Further Timelines for those on Student Visa in UK....

[BuddingLawyer]

Hi
I am trying to understand what further visa options exist for undergraduate students who are in UK on student visa after LLB completion.

1. If my student visa expires in June 2025 (when I graduate with LLB degree), assuming I secure a TC before graduation, will the firm sponsor my SQE study preparation visa (for the 1 year study) and then separate visa for 2 year actual training contract ? What visa categories are those ? I assume it is 1 year student visa followed by Tier 2 work visa ?

2. If I don't secure a TC and switch over to Post study graduate visa, I assume that is sufficient to work as a para legal/pro bono while continuing to apply for TC in the next cycle ?

3. If I self fund my SQE (1&2) prep and pass it and THEN find a TC, do the firms straightaway put you on the 2 year TC with corresponding Tier 2 work visa (do they recognize the self funded SQE and force you not to repeat it?)

Sorry if above sounds confusing.

Thanks

 

[Jessica Booker]

1) it does depend on the course the firm in putting you on. Not all courses are academic courses (eg an equivalent or a Level 6 or 7 qualification) and may not be eligible for a student visa. In those situations, the post study visa could be used though. For the training contract, most firms will put you on a Skilled Pierson Visa (Tier 2 technically doesn’t exist anymore and was replaced by this) as a post study visa typically is not long enough where there is usually a gap between the post study visa starting and the training contracting starting, meaning two years isn’t sufficient.

2) yes - this will be sufficient as you can work in any job under this visa (or not work at all).

3) not necessarily - this visa will align with when your training contract starts, which for most firms will be in 2-3 years time of their recruitment round. They may have earlier vacancies, but this is rare. They also have fixed start dates, either once or twice a year and so even if they could offer you a training contract to start within 12 months, it’s likely to be late sunmer/early Autumn and late Winter/early Spring that they start.

 

[BuddingLawyer]

Thank you so much.

1) it does depend on the course the firm in putting you on. Not all courses are academic courses (eg an equivalent or a Level 6 or 7 qualification) and may not be eligible for a student visa. In those situations, the post study visa could be used though. For the training contract, most firms will put you on a Skilled Pierson Visa (Tier 2 technically doesn’t exist anymore and was replaced by this) as a post study visa typically is not long enough where there is usually a gap between the post study visa starting and the training contracting starting, meaning two years isn’t sufficient.

2) yes - this will be sufficient as you can work in any job under this visa (or not work at all).

3) not necessarily - this visa will align with when your training contract starts, which for most firms will be in 2-3 years time of their recruitment round. They may have earlier vacancies, but this is rare. They also have fixed start dates, either once or twice a year and so even if they could offer you a training contract to start within 12 months, it’s likely to be late sunmer/early Autumn and late Winter/early Spring that they start.

1) it does depend on the course the firm in putting you on. Not all courses are academic courses (eg an equivalent or a Level 6 or 7 qualification) and may not be eligible for a student visa. In those situations, the post study visa could be used though. For the training contract, most firms will put you on a Skilled Pierson Visa (Tier 2 technically doesn’t exist anymore and was replaced by this) as a post study visa typically is not long enough where there is usually a gap between the post study visa starting and the training contracting starting, meaning two years isn’t sufficient.

2) yes - this will be sufficient as you can work in any job under this visa (or not work at all).

3) not necessarily - this visa will align with when your training contract starts, which for most firms will be in 2-3 years time of their recruitment round. They may have earlier vacancies, but this is rare. They also have fixed start dates, either once or twice a year and so even if they could offer you a training contract to start within 12 months, it’s likely to be late sunmer/early Autumn and late Winter/early Spring that they start.

Thank you. On your first reply (1) above, are you suggesting , for example, if the firm uses ONLINE BARBRI course (which does not require student visa), they will expect you to have your Graduate visa ready ? But lets assume the firm's SQE prep course is standard classroom traditional 9/12 month route, will they take the onus of arranging the appropriate 1 year visa and then sponsor the TC work visa ?

On your third (3) reply above, just to check my understanding: you are saying that most likely I would have a "gap" year (since my SQE has already been funded and completed by me) and I have to wait for a year for TC to start which is when they will sponsor the Work visa. Have I understood this correct ?

Is there a possibility that firms REFUSE to recognize self-funded SQE courses/pass certificates and ask you to repeat the SQE course and/or exam (assuming TC is being awarded)?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thank you. On your first reply (1) above, are you suggesting , for example, if the firm uses ONLINE BARBRI course (which does not require student visa), they will expect you to have your Graduate visa ready ? But lets assume the firm's SQE prep course is standard classroom traditional 9/12 month route, will they take the onus of arranging the appropriate 1 year visa and then sponsor the TC work visa ?

On your third (3) reply above, just to check my understanding: you are saying that most likely I would have a "gap" year (since my SQE has already been funded and completed by me) and I have to wait for a year for TC to start which is when they will sponsor the Work visa. Have I understood this correct ?

Is there a possibility that firms REFUSE to recognize self-funded SQE courses/pass certificates and ask you to repeat the SQE course and/or exam (assuming TC is being awarded)?

Even when a student visa is required for a course, it is something you will have to arrange, rather than the firm.

The firm will only be involved in work visas - they have no involvement in the student visa process.

Yes - that is correct - the most likely outcome would be that you had a gap between completing your SQE and starting your TC. Depending on when you were recruited, this could be up to two years, not just one. Say for instance, you signed up to a SQE course this year and completed it in June 2024, most firms are starting their 2926 recruitment this cycle, and so you could have 2 years out.

No - there is no chance of that if you have passed the SQE assessments. No firm has the power to do this, but also it makes no logical sense at all as it is a standardised exam. There is a slight chance of them asking you to do their preferred SQE course, but I can only see this happening if you have not sat the SQE assessments or have failed them on first sitting.

 

[BuddingLawyer]

Even when a student visa is required for a course, it is something you will have to arrange, rather than the firm.

The firm will only be involved in work visas - they have no involvement in the student visa process.

Yes - that is correct - the most likely outcome would be that you had a gap between completing your SQE and starting your TC. Depending on when you were recruited, this could be up to two years, not just one. Say for instance, you signed up to a SQE course this year and completed it in June 2024, most firms are starting their 2926 recruitment this cycle, and so you could have 2 years out.

No - there is no chance of that if you have passed the SQE assessments. No firm has the power to do this, but also it makes no logical sense at all as it is a standardised exam. There is a slight chance of them asking you to do their preferred SQE course, but I can only see this happening if you have not sat the SQE assessments or have failed them on first sitting.

I am so grateful for your detailed replies which are so helpful. Thank you so much.

 

[JunLee2808]

Can firms make you pay for your own Graduate Visa to do the training contract (2 yearsQWE)? Or must it be under a Skilled Worker visa and the firm reimburses the student?

1) it does depend on the course the firm in putting you on. Not all courses are academic courses (eg an equivalent or a Level 6 or 7 qualification) and may not be eligible for a student visa. In those situations, the post study visa could be used though. For the training contract, most firms will put you on a Skilled Pierson Visa (Tier 2 technically doesn’t exist anymore and was replaced by this) as a post study visa typically is not long enough where there is usually a gap between the post study visa starting and the training contracting starting, meaning two years isn’t sufficient.

2) yes - this will be sufficient as you can work in any job under this visa (or not work at all).

3) not necessarily - this visa will align with when your training contract starts, which for most firms will be in 2-3 years time of their recruitment round. They may have earlier vacancies, but this is rare. They also have fixed start dates, either once or twice a year and so even if they could offer you a training contract to start within 12 months, it’s likely to be late sunmer/early Autumn and late Winter/early Spring that they start.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Can firms make you pay for your own Graduate Visa to do the training contract (2 yearsQWE)? Or must it be under a Skilled Worker visa and the firm reimburses the student?

Firms could ask you to pay for a graduate visa and for you to work through this, but the reality is they usually expire before the training contract ends, and so most firms would put you on a skilled persons visa (which they have to pay for directly).

 

[F12M34L]

@BuddingLawyer - I'd like to mention that it could be beneficial for you to explore the updated SRA regulations for international qualified lawyers aiming to qualify as solicitors. These new rules offer a high degree of flexibility (though some might argue it's somewhat unjust to international students who invested significantly in LPC/SQE courses). Therefore, it might be wise to consider this option as well, to avoid any unnecessary expenditure.