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Im a student at my final year here in JC (Singapore's equivalent of high school). I'm a foreign student on a full board scholarship here in Singapore.

I have been selected to embark on an English studies trip to Cambridge in March. I logded my application in January and was rejected on the grounds below.

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More information: I have fully paid for the trip. The cover letter from my school has indicated so. I have several bank accounts and While I did provide them with my bank statement, I provided the one with the most money inside but its been pretty dormant. I recognise this was my mistake that could have lead to the refusal.

I am reapplying again soon. My school has made a new letter with more details and response to the refusal letter. On my side, I am thinking of submitting my bank account with the most activity (aka my daily account) and my scholarship agreement that i think can both show ties to Singapore and my financial situation (as it details all the benefits that i get from it like fully paid school fees, accommodation, and allowance). However, it doesnt have much in it (I'm a student) BUT the trip is already fully paid and it includes everything (flights accom transport meals etc) and my new school letter has indicated as such. Do you think this is still likely to be refused? I am growing desperate as I am very scared I wont be able to go on this super long awaited trip

James
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  • It doesn't really bcs I feel that my circumstance is a bit different from other visitor visa refusals – James Jan 25 '20 at 08:48
  • You may feel that, but it isn’t, it really isn’t. Read the entirety of the linked post, it covers all your refusal criteria and is 100% applicable to you. –  Jan 25 '20 at 08:50
  • I understand that and believe me I have scrutinised that post many many times and yes the post does answer some of my questions but some things are still left unexplained, in my opinion. Maybe its my desperation preventing me from being clear headed – James Jan 25 '20 at 08:54
  • You aren’t going to get any better advice on here than that post - it was written by a UK immigration lawyer who handled cases as his day job, it pretty much covers everything. If you still have questions, please detail them. –  Jan 25 '20 at 08:57
  • Hi, I still have one burning question - in that post, it is mentioned that sponsors must still provide their financial information/background. My question is, is my school considered a 'sponsor'? because I have paid for the trip in full and the school will make all the bookings on my behalf (and this is reflected on both my application form and cover letter). I just don't find the fact that the refusal letter states they are not satisfied that I can cover all reasonable expenses myself when in fact it is the school who is paying all the expenses as I have paid for the trip in advance? – James Jan 25 '20 at 10:02
  • No, your school is not considered a sponsor, because they are not a UK entity and therefor cannot sponsor you for a UK visa. They might be a facilitator or organiser for the trip, but that’s it. What the UK immigration want to know is how you can afford the trip, how you support yourself, where your income comes from (and is it legal), and if you are supported by other people then how they can support you. It’s not just about whether the trip is covered or not, it’s about whether the trip is just a convenient way to get you into the UK where you will go underground. –  Jan 25 '20 at 10:29
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    So, you need to prove your finances, you need to prove your parents finances and support of you, you need to prove that you intend to return to Singapore etc etc etc. Your banking history (6 months at least, with all major and regular deposits proven), your ties to Singapore (family, long term study, property etc), your reasons for visit (school trip, tourism etc). Your refusal letter literally says what they are unsure about - how you are supported day to day. Not whether the trip is paid for, but how you can afford to live, because your banking evidence is unsupported. –  Jan 25 '20 at 10:33
  • Reading the refusal letter, it seems obvious to me that they want significantly more evidence around your banking history - go read the linked question about what is required for banking history, it’s comprehensive. It covers you and the sources of your income, which means your parents. You will need to supply your parents banking history too if they are making regular payments to you which appear on your account history. Show that your parents are in a position to support you, and that they are supporting you - the ECO wants evidence, not mere sentences saying so. –  Jan 25 '20 at 10:37
  • Remember that the UK sees a lot of people who have “fully paid and funded trips” go underground - a £5000 upfront cost is nothing to someone who intends to stay illegally, if that’s the cost of getting across the border. They will borrow that money or sell off everything they have to raise it, because to them it’s a gateway to another life. So you need to show you are not one of those people - show that you have a life in Singapore that is ongoing and will be returned to, that you haven’t got any odd transactions that suddenly inflate your monetary worth without explanation etc. –  Jan 25 '20 at 10:41
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    Pay particular attention to the answer on this question - https://travel.stackexchange.com/questions/66104/should-i-submit-bank-statements-when-applying-for-a-uk-visa-what-do-they-say-ab –  Jan 25 '20 at 10:47
  • Thank you for the answer. However, my parents are not the main supporters of my life here in Singapore (although the do send me money every month). As I stated, I am holding a scholarship which includes school fees, accommodation, and allowances. Thats why I was thinking to include my scholarship document, which outlines all of this very clearly (including its expiry, December of this year). Is this acceptable or do i need to provide even more documents than that? thank you so much for your answe! – James Jan 25 '20 at 10:53
  • Then yes, you need to include that, but you still also need to include a good banking and financial history, so if you have any non-scholarship related income (IE your parents payments) make sure you highlight it in your account history and explain it, with evidence. Also explain the scholarship related transactions on your accounts. Don’t just say “I receive an allowance”, show that you do and show where it comes from. Show that the money you use to support yourself is valid and legal. Also show that the scholarship fund is valid for your time in the UK. –  Jan 25 '20 at 10:59
  • Thank you! One more question; how do I exactly show that the deposits in my bank account come from the scholarship? It is labelled as "Salary: Allowance" in my bank account – James Jan 25 '20 at 11:08
  • Supporting evidence from your school or the scholarship administrator, showing that payments were made regularly and on or around particular dates. Do you get regular scholarship statements? How is taxation handled for scholarship payments in your jurisdiction etc etc etc? –  Jan 25 '20 at 11:13
  • Supporting evidence from your scholarship showing how much allowance you are entitled to should also be included and match. –  Jan 25 '20 at 11:14
  • Thank you so much! Since I don't pay taxes in SG and I don't get any regular scholarship letters, I think I will have my school craft an additional letter explaining this. Thank you so much. Hope all goes well – James Jan 25 '20 at 11:24

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