Australians Applying for UK visa's outside of Australia?
 

I was just wondering if anyone has ever had to deal with applying for a UK student visa while travelling outside of Australia? I have had a look on the UK Border Agency website and I can not find a definite answer as to whether it is possible. I head off to in one month and my studies have not yet been confirmed!! any information and knowledge would be greatly appreciated.

Generally speaking you can't, though ultimately it's at the discretion of the consulate (UKBA located there) concerned.

Normal rule is you can only apply for long-stay visa (not EEA family permit or in some cases visitor visa) in the country of usual residence or nationality. So if you are just travelling through, then you can't apply. If there are special compassionate reasons (like you are a visa national and you have to go to UK urgently because of a sick relative or bereavement), they may allow you to apply while you are on a short stay. But inconvenience for having to return home doesn't count.

So generally, unless you have a long-stay visa, you have to return to Australia to apply. Visa processing time is lengthening (possibly because of the Jubilee, Olympics and expected change in immigration rules next month) and at many UKBA offices, it's taking 3-4 weeks for anything other than visitor visa or EEA permit.

Remember you can post-date the visa inception by up to 3 months, so you can get your Tier 4 student visa first and then go travelling.

It's being claimed in the UK press that, generally, consulates now have had most of their discretion removed.

Student visas are a major source of illegal immigration, and there's intense political pressure on UKBA to be seen to be doing something. So expect even tougher adherence to the small print of regulations - like no applications from Aussies backpacking round Vietnam. Whether they're Rhodes scholars or claiming to have got a place at the Dog & Duck Academy of Bartending.

Thanks for this, very helpful (though really not what i want to hear :( )
can you possibly explain the last bit about post-date visa inception?

What it means is that, say, you are applying today for your UK visa but don't intend to enter the country till August. Then you can put as your travel date 16th August (the latest allowed) and your visa should, when approved, become valid from that date, allowing you to travel around the world in the meantime. Of course you must have all the details and supporting documents now, and from your description, that's not the case. You'll just have to rearrange your travel plans so that you are in Australia when making your visa application (can't do it while abroad because you have to send in your passport). Currently it's taking up to 4 weeks for the whole process. And what flanneruk says is true - UKBA is tightening up immigration criteria and scrutinising every application.