eth wrote: ↑Mon Jul 23, 2018 10:56 am
Hi everyone. I received my passport with the entry clearance sticker today. Just wanted to share my timeline and experience.
Online application: 17th June
Biometrics & Interview: 28th June
Automated email: 1st July (mentioned that my application is currently being prepared for consideration by ECO)
Call from VFS to collect passport: 17th July
Received the passport: 23rd July
The letter enclosed with the passport mentions a visa grant date of 10th July.
My application was eligible for the Tier 4 Pilot Scheme. But my checklist indicated that I had to submit my certificates. Prior to my appointment at VFS, I contacted the university and they contacted UKVI on behalf of me and told me that this was an error on the UKVI side and I should not submit my certificates. So I submitted only my passport at VFS. My interview was rather long. I was asked more than the standard questions. In case anyone wants to know, these were things I was asked in addition to the usual why did you choose this course/UK and so on.
- Where do you plan to stay in UK? (xxxx)
- How will you get from your accommodation to the university? (I completely forgot the station names but I gave instructions on how to get from the accommodation to the university)
- Do you have any friends or family living in UK? (No)
- How much is the accommodation? (GBP xxxx)
- Have you paid for the accommodation? (I said no because its due sometime in August, but I have placed a deposit to secure the room)
- Does your bank account have the funds required to pay for the accommodation? (yes)
- What is the source of the funds in the bank account? (I replied to this saying that my parents run their own business and they also earn rental income. This prompted the next question)
- How much is the income per month? (I gave a rough figure of the rental income and said that I really don't know the business income)
- How many people are dependent on the income? Any siblings?
- What are your plans after this course? (I mentioned that I will proceed to do a PhD)
- What is the area in which you want to do your PhD?
- What type of salary do you expect you can earn after completing your studies? (This was one of the questions I couldn't really answer because I wasn't prepared for this. So I asked whether the interviewer meant after my Masters or my PhD because I mentioned that I plan to immediately begin my PhD after completing my Masters. The interviewer said that a rough estimate is fine since there's still quite a long gap. I panicked and said GBP 3000 per month. Which obviously is way too high but the interviewer kept on saying any amount is fine, just a rough estimate will do)
- What was the last course that you completed?
- What have you been doing since you completed the course? (I completed my last course in Dec 2017 and spent quite some time with the university application and waiting for the offer from the university. Other than that I mentioned that I have been reading up on relevant material for the course)
What I have learnt from the entire application process is:
1. Contact the International Student Services of your university if you have any doubts. They will be more helpful as they have experience in dealing with this and can offer better advice.
2. This forum is useful to see the timelines, patterns and also get reassurance from others in a somewhat similar situation as you.
I hope everyone waiting for their visas get a positive response soon!