去年，英国内政部公布了将对更多签证申请者进行面试，其中包括申请第四层级学生签证的申请者。在中国，这将于今年4月29日开始试行，申请第四层级学生签证的申请者在签证申请中心递交材料的同时将有可能被要求面试。参加面试的申请者将随机选取，真正的学生不需要担心。面试将由英国签证官通过视频进行。
这个新的面试体系将使整个签证流程更加完善，并防止学生签证体系被滥用。这将保护真正的学生和院校，确保英国继续吸引优秀的中国学生。面试过程不会耽误学生太多时间，并将更好地帮助学生申请签证。
英国继续欢迎中国的优秀学生赴英留学!2012年，英国内政部在中国签发了超过57,000份学生签证，比 2011年增长约9%。在中国，因为高质量的学生申请不断上升，拒签率从2010年的14%下降到2012年的2%。从上述这么低的拒签率可以看出，赴英留学的中国学生质量很高，所以相信该措施对中国学生影响不大。
非常感谢各位一直以来对英国教育和签证的大力支持。请大家放心，这并不是为学生设置障碍，而是英国政府希望在不断提高签证效率的同时，防止对移民体系的滥用。英国将一如既往地欢迎真正的中国学生。再次感谢大家的理解和帮助。
英领馆通知原文如下：
Dear UK representatives and agents，
The UK Home Office announced last year that it will be interviewing more visa applicants, including Tier 4 students. As part of the initial roll out in China from April 29 students who apply for a Tier 4 visa in China may be required to be interviewed at the visa application centre when they submit their application. Selection for interview will be random and genuine students will have no need to be concerned about the process. The interviews will be conducted by visa officers in the UK via a video link.
This new system will improve the integrity of the visa decision making process and act as a safety net to filter out any remaining abuse. It will also protect genuine students and institutions from those seeking to abuse the immigration system and ensure the UK continues to attract the brightest and best students from China. The interviews will not require much time and will better facilitate the application process for students.
The UK continues to welcome genuine students from China. In 2012, the UK Home Office issued over 57,000 student visas, with an increase of around 9% compared to 2011. With increased quality applicants for student visas in China, refusal rates have dropped from 14% in 2010 down to 2% in 2012. As you can see from the very low refusal rates, there should be very little impact for China as we already have very high quality students applying to the UK.
We highly appreciate your continued support for UK education and our visas procedures. Students should rest assured that this is not an added barrier but a continued effort to improve the efficiency of the visa process, while preventing abuse of the immigration system. It is the UK’s intention to continue to welcome genuine students. We are grateful for everyone’s understanding and assistance with this matter.
Best wishes，
Education Marketing
Cultural and Education Section of the British Embassy