Originally Posted by ajax

FWIW, in my friend's case, the T1PSW visa application (and approval process) was very cut-and-dried, as it was points-based. He received his PhD from a British university less than a year before submitting the application and had the exact documentation required to prove it. He had (and still has) several times the maintenance funds required for overseas applicants as was verified by the bank manager when contacted by the HC.