Visa application process (for overseas applicants)
Once a Tier 5 Certificate of Sponsorship has been issued to a migrant, they must obtain a Tier 5 visa/ entry clearance before they enter the UK, and have three months from the date the Certificate of Sponsorship is issued to do so. After three months the certificate will lapse and can no longer be used to support a visa application.
Migrants should also note that they must not apply for a visa any sooner than three months before the start date given on their Certificate of Sponsorship. In addition, migrants will not be permitted to enter the UK any sooner than 14 days before the start date on their Certificate of Sponsorship.
Tier 5 visa applications must be made by the migrant direct to their local Visa Application Centre. In some countries, part of the visa application must be completed online. In other countries, making an application online is optional. In others, it is not possible to make the application online. Migrants are advised to carefully check the application requirements in their country of residence before applying. The length of time taken to process visa applications can vary considerably from country to country.
Please refer to the UK Border Agency website for more information on the application process in a particular country. Overseas migrants will also need to provide their biometric details (fingerprints and photographs) when applying for a visa to enter the UK.
Please see Tier 5 visa application guidance (overseas) 
(94kb) for details on the supporting documents that will be needed for this application. This guidance will be sent to the migrant by email with their Certificate of Sponsorship number.
It is the migrants' responsibility to ensure that they provide the correct documentation when making their visa application to the overseas Visa Application Centre.
Should the migrant submit their visa application late, or fail to supply the correct documentation, their application will be refused and their Certificate of Sponsorship will be rendered invalid. In this eventuality, the University will need to issue another Certificate of Sponsorship (if possible) and the migrant will need to submit a fresh visa application.