Association of Colleges

Overseas student recruitment

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Overseas student recruitment

The UK Border Agency (UKBA) implemented the Points Based System (PBS) for Tier 4 (student visas) on 1 April 2009.

Colleges and other education institutions wishing to bring students from outside the EEA into the UK to study will need to obtain a sponsorship licence from UKBA. Failure to do so will result in any student applications for visas or extension of leave to remain being automatically refused. Sponsorship costs £400 and lasts for four years.

You should apply to the UK Border Agency to obtain your sponsorship licence a soon as possible if you have not done so already. The UK Border Agency will aim to process applications within eight weeks.

Guidance on Tier 4 of the Points Based System is available on the UK Border Agency website.

Please read the paper below on recruitment of overseas students and workers for more details. NB. The Sponsor Management System (on-line student offers) is delayed until Spring 2010. Please get in touch with Robert Russell if you have any questions about the new rules relating to visas and immigration.

AoC survey of Colleges and the recruitment of overseas students

  AoC Overseas recruitment survey results

Concession for contingent L3 courses

The UK Border Agency agreed a concession for this year only to allow students applying to study A-Levels in the UK to make a visa application based on a conditional offer from their education provider. This concession only applies to applications made overseas. UKBA have agreed to extend this concession to cover all students waiting for GCSE results who are going on to study A-Level equivalent courses, such as Higher Diplomas, in the UK.
 
The applicant will still be required to submit an unconditional offer as soon as it is received, and the visa will only be issued on this basis. Colleges requiring further information on applying for a visa should use the visa services website.  Additional information on student visas is available on the UK Border Agency website

New rules on recruitment of overseas students and workers

  New rules on overseas recruitment   Tier 1 Statement of Intent
  Tier 2 - Education workers   Tier 4 Statement of Intent
  Tier 5 Statement of Intent  

British Council guidance on international recruitment

  First steps A pre-departure guide for international students   First steps A guide for educational institutions
  Safety first   Sources of funding