Applying for tier 4 as a postgraduate doctor / dentist in training
Congratulations on completing your studies at King's. If you are planning on undertaking a foundation doctor or dental training scheme you can apply for a Tier 4 visa to complete your training.
In order to be eligible to apply for a visa under Tier 4 as a Postgraduate Dentist/Doctor, you must fulfil all the following criteria:
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Have leave as a Student/Tier 4 student (or related category, e.g. resit student). Some Work categories also qualify.
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Need to have successfully completed your dental/ medical degree
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Need to have secured a place on the Foundation Programme with a licensed organisation and obtain a CAS from them.
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Need to meet the maintenance requirements.
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Need to have the consent of your financial sponsor if you were sponsored during your recent studies.
If you want to apply for this visa from within the UK you must not have leave as a dependant. If you are here as a dependant you need to return home to make your application. If you want to apply as a Postgraduate Dentist/Doctor but do not think you meet all these requirements seek advice as soon as possible.
You should note that, if you currently hold a Tier 4 visa which you applied for after 5th October 2009, you will only be allowed to start work if you are able to prove you have submitted an application to extend your visa. This is because your current visa has been issued for study at King's College London only. If you hold a Tier 4 visa and applied for this before 5th October 2009 then you will need to apply to the UKBA for Permission to Switch to your new sponsor (the UKFPO). You will then need to apply to extend your visa before your current leave expires in order to have enough leave to complete the programme.
If you hold a student visa issued under the old system (pre-Tier 4) then you can start your Foundation Programme without first applying for a new visa, though of course you will need to apply to extend your visa before your current leave expires.
Due to the tight timescales many students who fall into the categories above choose to book an in-person appointment with the UKBA so they can obtain their new visas before commencing the programme. If you decide to do this we would urge you to book an appointment as soon as possible after your results are released, and once you have obtained your CAS from the UKFPO, to ensure you can start your programme on time.
The UKFPO have provided answers to some frequently asked questions for medical students applying for their Tier 4 visa in order to undertake the Foundation programme. Dental students undertaking Foundation training can obtain further information from COPDEND. Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us.