Association of Colleges

Sponsor Management System

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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 and under other sections of AoC International.

The Sponsor Management System (SMS) is an on-line resource for Colleges and other education providers to issue visa letters to potential students without having to produce a paper version. The SMS is voluntary until February 2010,after which point all Tier 4 visa applicants will have to have an electronic Confirmation of Acceptance to Study (CAS) number, which can only be generated through the SMS.

No paper letters will be accepted by UK Visas for applications to study after February 2010. AoC will hold a coulpe of seminars on usage of the SMS specifically for Colleges.

Please see below for an overview of SMS.

  Sponsor Management System QandA

  SMS overview

Please get in touch with Robert Russell if you have any questions about the new rules relating to visas and immigration.