Tag Archive for 'tier 4 guidance'

Following the Home Office’s announcement in November of yet another review of the Points Based System, the education sector was a nervous wreck, waiting for news that could destroy the industry in the UK. Alan Johnson went someway to settling our nerves in February when he announced that education providers on the new Highly Trusted Sponsors list could continue to teach foundation and A-level programmes. We wanted to learn more about this new accreditation and how to achieve it.

Initially, the UK Border Agency said that applications for inclusion on the list could be made from 22 March 2010. However, with the system due to launch on 6 April, only 9 days later, the short timescale worried me very much indeed. From past experience, we knew the application process would be bureaucratic, slow and exhaustive. It could have been worse however, as if we were unable to issue CAS numbers until the new Highly Trusted system launched, then our usual busy weeks before our September intake would be unusually quiet. Positively, it seems that industry action from the likes of English UK and Study UK has had an effect; the whole process was revised following a recent meeting with the UK Border Agency on 27 March.

The highly anticipated Highly Trusted Sponsor programme for education providers in the UK was officially launched on 22 March 2010.

Since yesterday when the scheme went live, sponsors under Tier 4 of the points based system have been able to apply for a Highly Trusted Sponsor licence and to be included on the Register of Highly Trusted Sponsors, due to be first published 6 April 2010.