THE STUDENT SPONSORSHIP ONE STOP SHOP
Knowledge is power. Time is money. We get it. You are welcome!
What is the One Stop Shop?
We wanted to create a place where a student sponsor could find everything they needed to ensure compliance.
The One Stop Shop houses everything you will need: recruitment considerations and checklists; communication templates to highlight responsibilities of holding a sponsored visa; compliance checklists; information on UKVI audits; and links to useful resources to support your processes and compliance.
We have tried to make it as simple and intuitive as possible - what you see below is what you will get.
As a subscriber, each link will take you to a downloadable document, for use within your workplace.
Testimonial
"The Student Sponsorship One Stop Shop is a fantastic resource. Very clearly laid out, easy to navigate and use, it provides a comprehensive framework that you could use for setting up, reviewing or checking your processes and paperwork. The information on compliance was particularly helpful, and we’ve found the checklists and templates really useful."
How does it work?
Payment (£175 plus VAT) is made via World Pay.
We will respond within 24 hours (keep an eye on your junk mailbox).
Your welcome email will contain a unique user ID and password to gain access.
Anyone within your institution can use the user ID.
Access will enable multiple downloads of all documents within the Student Sponsorship One Stop Shop.
Your unique ID & password is valid for one year.
Your access expiry date will be confirmed within your welcome email.
All the student sponsor guidance, policies and procedures below can be yours for a one-off fee
£175 plus VAT
Explore everything there is available
Select a heading below to expand the content for each sponsorship topic
This document provides an overview of sponsoring students, to ensure an education institution is aware of the requirements for both the individual, and itself as the sponsor. We highlight areas of compliance to be aware of and address within your processes and procedures, and explain the timelines involved around visa applications.
This document provides an overview of the standard process from first contact with a prospective student, to enrolment. Ideally, families are able to visit the school/college and any interviews or tests can be held on the premises. In some cases, however, this is not possible so this needs to be done virtually. We address both scenarios within this download.
When UKVI considers your annual request to renew your CAS allocation, it will take a number of factors into account, including consideration of any agents that you use to recruit international students. If any of your agents have been linked to immigration abuse in the past, it will reflect upon your institution as a sponsor. We have created an agent checklist for you to be able to demonstrate your due diligence during the agent procurement process.
The British Council is keen to encourage UK education institutions to work with quality agents and has provided guidance and good practice examples to support UK education institutions looking to work with agents for the first time.
This form can be used to obtain confirmation that a prospective student has the right to reside in the UK, and determine if sponsorship will be required.
This is a form to support the administration process surrounding assigning a confirmation of acceptance of studies (CAS); it is a word document to enable editing. The form has numerous fields to complete, to ensure you have all the required information before assigning a CAS. Included within the form are notes to clarify the meaning of those fields which might not be self-explanatory. We advise this completed form is kept on file for all sponsored students; it is a useful tool should you need to assign a further CAS for a visa extension, plus it will assist and impress auditors by providing streamlined and easily accessible information.
A template letter to support the visa application. This confirms to UKVI that the student has consent to study, consent for their travel and care arrangements, and that there are sufficient funds to support their maintenance.
This document looks at the entire process of sponsoring an individual, and what is required in order to support UKVI compliance requirements. The information is split into two columns to clarify where the responsibility lies - with the student or institution. Information includes: Assigning CAS; Maintenance Requirement; English Language; Immigration Health Surchage; Migrant Arrival; Sponsor Duties; Visa Extensions; Maintain Compliance; Annual Duties.
This document provides a student visa applicant with all the information they need surrounding sponsorship, and applying for their visa. It explains important details regarding the CAS and their visa application. We provide an overview of the requirements for a student visa, information on visa fees and the NHS surcharge, and an overview of the visa application process - how/ where/ when etc. The responsibilities of holding a sponsored visa are outlined at the end, to highlight the need for reporting particular circumstances to the education institution. This will support your compliance, as it will enable you to adhere to your reporting duties.
If a student visa applicant is under 18 and applying via the points based Student (General) route, they must include a letter from parent(s) or legal guardian(s) confirming they support the application. This letter must confirm various stipulated details, and it is your duty as a licensed sponsor to have a copy on record. We have therefore created a template to ensure the required detail is confirmed, so you can be confident in your compliance.
This is template can be used to provide the student with details of their Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies, to support their visa application. It provides details of the information submitted within the CAS, to ensure their visa application detail corresponds accordingly.
This for any sponsored student sponsored and (if relevant) their parent/guardian; the aim is to raise awareness of UKVI compliance requirements. We explain the need for individuals to protect their visa, and their institution’s sponsor licence, as both are at risk if there is a compliance breach. There is an overview of what needs to be reported - absence; changes to personal details; changes in circumstances.
This document explains the key areas of sponsorship compliance which you must be aware of, and adhere to. It covers reporting; record keeping; annual Duties; the annual Basic Compliance Assessment; child safeguarding; and maintaining Educational Oversight.
This is a compliance information document; we recommend using it to raise awareness to all those involved in the sponsorship process such as admissions staff. It is a one page document summarising everything that must be reported to UKVI via the Sponsorship Management System. It includes the required timescales e.g. If you stop sponsoring an individual for any other reason (and provides examples e.g. if they move into a immigration category with a different sponsor or one that that does not need a sponsor), you must report this within 10 working days..
This is a compliance checklist; we recommend one is completed and kept on file for each sponsored employee. It is a one page checklist of all the records you must have for each sponsored student; e.g. passport/ biometric residence permit; copies of qualifications.
This spreadsheet is a tool for ensuring you can easily access and track all your data regarding sponsored students. It enables you to identify expiring visas and any outstanding actions to enable you to maintain compliance with UKVI requirements - including noting what evidence was used to check date of entry into the UK, which is a stipulated requirement from UKVI and easily missed or not recorded by an institution.
This form will enable you to ensure all students (not just sponsored students) have the right to study in the UK, and that your checking processes are robust and consistent (and will therefore meet UKVI approval!) The checklist provides clarity on which individuals will require a follow up check to ensure they maintain their right to study. It is clearly laid out and will support your admissions team with the significant task of recording all students' right to work.
Sponsor Guidance states in Document 2 Para 7.2 that you must give us details of any third party, in the UK or another country that helped you to recruit international students. UKVI request an agent list at the point of licence application.. This information should be updated when necessary, and communicated (by email to [email protected]). We suggest schools send an annual email to communicate a list of active agents; UKVI have provided this template to ensure the required information is provided.
This article will help you to prepare for a UKVI audit. It explains what might trigger a visit from UKVI, so that you can be prepared for an imminent inspection. The document outlines the key areas that are assessed within an audit, and provides detail of what will be considered and examined; this includes policies, processes and student records. We offer tips for a successful audit, which includes highlighting what issues are key concerns of UKVI. We hope this document gives you confidence that you are ready for an audit, and enables the process to go as smoothly as possible.
We recommend having all your policies and procedures kept in one file, ready to provide to UKVI inspectors. This download is a template cover sheet, with suggestions for the documents to provide within the pack. Collating a file such as this will enable you to keep track of all the relevant policies and procedures so you can easily keep them up to date. It also demonstrates awareness of your sponsor duties thus providing a positive first impression at the start of an audit, helping to build the trust and set the tone of your inspection.
In April 2022, the Home Office announced a number of changes surrounding immigration compliance. The vast majority of these were aimed at employers (i.e. preventing illegal working), rather than student sponsors. However, as we are all about supporting your immigration compliance, we have included these downloads to help raise awareness of what is required of you as an employer. There are two downloads - one regarding right to work checks, and one explaining the new visa routes available.
Here we summarise the meaty Home Office document which includes all the changes to the immigration rules, which came into force 01 December 2021. It covers all areas from EU workers, the new skilled worker route, health and care visa, post study visa options, and includes information for visa applicants too.
Since 1 October 2021, an ID card has no longer been accepted for travel to the UK, unless exceptions apply. In 2019, around one third of all EEA & Swiss air passengers used an ID card to book a flight. Therefore, this information needs to be spread to reduce the risk of EEA nationals not having the required documentation.
This document is a giant table providing information on each visa category - including all visas within the Points Based System, as well as additional visas (spouse, ancestry, PBS dependent, fiance/ partner, visitor, indefinite leave to remain). The table includes work restrictions, study restrictions, whether the visa holder is able to switch visa categories, and additional comments. This document is a useful reference tool to understand the restrictions upon your visa holders.
We have collated questions our clients frequently ask us in relation to sponsoring students. This page categorises the questions: Sponsor Licence (becoming a sponsor, suspension, revocation); Recruiting International Students (agencies, assigning CAS etc.); Enrolment (document verification, police registration); Student Journey (academic progression, visa changes, student travel etc.) Users of The One Stop Shop have commented on how this page provides useful information as scenarios another sponsor has come across in real life.
