Occasionally a student may change the level or subject of their research degree or move to a different department during studies. This will have student visa implications as outlined below.
A student can only change course or department once the relevant University approval process has been completed.
It is not possible to change course from the MPhil to a PhD and continue to study on the same student visa. This is because the new course duration will be longer than the current student visa, which is not permitted in student visa policy.
You would need to apply for a new visa for the PhD and this application has to be made from outside the UK, in your country of nationality or residence. It is not possible to apply for the new visa in the UK owing to the academic progression rules which require a student to have successfully completed the course for which the previous visa was granted. Applications submitted outside the UK are exempt from the academic progression requirements.
The steps required from a visa perspective to facilitate this change are outlined below and must be completed and before you may begin studying towards your PhD:
- You will first need to apply to change your course registration via your CamSIS Self-Service.
- If you require ATAS clearance, you will need to apply for a new ATAS certificate for the new course. You are advised to apply for this once you have submitted your course change application owing to the timeframe for a decision, which is advertised as up to 30 working days. Contact the International Student Office to start this process as soon as you have submitted your course change application.
- You should begin to consider your travel plans and liaise with your Department regarding managing your absence from Cambridge while you are obtaining your new visa.
- Once your application to change course has reached the final stage and is with Student Registry, having been approved by all other relevant parties, it will be put on hold until you have obtained a new ATAS certificate (if applicable) and student visa.
- When the new ATAS clearance certificate has been issued (if applicable), and your course change application has reached the final stage with Student Registry, the International Student Office will need to do the following:
- inform the Home Office of this change in your circumstances, and withdraw sponsorship of your current student visa. This normally leads to the current visa being curtailed to 60 days from the date curtailment action is taken.
- issue you a new Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) to support the new student visa application from overseas.
- You will need to apply for your new visa from overseas. Guidance is outlined on our student visa entry clearance webpage.
- When you have received the new visa, returned to the UK and provided evidence of your new visa to your College, your record will be updated to confirm your change of course to the PhD.
Other considerations
- You will need to pay for the new student visa application, including the application fee and immigration health surcharge for the duration of the new visa. You will not receive any refund on the costs paid for your current student visa.
- You will not be able to change your study activity in the UK to the PhD until you have your new visa which needs to be applied for from overseas.
It is not possible to change course from a PhD to an MPhil and continue to study on the same student visa. This is because the new course is at a lower level than the current course, which is not permitted in student visa policy.
You would need to obtain a new visa for the MPhil and this application has to be made from outside the UK, in your country of nationality or residence. It is not possible to apply for the new visa in the UK owing to the academic progression rules which require a student to have successfully completed the course for which the previous visa was granted and that the new course is at the same or a higher level to the previous course. Applications submitted outside the UK are exempt from the academic progression requirements.
The steps required from a visa perspective to facilitate this change are outlined:
- When your record has been updated to reflect the change of course from a PhD to the MPhil, the University will be required to notify the Home Office of this change, and the International Student Office will withdraw sponsorship of your current student visa. You will be emailed when this report has been submitted and your visa should subsequently be curtailed by the Home Office – they will shorten your immigration permission to 60 days from the date curtailment action is taken.
- If you require ATAS clearance, you will need to apply for a new ATAS certificate for the new course. Contact the International Student Office to start this process as soon as you are aware that you may be changing course.
- Once the new ATAS clearance certificate has been issued (if applicable), the International Student Office will issue you a new Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) to support the new student visa application from overseas.
- You will need to apply for your new student visa from overseas with the CAS
- When you have received the new visa and subsequently returned to the UK, you will need to provide this to your College to copy for your record before resuming study.
Other considerations
- You will need to pay for the new student visa application, including the application fee and immigration health surcharge for the duration of the visa. You will not receive any refund on any of the costs paid for your current student visa.
- You will not be able to change your study activity in the UK to the MPhil until you have your new visa which needs to be applied for from overseas.
- If you only need to write up your thesis for submission, you may wish to consider whether you prefer to do this from overseas and submit remotely; you would need to discuss with your Department whether this is an option. In this case, you would not need to return to the UK and would not need to apply for a new student visa. Alternatively, you could return for your viva on a visitor visa after submitting your thesis from overseas. However, if you return to the UK as a visitor, you would no longer be eligible for the post-study Graduate visa as this must be applied for in the UK, having successfully completed the course for which your student visa was issued. If you wish to remain eligible for the Graduate visa, you must obtain a new student visa in order to complete your MPhil.
Normally a change in subject area or Department only will not require you to obtain a new visa, as long as there is no change in course length.
If you require ATAS clearance, you will need to apply for a new ATAS certificate for the new course or department. Contact the International Student Office to start this process as soon as you are aware that you will be changing course/department, as you will not be able to make this change until you have your new ATAS certificate. The advertised timeframe for a decision is up to 30 working days.
The University is required to inform the Home Office of course/Department changes for those on a student visa. The International Student Office will submit this report once the change has been approved and will email you to confirm when this has been done.
This guidance does not apply if a student has been approved to restart their course. It is not normally possible within student visa policy to restart a PhD or MPhil and continue to study on the same student visa as the course end date will change. Students in this situation should contact the International Student Office for specific guidance on their circumstances.