Education Providers wishing to sponsor international students (including EEA nationals from 1 January 2021) must hold a valid Student Sponsor Licence. There are 2 different categories of licences for these purposes; a licence to sponsor Students and a licence to sponsor Child Students. If an Education Provider is granted a Student Sponsor Licence, this would be valid for 4 years and will allow them to sponsor overseas students.
Our immigration team regularly consult with education providers and provide a range of services to assist them in obtaining the correct licence to enrol overseas students. These services include assisting in the preparation of a Student Sponsor Licence application, acting as Key Personnel to ensure you maintain your sponsor licence and apply and allocated Confirmations of Acceptance of Studies (CAS) to overseas students.
Eligibility Criteria
The Home Office place a significant degree of trust in Education Providers by allowing them to sponsor overseas students and for this reason, an Education Provider must provide sufficient evidence to the Home Office which confirms that it:
- is a genuine education provider that has acceptable educational quality standards and is operating lawfully in the UK, complying with all appropriate rules and regulations;
- is considered eligible and suitable to hold a Student Sponsor Licence; and
- is capable of carrying out its duties as a Student Sponsor.
Student Sponsor Licence Application
Our expert immigration team can assist in the preparation and submission of a Student Sponsor Licence application. Our expert team understand the complexity of the Home Office’s requirements and are on hand to meet with you and discuss whether you would be eligible to apply for such a licence and what documents would be required for such an application. We can also carry out mock audits of your sites to assess any issues the Home Office may have in granting you a licence.
Once you have been granted a Student Sponsor Licence, you will be given a Probationary Sponsor status for 12 months, during which you must demonstrate that you can fulfil your sponsorship duties and will continue to do so. Our immigration solicitors can advise you on who should be appointed as Key Personnel and what their sponsorship duties are to ensure that after the probationary period, your organisation becomes a reputable Student Sponsor.
UKVI Compliance Checks
As part of the Student Sponsor Licence application process, you should expect the UKVI Compliance Officers to visit your establishment and check your current monitoring purposes. These checks will be carried out before you are granted a licence and if you are granted a licence, the Home Office reserve the right to continue to make checks to ensure that your monitoring arrangements are being implemented and adhered to.
Our expert immigration team can visit your establishment prior to you applying for a sponsor licence and carry out a mock audit to establish whether or not you would meet the eligibility criteria. Following a visit, our immigration solicitors will compile a report with their findings and make recommendations which would improve your chances of becoming a Student Sponsor.
Refusal of a Student Sponsor Licence Application
In our extensive experience, many Education Providers find that their initial applications are refused due to providing insufficient documentation to support their application to become a Student Sponsor. In the event your Student Sponsor Licence application is refused, you will have no right of appeal but you may reapply 6 months after the refusal date.
Our expert immigration solicitors have represented many clients who have previously had their applications refused and understand the importance of submitting a properly executed application with the requisite documentation. If you wish to discuss your options, please contact a member of our team today and we will analyse your situation and inform you of the merits of your sponsor licence application.
Revocation of a Student Sponsor Licence
UKVI monitor whether Student Sponsors are complying with their sponsorship duties and regularly take action against those who pose a threat to immigration control or who are in breach of their sponsorship duties.
If your Student Sponsor Licence has been revoked, please contact a member of our specialist business immigration team today so we can arrange for you to meet with our qualified lawyers who can advise you of your options.
Business Sponsor Licence Solicitors
Our immigration lawyers have extensive experience in preparing Sponsor Licence applications for Education Providers. Our immigration team can offer the following services:
- Consultation with an experienced business immigration solicitor who can advise on the eligibility criteria of a Sponsor Licence application;
- Provide the business/company with a bespoke supporting documents list which will assist in collating documents required for the Sponsor Licence application;
- Prepare the relevant application form and detailed legal representations to accompany the application; and
- If necessary liaise with the Home Office to track the progress of the application.
We are an immigration government department based in Middle Temple, London and our solicitors are fully authorised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Contact our specialist immigration team today and we can offer you a consultation in person or via telephone or WhatsApp so we can explore your options. You can leave us a message on our Contact Form or give us a call on 02032860857.