Background
- Location
- London, United Kingdom
- Languages
- English (native-equivalent), Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Russian (working — CIS market)
- Specialization
- UK Student Route (Tier 4) · CAS coordination · IHS Immigration Health Surcharge · 20-hour term-time work cap compliance · Graduate Route 2-year post-study work · Skilled Worker transition
- At Birlay
- Senior Education Consultant — UK Office (London, since 2024)
- Editorial role
- Lead author on the UK content series · UKVI Student Route & Graduate Route guides
What I cover
Twelve years of hands-on work cover the full non-EU student journey from initial enquiry through the Graduate Route and onward to Skilled Worker sponsorship. Recurring focus areas:
What I do at Birlay
I lead Birlay's UK operations from our London office, working directly with prospective students from non-EU countries who want to study at Arden University, Leeds Trinity University, and other UKVI-licensed sponsors. My role covers:
- Programme shortlisting — matching candidate profiles to the right UKVI-licensed sponsor based on budget, English level, career goal, and source-country approval patterns
- CAS and application support — coordinating the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies, financial evidence, and IELTS UKVI requirements
- Work-rights briefings — explaining the 20-hour term-time cap, full-time holiday work, and how UKVI cross-references National Insurance and employer PAYE records before students take their first shift
- Graduate Route planning — timing the post-study work application before the Student visa expires and building employer relationships during study
- Skilled Worker transition — helping graduates convert Graduate Route roles into sponsored Skilled Worker employment, including NHS Trust pathways
Editorial principles
All UK-focused articles published under my byline on Birlay.com are reviewed for accuracy against current UKVI guidance, gov.uk Student visa and Graduate visa pages, and partner-university fee schedules. Legal claims are independently verified by Birlay's UK reviewer — James Whitmore, Solicitors Regulation Authority licensed solicitor (SRA #678234).
Independent verification
Birlay's editorial policy requires all author profiles to be independently verifiable. If you would like to confirm credentials before relying on UK-related guidance published under my byline, you can contact Birlay's editorial team at editorial@birlay.com, or verify our reviewer's licence via the Solicitors Regulation Authority public register.
Published on Birlay — UK series
Contact me
For UK admissions consultations, document review, or visa application guidance:
- Email: priya.mehta@birlay.com
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/priya-mehta-birlay
- Editorial inquiries: editorial@birlay.com
Free 30-minute initial consultations are available via video call or in-person at Birlay's London office (by appointment).