Home Office roll out strict new rules for foreign students
Home Office announced today a delivery plan for the student Tier 4 of the points-based points system.
Under Tier 4 of the new Australian-style system, which the Government expects to be implemented by March 2009, colleges and universities recruiting non European Economic Area (EEA) nationals must obtain a licence issued by the UK Border Agency. Licensed institutions will then be able to sponsor non EEA students to come to study in the UK.
The UK Border Agency hopes that its strict new vetting system will clamp down on bogus students and colleges and ensure that “only those who benefit Britain can continue to come”.
Overseas students must be sponsored by a UK Border Agency-licensed education institution, supply their fingerprints and meet the new criteria.
The announcement states that from March next year new measures will come into force:
- colleges and universities that want to recruit foreign students will need a sponsor licence
- every student will need a licensed sponsor
- stricter rules to protect the UK’s labour market
From autumn 2009 the system will be further tightened with the introduction of a ’sponsor management system’ – dedicated technology that will make it easier for universities and colleges to inform the UK Border Agency if students fail to enrol or miss more than ten sessions.
Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said:
“International students contribute £2.5 billion to the UK economy in tuition fees alone. The student tier of the points system means Britain can continue to recruit good students from outside Europe.
“Those who come to Britain must play by the rules and benefit the country. This new route for students will ensure we know exactly who is coming here to study and stamp out bogus colleges which facilitate the lawbreakers.”
Around 300 bogus colleges have been removed from the Department for Universities and Skills Register of Education and Training Providers since January 2005.
Mr Woolas, who said recently that there should be a cap on immigration, said that Britain’s labour market will be protected by tough new rules which mean visas will only be granted to students who show a proven track record in education and are applying for a course that meets a minimum level of qualification.
As per current immigration rules, Students will be required to demonstrate they can financially support themselves and any of their dependants.
Minister of State for Higher Education David Lammy said:
“I welcome the education sector’s involvement in developing this implementation plan, which will help to ensure we have a structure that allows international students to benefit from the excellent educational experience the UK offers, while giving them the opportunity to work in the UK for two years following graduation.
“However, we will not tolerate the minority of individuals who seek to damage the quality of our education system through bogus colleges. This is why we have introduced tighter checks to the current Register of Education and Training Providers. The new system will toughen this process further and give extra protection from the damage bogus colleges can cause.”
Thousands of Colleges and universities have been going through the sponsorship registration requirements since July.
Reader Comments
Allowing ‘good’ students who are pursuing various courses at decent education and training institutions in the UK is a very good strategy by the Government.However,i would beg the home office to try by all means to process student visas in a quick possible time whenever the ‘good’ students are renewing their visas without any complex such as asking students to provide more documents in addition to the ones they submitted beforehand with the application.Also it would be a good idea for the home office to write an email to the applicants when they(home office) send their documents back as this will reduce stress and anxiety for applicants awaiting their application to be answered or refused by the home office.Moreover,if the application takes too long to be answered we develop a feeling that they must have been lost in the post or something.Therefore,if we receive an email notifying us about our documents delivery,it will make us feel at easE and become more expectant-and far less avoid suspecting our block/flat mates.
hi i m imran now i m on (tier4) student visa i want to change my course and my collage is it possible pls reply me coz i heard that once i complete my course and if there is one month gap b/w starting new course then i have to go back india and re apply is this right
hi i m bhavesh sharma when i will came to uk before 2 moth my collage is in tier 4 rules but now its not in tier 4 rules i want to change my collage and iwant back my fees from my collage collage and home office allowed me change the collage and my collage can give me a my fees back please guide me what can i do
You are allowed to change college and will need to discuss any refund of fees with your college.
Hi!
My visa will be expired on dec 2009 but i want to change my course and college as well.. What do i need to do so that i can apply my new visa from new college.
thank You
Hi,
i m Harvinder Singh i have came in uk on July 20 i want to change my collage i have spoken 2 my collage staff thay have ask me to take premission from Home office UK
Regard
Harvinder Singh
i want to change my collage i am in uk from november 2009 i am not joined my collage
hi i m manisha shrestha when i came in uk before 1 moth my collage is in tier 4 rules but now its not in tier 4 rules i want to change my collage and i want back my fees from my collage and home office allowed me change the collage and my collage can give me a my fees back please guide me what can i do
Hi,
I am doing my study in colledge.Right now I am doing the PGDMS course but I dont need that course & its not related to my skill cause I am Electronic engg.So i want to go for the computer science.But the colledge says its not possible for me.I had already discuss dis thing before getting admission & they said me that aft u r english exams u can change u r course.Thats y I was agreed that time.But right now they says that its not possible for u,when I had asked them they told me that u r graduate & u cant start the graduate course,But there are so many graduate students in dis course.Plz guide me what should I do??
hi,
i am asifur rahman.i have came in uk 6 months ago under tier 4 rule….i m not satisfied with my college.How can i change my college.Do i hav to show my living cost £9200 again to change my college.I know if i change then i have to pay 1 years tution fee.but is it possible to take a course rather than doing graduation.i hav completed a levels.waiting for reply.
hi,
my name is javed.I have arrived in the UK just 5 month ago under tier 4 general student.I already completed IADCS(International Advance Diploma in Computer Studies)in Bangladesh under London Metropolitan university.(NCC education).Now I am studying in English Language Foundation Course Followed by HND Computing.After finishing my English course i want to complete my final year without HND.Is it possible or not.
if possible then what types of procedure i have to follow.
waiting for your reply.thank you..
I would like to ask I am planning to go to the United Kingdom as a tourist visa holder. But i have browsed the site of majestic college through the net that they can sponsor foreigh student. I somehow, got interested to enroll. Is it possible to shift to tier 4 from a tourist visa? what is the possibility if I applied within UK for tier 4 from tourist visa holder. Thanks
hi i m arif now i m on (tier4) student visa i want to change my course and my collage is it possible pls reply me.thanks
hi i m khaled now i m on (tier4) student visa i want to change my course and my collage is it possible pls reply me with full details.thanks
hi i m khaled now i m on (tier4) student visa i want to change my course and my collage is it possible pls reply me with full details.thanks
I came under tire 4, Now I want to change my college. How?
It depends on when you arrived and whether you need persmission to change or new ‘permission to stay’ or leave to remain.
Dear Sir,
I m Dheraj Lal coming from Pakistan on a student visa.
Last year in Jan 2009 i took a admission in a one of a college which has a UK Registration No. and their website which verified the student with their unique student ref. no.Sir i had paid £1000 to the college and when i want to apply the system changed new point based system arrive and the college name is not in the list ,
Pls tell me how can i refund my money back.
I have got their acceptance letter with me and their correspondence. Tell me how can i apply for my fees refund.
You need to take that up with the college concerned, however, if the UKBA has pulled their licence after previously issuing one they could be in trouble.
Your case is similar to thousands of others who have paid money in good faith to colleges which were LISTED on the Tier 4 Sponsors Register at the time of application, but subsequently removed from the register later on.
You could take legal action to recover your money through the county court system, but this will take time and cost you more money.
Talk to the college.
hi sir. my concern is sme of dheraj but i been calling the school so many times and they keepp promising with in 3wks time they will be included on the registered school but my prob our time for submission to the embassy will be soon too this coming feb…pls help us about this matter.thanks
hai sir,
my name is mrs ansu anil,I have applied for extension of stay in the uk as a student under tier 4.My college is out of the list now, and my application is still with the home office.I havent recieved any letter from home office. should i wait until they respond or can i take admission in some other college. pls help me out of this issue.thanks.
You need to take proper advice from an OISC registered immigration adviser – one that specialises in student visa renewal cases.
dear sir, madam,
i am a student of tier 4.i just extend my visa 2 years.now my college is close .can you guide me what can i do .because i pay lot of fees to my college.how long time i can change my college and is it important to inform home office as well ,and also can i send my visa card to change my sponser no.if any body knows inform me .thanks.
Most respectfully,
I have a word with you that i got visa on the basis of London College of Accountancy and my friends studying in bradford Metropolitan college.
Could it be possibe i could get admission in Bradford Metropolitan COllege.Furthermore, I cant afford the expenses and London is very expensive as compared with Bradford.
I shall be very thankfull to you.
Yes, it is posiible.
If your college has closed then you are not currently studying, which means you are not complying with the terms of your student visa. You must be aware of this?
See: Make sure your college is on the Tier 4 Sponsors Register before renewing your visa
Hello,
I came to UK after getting student visa under TIER 4 rules. I have enrolled myself into H***** COLLEGE. While i applied in this college, this college was in the list of TIER 4 colleges. Now H****** COLLEGE has been blacklisted by the UK HOME OFFICE. In this circumstance, i have changed my decision. Right now I want to continue my further education in FINANCE, LSBF. I have already enrolled there for ACCA & MBA and have given them £2600 for course fees. I will have to pay $2850 before starting my course as i just have paid half of the fees. LSBF has told me to inform the UK HOME OFFICE about changing my college. I don’t want to take any risk for my future education. My parents also told me to change the college because they don’t want their son to continue his studies in a BLACKLISTED college. That’s why for the safety purposes & to continue my study in a legal process I want to inform UK HOME OFFICE about my decision. That’s why i am sending this mail as a proof of evidence that I am still in a legal way to continue my study. I came to England for my studies and not for wasting my time. Apart from that, I want to know another thing. I have paid approximately $2499 as enrollment fee and now this college has been blacklisted twice. So, is there any possibility to refund my money ? If so then how can i get my money ? Tell me the procedure. And if not then please let me know why won’t I get refund my money BEING LEGAL ?
Should you require any further more information then please do not hesitate to contact me.
hi i came here 3 month before on 29octo 2009 now i have changed my mind and i want to change my college & course and i am not in tier 4 system cuz my apeal was approved .so how can i change my college .. ? please guide me ?
hello sir,
i was here in UK under Tier 4 Student Visa since September. after 2 months i find my course quite difficult. i requested my college to change my course but they say you are granted visa for this course and you cannot change it and they withdrew me from the course also. they are telling me leave UK and return back to my country. i want to ask that it is possible that i can change the college and get admission in another college or not. i know nothing about the immigration laws and changes. please give me advise about the matter. i am here for study only. i have 2 years visa. will it possible or not.
hi, i am usman azam i came to uk 1 month ago.when first i came my college was with in the uk home office immigration list but now it is out of list.i have taken admission into another college.but tell me what should i do next to become myself legal
dear javid,
if you want to change your college you have to take no objection certificate from london college of accountancy and pay the remaining balances and apply for tier 4 visa once again to transfer to a college in bradford.
be aware that this process can pulldown your confidence and your financial position
the decision is yours
cheers
srinivas
Dear KHALID BASHARAT,
if your college administration vanished from the premises then you will have 60 days time to change your college by making a fresh tier 4 application
if your college is still running on the premises but has been removed from tier 4 list then you can continue course.
cheers
srinivas
Dear ANSU ANIL
please contact home office for further information as there is no point that we can assume anything at the moment.
home office people can guide you better than others.
cheers
srinivas
dear DHERAJ LAL
if your college administration vanished from the premises then you will have 60 days time to change your college by making a fresh tier 4 application
if your college is still running on the premises but has been removed from tier 4 list then you can continue course.
you cannot get any money back from any one in london
cheers
srinivas
Hi,
i am under tier 4 and will finish my schooling soon, i would like to inquire if i could possibly apply a permanent job as a carer here? and also if i could seek advice from your agency?
hoping to hear from you the soonest
thank u very much indeed!
hi. i want t ask u tht if my application for student visa is rejected nd no appeal of right is given then what can i do. shall i contact a lawyer. i applied for visa on 3rd dec 2008 and recieved reply frm them on 4th feb 2010.and when i applied the college was granted tier 4. bt in march was removed.nd couldnt apply in any other college as they asked me for visa.so how shoud i go abt it.
You can apply and switch into Tier 2 whilst in the UK, provided you have a sponsoring employer.
Why are they suspended and do you think they will be reapproved soon?
You are allowed to change colleges but do not have to immediately.
Seek advice from a qualified immigration adviser.
We are not the HOME OFFICE. You need to contact them or see an immigration adviser if you are not clear what to do.
hi i want to ask that i am under Tier4 and i want to change my collage so what do i need to do.i will be thankful to you ……..
Yes
See UKBA website or an immigration adviser
hi i m Sumit Kumar. when i came in uk before 1 moth my collage is in tier 4 rules but now its not in tier 4 rules i want to change my collage and i want back my fees from my collage and home office allowed me change the collage and my collage can give me a my fees back please guide me what can i do
hi me ram gurung now me studying in ********* city academy college which is situated in central london..my problem is that the college has been suspended by ukba for january..so mow me getting mentally disturbance…and even i found it is a paris university affiliated college thats why but i want to i want to get my digree from london university so i want to change my college…there r other lots of promlem that i m facing with da college this are…the college doesn’t have its own building so we have to we r posted to another college.i want to continue my study from a nonsuspended college there for plz what will be my procedure for changing the college plz help me..me waiting for your kind reply and hope that you will help me…….
dear sir,
hi i m bilal hassan. i come in uk as tire 4 rule student visa.i come in uk 25 january 2010.my college name is chichester college.sir i change my college.plz tel me what i do.
i change the college.i shiffted another college.plz tel it is immpossible.
i shall be very thank ful to u.
You can change college but should take advice. See also: Make sure your college is on the Tier 4 Sponsors Register before renewing your visa