Credibility Interview
The UK Home Office has announced a scheme that will allow Entry Clearance Officer (ECOs) to request an interview with students in order to ascertain that the student’s intentions to study in the UK are genuine.
Credibility interviews are now part of the Student Visa (Tier 4) application process. Once you have submitted your visa application you will be called to an interview to answer questions from an Entry Clearance Officer about your prospective studies in the UK. The interview is conducted in English and will take approximately 10-15 minutes.
The overall process is carried out in 2 stages:
(i) students will be given a short interview lasting around 5 minutes at the point when your biometrics are taken.
(ii) Students may then be called back for a further in-depth interview.
What happens once I have been interviewed?
During the interview, the interviewer will write down everything that you say and will send this record to the Entry Clearance Officer (ECO). The ECO will then make a decision on your visa application on the basis of your credibility interview and all the other supporting documents you submitted with your Tier 4 Visa application.
You may be called for a second interview if the Entry Clearance Officer (ECO) needs further information and clarification on your situation. You need to be prepared to provide evidence if requested i.e. source of income.
Interview Questions
The Credibility Interview usually consists of questions similar to those listed below. You should provide specific answers not general answers and relate these questions to your personal situation. It is important to provide as much details as possible but you must be honest, don’t provide an answer based on what you think the Interviewer wants to hear from you.
You are likely to be asked questions about the following topics:
Questions Related to Your Study Intention
- You might want to talk about what you have learnt about the British Education System.
- Why would you like to live and study in the UK?
- How your study in the UK will benefit you?
- What attracts you to the UK?
- How would study in the UK differ studying in your home country?
- Why have you chosen to study in the UK over other countries?
- What research did you carry out?
- Did you use an agent or consultancy?
- Did you meet a university representative in your home country when you were looking at your options?
- Is the course that you are going to study particularly well taught at Univeristy?
- Did you look at other options?
- Why did you choose this particular university over other universities?
Questions Related to University Specific
- It may be useful to take a look at the university website, google maps other websites related to the locations.
- Learn more about University and its branches locations.
- Look at the university website and learn more about facilities provided by the university.
- What attracted you to this particular university and location?
- You can consider the facilities provided at the university, the size of the university, its ranking, its location, course modules etc..
- You can also consider cost of living.
- Many universities have multiple campuses in the UK. Please visit university website and find out more detail on campus it has and at which campus you are planning to study.
- What attracted you to study this particular course?
- What do you hope to achieve by studying this course?
- How will it enhance your knowledge in the subjects that you have already studies?
- How long does this course last?
- Make sure you are aware of course details, check your offer letter, CAS statement. Please visit university website for more detail.
- How will you course be assessed?
- How will the course you have chosen will help you in your chosen career path?
- Do you know at what level your course is that you have applied for?
- What qualification will you receive?
Questions Related to Your Post Study Plan
- You will need to think about plans for the future and what you hope to do once you have completed your studies.
- If completed your course will help you to obtain a better job, earn a higher salary or start your own business your will be asked to explain in exactly what way this course will help you to do so.
- If there have been periods of time in which you have been working? Why are you now looking to come back to study? would this study benefit your current profession or enhance your future prospects?
- Also if there has been a gap between your previous course of study, what were you doing in this time and why are you now ready to return to study?
Questions Related to Student Visa (Tier 4) Requirements
- Take a look to the UKCISA website at the guidance that tells you more about protecting your Tier 4 Status. Click Here
- Take a look at the UKCISA website, which will provide you with information related to part-time jobs while studying in the UK. Click Here.
- Will it be essential for you to work to be able to support yourself during your studies?
- If so your visa application will be harder to approve, remember here to talk about the support that you will be receiving from you parents and/or money that you have saved in order to fund your tuition fees and living costs during your course of study.
Questions Related To Finance / Funding Your Studies
- Explain here if you or your parents are going to fund your studies.
- You may be asked to discuss how your parents will able able to do this. Is it affordable to your / them based on their annual income.
- Remember documents confirming their financial status must be included with your visa application.
- What is the profession of your financial sponsor and what relationship are they to you?
- You may be asked what job the person who is sponsoring you has, to justify how they can continue to support you in this way.
- Do you have evidence of the financial status of your financial sponsor?
- Can you prove that this money is available for your study?
- Would you able to pay your tuition fees in one full amount?
- Have you check the University refund policy?
Questions About You and Your Family
- What was the last course of study you completed and when?
- What have you been doing since you completed you last studies?
- What is / was your monthly income?
- How many member are there in your family?
- What is your financial sponsor’s (father / mother) income?
- How many people are dependent on your financial sponsor’s (father / mother) income?
- Do you have any friends or family in the UK?
Questions Related To Your Living in UK
- Where will you live and how far will this be from campus?
- How will you pay for your studies and living costs?
- How much will your accommodation cost?
- Are you planning to work while your are in the UK?
- How will you travel to campus each day and the bus routes?
