DUSHANBE, March 27, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- On March 26, the UK Government announced the go-live date for the student tier of its new points-based system for migration, according to press release issued by the British Embassy in Dushanbe.

From March 31, Tajik students looking to study in the UK can apply for their visa through the new points-based system, which will streamline the Student, visa application process.

Under the new transparent system, Tajik students will need to prove that they have been accepted onto a course run by a UK Border Agency (UKBA) licensed education institution, prove that they have the means to support themselves and supply their biometric details at their local visa application centre.

If granted a visa, the new regulations allow international students to undertake part-time work of up to 20 hours per week during term time, full time work during the holidays as well as any course related work placements.

Tajik students choose to study in the UK every year.  These changes to the visa application system will allow students to check whether they are eligible for a visa before they even apply, making the whole system more straightforward. We would urge anyone considering studying in the UK to visit the UKBA website now to familiarize themselves with the new regulations and ensure their application can be processed as quickly as possible.

For the first time, all independent fee-paying schools, colleges and universities that want to accept international students to study with them now need a license to do so. This will help the UK Government crack down on bogus colleges, something which will be welcome news to many Tajik students, who can now be sure the language school, college or university they intend to study at is an approved educational institution.  So far over a thousand UK institutions have signed up to sponsor international students.