Travel restrictions: Find out about digital learning and how you can apply with confidence.
Last updated: 1 May 2020
We are here to help you stay on track and progress to your university degree as soon as possible, which is why we’ve answered some frequently asked questions for you.
On this page you can find:
We currently advise any students who are intending to enrol in May, June or July to not book flights, and instead join your programme via our online platform. If you are one of these students, we will contact you to give you details on how to enrol from your home country, and what you can expect for your studies. When the situation settles, we look forward to welcoming you in the UK.
If visa or IELTS centres in your country are closed, don’t worry! We have flexible application options for you. Just get in touch and we can talk you through your options.
Until travel restrictions are lifted and our colleges are able to welcome students in person, you will be able to start your course online from your home country so that your education is not interrupted. Our digital learning solutions mean that you’ll benefit from the same high level of support and course quality, so you’ll be able to progress to university with confidence.
We also recognise that, depending on which country you live in, there may be different rules on travel restrictions. We will work with you, taking into account your personal circumstances, to support you and make sure you can begin your studies and follow your path to university.
Our colleges are temporarily teaching courses digitally until face-to-face study can resume. In order to start your studies online, you won’t need a CAS or a visa, and we are now considering alternatives to UKVI IELTS and full academic transcripts when assessing applications. Read more in the FAQs below.
Find out more about digital learning, how it works, and why it’s a great option for you to keep your education on track.
Yes – you can still apply now and start your course online soon. Apply in the usual way using the online application form, and our helpful staff, combined with our flexible admissions process for digital learning, will guide you on your path to university.
If your education institution is closed, the good news is we can consider historical academic transcripts and other indicative documents from your school / university if you don’t have your latest full transcript for the current year. Just contact us if you have any questions, and we can advise you on what to send.
We recognise that it might not be possible to book a UKVI IELTS exam. We can therefore consider the following equivalent English language test scores for digital learning:
| Duolingo |
| High school English certificate for selected countries |
| IELTS General or Academic (UKVI or non-UKVI) |
| KiBT |
| PTE (Pearson Test of English) |
| TOEFL iBT |
Contact our helpful advisers for more information, and we can guide you on your application.
You won’t require a CAS in order to start your course online. We’ll be in touch with you to provide a CAS as soon as we know that face-to-face teaching is starting again, so that you can complete your UKVI Tier 4 visa application.
When travel restrictions are lifted and you can continue your pathway course in the UK, you will need to obtain your CAS and get your student visa, but we’ll help you plan in advance for this important process. For now, you can get ahead by starting online.
We are confident that you will feel secure with your digital learning course with Kaplan, but understand that you may feel uncertain about how your course will actually work online. Our digital learning solutions webpages contain a lot of useful information about how you will be able to access course materials, and how college staff will be there to support you throughout your studies.
Once you have enrolled online at the start of term, you will have 7 days from the day of your first lesson to decide if digital learning is right for you. If you decide that you are unable to continue with your studies online, you can withdraw from the course within the first 7 days without penalty. You can then choose to either to defer your studies to a future intake (for example, when travel restrictions are lifted), or you can apply for a full deposit and tuition fee refund.
Please note that the refunds policy for certain courses follow their own terms and conditions, which can be seen by following the links below:
If your education institution is closed, the good news is we can consider historical academic transcripts and other indicative documents from your school / university if you don’t have your latest full transcript for the current year. Just contact us if you have any questions, and we can advise you on what to send.
We recognise that it might not be possible to book a UKVI IELTS exam. We can therefore consider the following equivalent English language test scores for digital learning:
| Duolingo |
| High school English certificate for selected countries |
| IELTS General or Academic (UKVI or non-UKVI) |
| KiBT |
| PTE (Pearson Test of English) |
| TOEFL iBT |
Contact our helpful advisers for more information, and we can guide you on your application.
You won’t require a CAS in order to start your course online. We’ll be in touch with you to provide a CAS as soon as we know that face-to-face teaching is starting again, so that you can complete your UKVI Tier 4 visa application.
We understand that you may have some CAS-related questions, so we have outlined some different scenarios for you below.
Please do not start your visa application until we advise you to, once we know when face-to-face teaching will resume. You can still enrol via our online platform from your home country and join your course digitally. Our friendly visa team will be in touch with you during this process to help you prepare for travelling to the UK. If you are planning to defer your studies, please let us know and we can update the course details on your CAS.
Since you do not need a CAS to join your course online, you don’t need to do anything for now. We will issue your CAS before face-to-face teaching is restarted, and we’ll advise you throughout the Tier 4 visa application process.
Please send us a copy of your visa page if you have not yet done so. We will get in touch with you to advise on the next steps you need to take once we know when face-to-face teaching will resume and you can travel to the UK.
Your Entry Clearance Vignette sticker, which you have in your passport, is likely to expire as it’s only valid for one month. However, once we know when face-to-face teaching will resume, you’ll be able to update it on the gov.uk website by selecting ‘transfer your visa to a new passport online’. Here you can request a replacement entry clearance sticker with updated dates.
If you are planning to defer your studies, please let us know so that we can update your visa status.
Please wait for further contact from UKVI or your local visa centre as your application should be processed when centres reopen in your country. We recommend maintaining the required funds in your bank account in case further evidence is requested by UKVI.
You should apply for your Tier 4 visa as soon as it is possible to in your country, once it’s clear when face-to-face teaching will resume in the UK. We will let you know as soon as we do. You will not be penalised if you are delayed in travelling to the UK due to visa processing times.
If you have any general questions about the Tier 4 visa application process, please check our helpful visa advice page. You can also contact us and speak to one of our friendly, expert team members, or simply speak to your Kaplan representative. They’ll be happy to advise you and give you all the information you need.
We are confident that you will feel secure with your digital learning course with Kaplan, but understand that you may feel uncertain about how your course will actually work online. Our digital learning solutions webpages contain a lot of useful information about how you will be able to access course materials, and how college staff will be there to support you throughout your studies.
Once you have enrolled online at the start of term, you will have 7 days from the day of your first lesson to decide if digital learning is right for you. If you decide that you are unable to continue with your studies online, you can withdraw from the course within the first 7 days without penalty. You can then choose to either to defer your studies to a future intake (for example, when travel restrictions are lifted), or you can apply for a full deposit and tuition fee refund.
Please note that the refunds policy for certain courses follow their own terms and conditions, which can be seen by following the links below:
Yes! If you already have an approved visa, then you can start your course remotely from your home country. You can then travel to the UK at a later date to re-join your course, and continue your studies at your study destination. If you already have your visa, please send a copy of it with your name and student ID to [email protected] and our Admissions team will talk you through your options.
Don’t worry. You can start your pathway course online from your home country, and then re-join your studies in the UK at the appropriate time. You will be contacted by your college before your start date with all the details you need to join your course.
If you have already been granted your visa, there is no problem commencing your course online. If you don’t have a visa, you can still start your course online; just contact us at [email protected] for further advice on your next steps.
You can find out more about accommodation here.
We are confident that you will feel secure with your digital learning course with Kaplan, but understand that you may feel uncertain about how your course will actually work online. Our digital learning solutions webpages contain a lot of useful information about how you will be able to access course materials, and how college staff will be there to support you throughout your studies.
Once you have enrolled online at the start of term, you will have 7 days from the day of your first lesson to decide if digital learning is right for you. If you decide that you are unable to continue with your studies online, you can withdraw from the course within the first 7 days without penalty. You can then choose to either to defer your studies to a future intake (for example, when travel restrictions are lifted), or you can apply for a full deposit and tuition fee refund.
Please note that the refunds policy for certain courses follow their own terms and conditions, which can be seen by following the links below:
If you have questions about how studying a Pre-Sessional English course may be affected, you can find out information on our dedicated FAQs page.
We hope you’ve found this information useful. If you are unsure of anything relating to your studies or your future plans with Kaplan Pathways, don’t hesitate to contact us or speak to your Kaplan representative. They’ll be happy to advise you and give you all the information you need.
