • Your share code, so the University can verify your immigration status online. Please provide your immigration status share code (not for work or rent).
  • If you entered the UK through an e-gate, a copy of your flight ticket or boarding pass clearly showing the date you entered the UK.

You cannot complete the right-to-study check until you have arrived in the UK, as your student permission will not have been activated.

Do not attempt to enter the UK prior to the start date of your Student visa (whether issued as a visa vignette or digitally), as then you will not have activated your Student permission and you will need to leave the UK again in order to do this. You may not be able to enrol until your Student visa permission has been activated. 

You hold another type of immigration permission

Such as an Indefinite Leave to Remain, Settlement, Skilled Worker, PBS Dependant, Refugee, or Hong Kong BNO visa.

Please upload the following documents:

  • Your current passport.
  • If you do not have a passport, upload your travel document. If you do not have a travel document, please contact us.
  • Your current immigration permission – either a visa vignette in your current passport, immigration stamp, or BRP card (show the front and back of the card).
  • If your immigration permission was granted digitally, please provide your immigration status share code (not for work or rent). Please note that you should still be able to obtain a share code for the purpose of “study” if your visa permits this.
If your immigration permission is in a previous passport and not your current one, you must make us aware of this in the notes section of the right-to-study check form.

You hold a British citizen passport (not British Overseas Territories citizen or British National Overseas)

Please upload the following document:
  • Your current British citizen passport or
  • Your certificate of naturalisation as a British citizen.

You hold pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme

Please upload the following documents:
  • Your current passport or National Identity card (please see section below regarding when an ID card may be used to enter the UK after 1 October 2021).
  • Your share code, so the University can verify your immigration status online. Please provide your immigration status share code (not for work or rent).

You hold settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme

Please upload the following documents:
  • Your current passport or National Identity card (please see section below regarding when an ID card may be used to enter the UK after 1 October 2021).
  • Your share code, so the University can verify your immigration status online. Please provide your immigration status share code (not for work or rent).

You are coming to the University of Plymouth to study for 6 months or less, such as on an exchange programme

If we issued you with a letter to apply for a Visitor visa, or advised that you apply for a Visitor visa, please upload the following documents:
  • Your current passport.
  • A copy of the Visitor visa stamp in your current passport.
  • If your passport was not stamped as you entered the UK through an e-gate, a copy of your flight ticket or boarding pass clearly showing the date you entered the UK.

On a Visitor visa, no work, work placement or work-based learning is permitted.

You are an Erasmus+ student with a Tier 5 or Government Authorised Exchange visa

Please upload the following documents:
  • Your current passport.
  • If you do not have a passport, your travel document. If you do not have a travel document, please contact us.
  • Your current immigration permission – a visa vignette in your current passport, immigration stamp, or BRP card (upload a copy of the front and back of the card).
  • If your immigration permission was granted digitally, please supply your share code so the University can verify your immigration status online. Please note that you should still be able to obtain a share code for the purpose of “study” if your visa permits this.

You have pre-settled or settled status granted by the Government of Jersey or Guernsey (Channel Islands)

Please upload the following documents:
  • Your current passport.
  • Your share code so the University can verify your immigration status online. Please provide your immigration status share code (not for work or rent).
You will need to use the immigration status check web pages for the Government of Jersey or Guernsey to obtain your share code.

You currently have an outstanding immigration application with UKVI

Please upload the following documents:
  • Your current passport.
  • If you do not have a passport, your travel document. If you do not have a travel document, please contact us.
  • A copy of the email acknowledgement of the application from UKVI, clearly showing the date the application was received by them.
  • Any other evidence of the date you submitted the visa application to UKVI.
  • Any other documents or letters regarding your immigration status that you have received from UKVI or the Home Office.

 

When to complete the right-to-study process

If you hold a new Student visa, do not complete the right-to-study check and upload your documents until you have arrived in the UK. This is because we need to verify the date you entered the UK and activated your Student permission.
Do not enter the UK prior to the start date of your Student visa (whether issued as a visa vignette or digitally) as then you will not have activated your Student leave, and you will need to leave the UK again in order to do this. You may not be able to complete enrolment until your Student permission has been activated. 
If you upload documents without evidence of your UK entry date (where required) – either a vignette stamp or flight ticket or boarding pass – we will not process these and this may delay your enrolment.   
We will send you a personalised link to the online right-to-study check form, at the appropriate time, before the enrolment period. Please check your email account for the link.
Do not forward the link to any other students, as it is personalised to your Student account.
Do not send documents to us by email; upload them via the form, as this is secure. We will not process documents that are emailed. 
If you are not certain which visa category applies to you, or are unsure about what you need to do, please contact us and we will assist you. 
The process works as follows:
  1. Arrive in the UK after the start date shown on your visa (Student visa holders only; see notes above).
  2. You will be sent your personalised link by email from the UKVI Compliance team.
  3. Upload your documents using the personalised link – please read the notes above and ensure you upload all required documents.
  4. We will complete your right-to-study check and will email you when this has been done.
  5. Complete your enrolment promptly. 
 

Provide us with the correct share code

Please ensure that the share code you provide to us is for study, not right to work or right to rent checks. You can obtain your share code from the View and prove your immigration status Government website and by choosing the purpose of the check as “other”. Do not choose any other purpose, such as work or rent, as these codes will not work and this will delay your enrolment. 
 

EU, EEA or Swiss nationals using an ID card to enter the UK

You will not be able to use an EU, EEA or Swiss national ID card to enter the UK from 1 October 2021 unless you:
The Government provides full details about visiting the UK as an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen.
 

Points to note before completing the right-to-study process

The documents you upload must be copies or photographs of your original documents and must be clear and readable.
Where documents contain numbers, such as visa number and passport number, these must be visible and clearly readable.
Failure to supply all required documents will lead to a delay in your enrolment.
If we ask you to supply additional documents and you fail to do this within 10 working days we will not be able to proceed with your enrolment or re-enrolment.
If we are uncertain of your immigration status, we may need to share your documents with UKVI to confirm that you are permitted to study at the University of Plymouth. Where required, we will ask for your consent before doing this. If you have completed a pre-CAS checklist, you may have already given us this consent.
If UKVI advise the University that you cannot study with the immigration permission you hold, or if you do not hold the correct immigration permission, or if you fail to supply documents that allow us to determine this, the University will not proceed with your enrolment and may cease sponsorship of you as a Student visa holder, where applicable.
Dual nationals: The nationality you have entered on your UCAS form, or application form, is the official record of your nationality that you have provided to the University when submitting your application. We will ask you to complete the right-to-study check where relevant based on that nationality. Once you have enrolled, if you wish to change the nationality shown on your student record, you are welcome to ask your faculty to do this for you, but we will not change it prior to enrolment and prior to the right-to-study check.
 

Completing your enrolment

Once you have completed the right-to-study check satisfactorily, we will contact you by email to confirm that you can complete your online enrolment, and will provide you with the link to this.
If there are any other required steps, we will let you know. It is important that you complete online enrolment promptly when we have instructed you to do so. Once you have enrolled, you can participate in your programme induction sessions as required. Please also remember to register with the police where this is required.
If you fail to complete enrolment within the University enrolment period or any given extension, the University is required to stop sponsoring your Student visa and report this to UKVI. 
 

Important information for Student visa holders

Providing your contact details: please ensure you enter your term time address in Plymouth and other contact details when enroling, as this is a requirement of your visa. Use this step-by-step guide on updating your details after enrolment if you are unsure how to do this. 
Online learning from within the UK is no longer permitted. We expect students on taught programmes to be living in Plymouth or the surrounding area and attending sessions face-to-face on campus. 
Student visa holders: please ensure you read the information regarding theresponsibilities of students with a Student (formerly Tier 4) visa, including attendance requirements and working restrictions.
It is essential that you engage fully with your studies right from the start of the semester. If you are not engaging with your studies satisfactorily, this may affect your Student visa. The University is required to monitor your engagement and attendance. 
Ensure you understand the process for collecting and using your Biometric Residence Permit.
 

Eligibility for the Graduate visa

If you are a Student visa holder and intend to apply for the Graduate visa on successful completion of your degree, you must complete the right-to-study check promptly after you have arrived in the UK and we have asked you to do this.
This also means supplying your BRP as soon as you have received it. If the University does not hold your full visa information, it may affect Graduate visa reporting to UKVI at a later date.

Join our help sessions

We will be holding drop-in sessions over Zoom in September for students who have queries about the process or are experiencing any problems. 
  • 12–16 September 2022 (daily), 13:00–13:30 UK time
  • 21 September, 28 September, 5 October, 12 October, 19 October 2022 (weekly on Wednesdays), 11:00–11:30 UK time
Please email the UKVI Compliance team to request a Zoom meeting ID and join one of these sessions: UKVI-Reporting@plymouth.ac.uk

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Further information