Changing Between an Undergraduate Bachelor’s and Integrated Master’s

Changing From Bachelor’s to Master’s Study

If you need an extra year of visa due to changing from a bachelor’s to the longer master’s route (e.g. BEng to MEng), you must first apply to UKVI and be granted the extra visa time before the University can allow the transfer.  You may need to check whether the masters will require ATAS clearance, if so, this needs to be secured before any change of study. 

The visa application can be made inside or outside the UK and you would need to request a new CAS from the Student Office. 

You may want to consider the timing of such an application.  If each study route contains the same modules for the first few years there may be no benefit in switching course during that stage. Waiting to switch would enable a reduction in the Immigration Health Surcharge to be paid and give you time to think about whether this is the correct move.  

Some students might avoid any extra visa time being required by choosing to opt out of a placement year.  For example, a visa covering the undergraduate bachelor’s with placement route (ABIC) can allow a switch to the same length of master’s without placement (ABCD). 

Changing From Master’s to Bachelor’s Route

If you are switching from the integrated master’s to the bachelor’s route of a degree UKVI deem this not to be a change of course. You can continue to study with your ongoing Student visa permission, in effect this is an exception to the general rule that a Student visa cannot be used to study at a lower level. You will probably complete your degree earlier than originally expected and if so you can expect early completion to be reported by the University and UKVI to shorten/cancel Student permission to be no longer than 4 months beyond the end of the actual completion date (see the separate sections on studies ending early and visa cancellation).

Last Updated: 5th October 2023