The Home Office have introduced credibility interviews into the Tier 4 (General) student visa

application process. However, if you are a low risk national you may not be called for interview.

There are two types of credibility interview. The first type will take place at the same time as your
biometrics are taken at the Embassy or designated agency. This initial interview will only take
around five minutes and will be via video link with the Home Office in the UK. The purpose of the
interview is to check your credibility as a genuine student and the focus of this interview will be your
reasons for choosing the UK, the University and your programme of study as well as questions on
the content of your course. The Home Office will record the interview and send a summary to the
Entry Clearance Officer who will decide if a second more detailed interview at the Embassy is
needed.

The Home Office expects most applicants to be able to prove they are genuine at the first stage and
that this will in fact speed up the decision process on applications because fewer documentation
checks will be required.

You will be asked questions about why you chose the UK, the University of Bradford and your
academic programme and how this fits into your career aspirations. You may also be asked about
how you will fund your studies in the UK.

Tier 4 applicants in the UK may be contacted to participate in an interview if there are discrepancies
between the supporting documents which have been provided and the information included in the
visa application form, or if the caseworker considering the application requests an interview in order
to obtain more information before they can make a decision.

Failure to attend an interview when invited may result in your visa application being refused.

A transcript of your interview will be included in the information which the caseworker will use to
decide your application. You can request a copy of your interview transcript and we suggest that all
students do this.

If you have previously studied a course which is at the same level as the new course and you
received an academic progression justification statement alongside your CAS, you are more likely to
be invited to an interview. This is because the caseworker is required to assess whether the
academic progression requirement is met. When making this assessment, the caseworker will
consider the level of the courses, the subject matter of the new and previous courses, your
education history, the credibility for your rationale for wishing to study the new course, and whether
the justification statement sufficiently explains why you are applying to study a course at the same
level. If you are invited to an interview, you should be prepared to talk about reasons why you want
to pursue the new course sufficiently.
Typical questions may include:

Q: Why did you choose the University of Bradford?

Think about why you chose the UK rather than your home country, another English-speaking country
or a country that other students of your nationality choose to study in. You may find it useful to refer
to information about the University of Bradford on the following link: http://www.brad.ac.uk/about/

Q: Why did you choose your programme?

There may be many courses in the same subject area as the one you plan to study at University of
Bradford. What is it specifically about the Bradford course which you prefer and which suits you over
other course choices? Think about your decision process. Did you apply for other courses? If so why
did you choose the University of Bradford over them?

Q: How do your studies fit into your career plans?

Think about what your plans are after you graduate from University of Bradford. How will the
knowledge and skills you gain from your course at Bradford help you with the type of work you hope
to do. Does your course lead to any professional exemptions or qualifications and are these
recognised in your country? Do you know what others graduating from the course you will be
following went on to do e.g. the types of roles and organisations they work for? If the course you
plan to study is at a similar academic level to previous studies, how does it represent progression
and does it have a vocational focus? If this is the case, be prepared to explain this.

Q: If the costs of pursuing your course of study are higher in the UK than in your home country, why
have you decided to incur the extra costs involved with studying in the UK?

Think about the advantages that a degree from the UK might give you and why you and / or your
family are prepared to make this investment. Have you made a realistic assessment of all the costs
involved and how you plan to pay for them? These costs include accommodation and costs of living.

Q: You have previously studied in the UK - why have you chosen to return?

Think about how the new course relates to previous studies and how it might build on your previous
learning.

Q: You have had a long break in your studies, why are you returning to study now?

Think about how you explain your decision in the context of your long-term career plans and your
return to study after a significant break.

Q: Do you plan to work in the UK?

You cannot rely on funds from working in the UK to pay your course fees and living costs. The main
purpose for being in the UK is your studies so if you do hope to work, think about how this would
enhance your academic studies. You also need to demonstrate an understanding of the hours you
are allowed to work and typical rates of pay.
Q: How will you fund your studies?

You should be able to demonstrate that funds are genuinely available to you for your studies. As part
of your application you will have submitted proof of your finances - ensure that you are very clear
about the source and availability of these funds, also how you plan to pay for subsequent year’s fees
if your course is more than a year in duration. If you have official financial sponsorship make sure
you are aware of the amounts and exactly what is covered. If you have a loan, how will you afford to
pay this back? How much will your accommodation cost and are you clear about the cost of living in
the UK?

The interviewer will also be checking your ability to converse well in English, if there is any issue
with hearing them clearly e.g. via the video link, you should ensure that you raise this so that they
are aware that it is a technical issue not one of understanding and comprehension.

Following your interview we would welcome any useful feedback you think it would be useful for us
and other students to know. Please e-mail us on [email protected] with 'Credibility
Interview Feedback' in the subject title.