The number of students in elite private schools in Britain has also shown a continuous growth trend, which has been climbing for three consecutive years. By 2024, its total number of students was about 556,500.
The latest report of ISC ISC 2024 presents a set of interesting data: among the young students in Britain, the number from Chinese mainland has exceeded 10,000, reaching 10,375, ranking first. Followed by China and Hongkong, with 7677 people, ranking second. The United States ranks third with 4759 people. In addition, the total number of young students in the European Community and the European Union (EEA) is 5,297.
It is worth noting that the number of students in elite private schools in Britain has also shown a continuous growth trend, which has been climbing for three consecutive years. By 2024, its total number of students was about 556,500.
For young international students, they are still young and have limited self-care ability, which worries parents. In this context, the accompanying visa and the guardian system of private schools in Britain have become the focus of parents' attention, because it is related to the study and life security of children in foreign countries.
British accompanying visa
Accompanying visa, also Dependant/Dependent Visa or dependent visa. According to British law, parents are eligible to apply for a visa to accompany their children under the age of 12. This visa is valid for 12 months for the first time and can be renewed for 12 months in the UK.
However, when the child is over 12 years old, parents can only apply for a visit visa. The visa for visiting relatives is valid for 2 years, and can be used for multiple trips, but the cumulative stay in the UK should not exceed 6 months each year. After the expiration, you must leave the country and cannot renew it in the UK.
It should be noted that the visa for visiting relatives has an advantage, that is, parents can go to Britain together; The accompanying visa only allows one person to go.
Another important reminder is that if a child attends a fully boarding British private school, according to the Immigration Department, the child usually does not need his parents to accompany him full-time. The accompanying visa will only be approved unless there are legitimate and reasonable reasons. In fact, we found that when parents of full-boarding students aged 10 applied for such accompanying visas, some applications were rejected, while others were approved. Therefore, if parents clearly want to accompany them full-time when choosing a school, then it is best to choose a private school that is a day school or a weekly boarding school, so as to ensure the smooth application for an accompanying visa.
Application process
1. Prepare basic materials
Identification materials
Valid passport. Passports must be valid for at least 6 months after the planned date of departure from the UK. For example, if you plan to leave after 12 months, the remaining validity period of your passport should be no less than 18 months. At the same time, at least one blank page on the passport is used for visa labeling.
Copy of passport photo page. This is used by visa officers to verify your identity information.
Children-related materials
A copy of the child's valid passport and passport information page. Prove your child's legal study abroad status in the UK.
A letter of admission for a child to a British school. This needs to be an official document issued by a regular school in the UK, which will have detailed information such as the name, address, enrollment time and curriculum arrangement of the school, so that the visa officer can understand the children's study in the UK.
Copy of the child's student visa. Because children are young students studying abroad, their visa status is also an important basis for accompanying visa review.
Proof of funds
Bank deposit certificate. You need to prove that you have enough funds to pay the living expenses during your accompanying study in the UK. It is generally recommended to prepare proof of funds that can support you and your children to live in the UK for at least 6-12 months, including daily expenses and accommodation expenses. The specific amount varies due to regional differences and other factors. For example, in London, relatively more funds may need to be prepared. It can be the original and copy of bank time deposit slip, current passbook, etc., which should show your name, account number and balance.
Bank flow in the last 3-6 months. This can let the visa officer know about your capital flow and ensure that you have a stable financial source to support your accompanying life.
Proof of relationship
Birth certificate. Prove the parent-child relationship between you and your child, which is a very important material for accompanying the visa. If it is an adoption relationship, legal adoption documents are also required.
2. Fill in the application form online
Visit the official website of the UK Visa and Immigration Service (UKVI) and fill in the visa application form online. In the process of filling in, you need to provide personal details, such as name, date of birth, contact information, passport information and so on. At the same time, it is necessary to accurately fill in the school information of the children in the UK, the planned time of accompanying them, and so on.
After completing the application form, you need to carefully check the accuracy of the information before submitting the application. After submission, the system will generate an application number, and you need to record this number so that you can query the application progress later.
3. Booking a visa center
According to your region, find and book the nearest UK visa application center on UKVI website. You need to choose a suitable date and time when making an appointment. It is generally recommended to make an appointment in advance, especially during the peak period of visa application, to ensure that the application can be submitted in time.
After the appointment is successful, you will receive an appointment confirmation letter, which will include the appointment date, time, visa center address and other details. You need to go to the visa center according to the appointment time.
4. Biometric information collection
In the visa center, you need to collect biometric information, mainly including fingerprint collection and facial photo shooting. This is for the purpose of identity verification to ensure that the visa application is submitted by myself.
The collection process is usually simple and quick, but it needs to cooperate with the instructions of the staff to ensure the accuracy of information collection.
5. Pay the visa fee
There is a certain fee for accompanying visa in the UK, and the fee standard may be adjusted due to exchange rate, policy and other factors. In the visa center, you can pay the visa fee by cash or credit card.
After paying the fee, you will receive a receipt, which needs to be kept properly. This is the proof that you have paid the visa fee.
6. Wait for the visa review result.
The visa review time varies due to many factors, and it may generally take weeks or even months. During the waiting period, you can check the application progress on the UKVI website through the previously recorded application number.
If the visa application is successful, you will receive a notice from the visa center that you can get a visa. You need to bring valid identity documents to the visa center to get your passport and visa; If the visa application is rejected, you will also receive a refusal notice, which will explain the reasons for the refusal.
Guardian of studying in Britain
Parents need to find a professional guardian before applying for a British visa for their children, which is a requirement of the British Immigration Bureau, the law and the school.
Most elite private high schools require international students who have reached the age of 18 to have appointed guardians who are responsible for daily contact with the school.
In British boarding schools, guardians are student agents and should communicate and coordinate with schools and parents.
The British government has regulations on guardians, and guardians who do not meet the requirements may lead to visa rejection.
The British government's regulations on overseas study guardians are as follows:
1. Age requirement: The guardian must be over 18 years old, but most schools require the guardian to be over 25 or 30 years old.
2. Academic status: Not a full-time student.
3. Qualifications: You must be a British resident with British nationality, a green card or a legal job.
4, health status: good health.
5. Credit record: Personal credit record is good.
6. Geographical location: The personal location is close to the school where students attend.
7. Background check: You must pass the investigation of no criminal record (that is, DBS, The Disclosure and Barring Service, because in Britain, all jobs involving minors must apply for DBS).
When choosing a guardian, parents need to carefully check according to the above conditions, objectively analyze the advantages and disadvantages, abide by the relevant regulations, and sign a standardized agreement with the guardian.
In addition, parents should also consider the following points:
1, communication skills and experience
Whether the guardian has excellent English and has experience in communicating with the school. Good English ability is the basis of smooth communication with British schools, and rich communication experience can better convey parents' opinions to schools and accurately understand the students' information fed back by schools.
2. Knowledge reserve
Are you familiar with British laws and regulations, customs and habits, and the British education system? Understanding these contents will help guardians to act according to the law when dealing with student affairs, avoid problems caused by cultural differences or unclear systems, and ensure students to study and live in an environment that is in line with local conditions.
3. Time and patience
Whether there is enough time and patience to take care of children's life, study and health. Young international students need careful care in life and study, and guardians need enough time and patience to pay attention to the growth of students, such as urging study and caring about physical condition.
4. Emergency handling ability
Can you properly handle emergencies 24 hours a day? When students encounter unexpected situations, guardians need to be able to respond at any time and solve problems effectively to ensure the safety and health of students.
5, medical familiarity
Are you familiar with British medical care? This is related to whether students can get timely and appropriate medical treatment when they are sick or injured, and guardians need to know the local medical resources and processes.
6. Ability to arrange holidays
Can you properly arrange accommodation, transportation and activities for students' holidays? During the holidays, the management of the school is relatively reduced, and the guardian should be responsible for arranging students' accommodation, travel and activities to ensure safe and meaningful holiday life.
7. Handover ability
I can find other suitable guardians to hand over when I can't fulfill my guardianship obligations. This can ensure that students can still get continuous and stable supervision under special circumstances.
8. Right to sign on behalf of
Whether it can legally represent parents to exercise their signing rights. This involves that in some important documents or decisions related to students, guardians can participate on behalf of parents to protect students' rights and interests.
Guardians are the agents and supporters of students in British boarding schools. Their duties are to take care of the daily welfare of students and work closely with schools and parents to ensure the safety, happiness and success of students.