The UK is a friendly place for international students, including world-renowned universities, brilliant work opportunities, multicultural, financial benefits, etc. Thousands of international students study in the United Kingdom per year due to these reasons.
As per 2020/2021 data from the Higher education statistics agency, 605,103 international students are pursuing their degrees in the UK till 2021. This number was 556,225 students in the UK in 2020.
If you are tense because of your visa application and think that your visa application will be rejected due to the study gap, you must be calm as the UK government has launched a new student visa scheme. As per the new student visa scheme, universities have to assess the academic qualification for a particular program or course. Therefore, it is up to the university to decide how much study gap they can accept for international students. Want to know about the minimum and maximum gap? Then keep reading.
If you also want the answer related to the students’ visa questions, including how much study gap acceptable countries in UK and how to cover the study gap for the UK? Then stay with this article as all your doubts related to the study gap for the UK will clear after reading this article.
Must Read: Chances of getting permanent resident in the UK after study.
So before diving into the information about how much gap is accepted for study in UK, you have to read the information about the study gap in the next section below.
What is the study gap?
Most of you take a break from study for various reasons, including preparing for government exams or medical exams, earning money for your day-to-day expenses, etc. The break is precisely the gap that you are reading in this article. The study gap is the period between your previous qualification and current qualification.
So, you have learned the basics about the study gap that can ruin your visa application. If you want to know how much study gap is accepted in the UK. The following section below is for you.
How much gap is accepted for study in the UK?
Every student with some gap in their study faces confusion while applying for a student visa in the UK, Is a Study Gap Acceptable in the UK? So the answer to this question is yes, the study gap is acceptable in the UK as the UK is a friendly place for international students.
However, no one can stop you from going to study in the United Kingdom with a gap if you have a solid Study record, work experience, and valid reason for the gap. If you are an undergraduate and want to pursue your graduation in the UK, then the interval of up to 2 years is allowed, and the gap of 5 years is permitted for postgraduate students in the UK. However, some universities in the United Kingdom offer courses or programs to students with an eight-year gap. So you will not experience any difficulty getting a study visa after 8 years gap.
You can cover these gaps for admission to the top universities of the United Kingdom in several ways. Want to know how to justify the study gap? Then the next section of this article will help you explain and cover the reason for the study gap for the study visa in the United Kingdom.
How to cover the study gap for UK?
If you have taken a break or gap, you have a definite reason for that gap you have taken from the study. You have to share the cause with the immigration officer and university honestly. The following can be common reasons for the study gap, and below you will also get the list of documents that you must submit to cover the following gaps-
1. Work experience
Some students also leave their studies because their financial situation is not good, and these students pursue a job or internship to fulfill their family needs.
If you are one of those who have done work to earn money, then it is a winning situation for you to get selected in the UK universities as some universities of the united kingdom. Some universities considered these candidates more desirable as work experience shows the productivity of the candidates.
If you have done a job or any projects like community service, volunteers work, etc. Then you can add proof of your experiences like an experience letter, salary slip, and more with the visa application or admission application to the university.
2. Competitive exams or short course
Some students also give a gap in their studies to prepare for the competitive government exams. If you are one of these, you do not want to worry about it. However, you have to share this reason with the immigration officer, and the immigration officer can guide you in dealing with these issues.
Suppose you have also completed a short course in your study gap to gain experience and skills. Then this skill can also be profitable for you to get a visa and admission to the university in the United Kingdom. You can attach the certificate of your short course with your visa and admission application as the college administration board always choose students who can balance commitments and already have a skill.
3. Family situation
Some students also take a break from their studies due to several family difficulties. Suppose you have also faced similar problems and are worried that the visa officer will not understand your family problem. Then you are wrong, and the visa officer can reject your application if you provide false information to them. So you should give correct information about your family situation to give a gap in study to the visa officers to increase the chances of acceptance of your visa.
4. Health issues
Unfortunately, some students also face severe health issues and gaps in their studies due to these health issues. Suppose you have also met a health issue and think that your study gap due to a health problem can be a reason for the visa rejection from the united kingdom. Then taking a chill pill as a study gap due to health problems can not be a barrier to your study journey in the united kingdom unless you don’t share your health report with the visa officer. You have to submit a medical certificate, report, and the detail of treatment that you have taken in the gap year of study. It would be helpful to check with a study adviser about the required documents to portray the gap.
Besides, if you have any other reason for the study, honestly mention it in your visa application. If you think your defense is not valid for the study gap, you can consult a study abroad expert to clarify your doubts.
So, you have learned how to cover the study gap for the UK? The following section below will know the list of top colleges in the United Kingdom that accept study gaps.
Which universities accept gap years?
If you think about which universities will be the best for you, accept the study gap. Then you will get the list of the universities that accept study gaps in this section. Even if you have a backlog in your study, these universities will be the perfect choice for you as these universities also accept students with 5 to 10 backlogs. The following are the name of universities that accept study gaps-
- Bangor university
- Cardiff metropolitan university
- Brunel university
- Coventry university
- Cranfield university
- The University of Bradford
- Kingston University London
- Swansea university
- Lead Beckett university
- Bath spa university
Apart from the universities mentioned above, other universities like the University of Greenwich, the University of Lincoln, and more accept students with study gaps and backlogs.
Frequently asked questions
This section will get answers to some common questions about study gaps. So without any further delay, let’s move to the first question.
Is a 10-year study gap acceptable in the UK?
Yes, a 10 to 12 years study gap is acceptable in the UK for postgraduate with some valid reason. For example, suppose you were constantly working or engaged in an activity when you graduated. Then you are all set to study at the University of the united kingdom.
Can I apply for a study visa with 9 year of gap?
Yes, you can; you need to do is select a university you must apply to. Then apply for a study visa in the united kingdom.
Also read: Why can you only apply to 5 universities in the UK?
Final words
No matter how much gap you have taken from your studies. If you have a valid reason for the study gap, you can go to the UK to study at your dream university. You have to justify the reason for the study gap honestly in your Visa application. Don’t try to hide or give a wrong reason for the visa application, as it can be a reason for visa rejection.
