There are maximum time limits ('caps') on studying with a Tier 4 visa. Before they can issue you a confirmation of acceptance for studies, a Tier 4 sponsor will need to check that your application will not take you over the maximum time allowed. The Home Office will not grant further leave to someone whose current Tier 4 application means they will exceed these time limits unless there are "compelling and compassionate circumstances", such as injury or disability.
When making these calculations the Home Office will count the time in months and will round individual days upwards or downwards to the nearest month. For example, three months and ten days will be rounded down to three months but three months and three weeks will be rounded up to four months.
The Immigration Rules make it clear that it is the period of leave that you have previously been granted that will count towards the time limits, even if you did not spend all of this time studying and/or you used this time to study a different level of course. This includes the extra periods of time added to your visa before and after your course.
However, the Home Office's Tier 4 policy guidance states that if your leave has been curtailed, the date that your curtailed leave expired will be used.
If you are a Syrian national who is normally resident in Syria, but who is currently resident in the UK then these time limits will not apply to you, you should check the
concession for Syrian nationals before applying. If you need to rely on this concession we suggest that you speak to an immigration adviser before you apply and that you include a letter with your application explaining your situation and asking for the concession to be applied.
