In this the second post of our series on schools and colleges removed from the Tier 4 Sponsors Register, we’ll be looking at the ratings that the UK Border Agency awards sponsors, what they mean and the differences between them.
How the UK Border Agency Awards Sponsor Licence Ratings
The rating of a tier 4 sponsor – such as school or college – reflects the track record that institution has in educating overseas students and is listed on the education provider’s entry on the Tier 4 Register of Sponsors. If a school or college is suspended from the register, they will only re-appear once they have satisfied the UK Border Agency’s concerns and will show their new rating following inspection.
A-rated Sponsors
If an education provider is an A-rated tier 4 sponsors, it means
- there is no evidence of abuse of the system or breaking of the tier 4 rules; and
- they have all the necessary systems in place to meet their obligations as a sponsor under the points based system.
B-rated Sponsors
Schools or colleges that are given a B-rating – often following suspension from the Register of Sponsors – it means that a UK Border Agency visiting officer has found evidence that the necessary systems are not in place to carry out their obligations as a sponsor.
B-ratings are awarded if any member of staff is found to have a civil penalty within the past five years. This also extends to any convictions which raise doubt as to the education provider’s owner’s ability to run a business.
This means if a school or college previously rated as A before suspension and re-rated as B following inspection, has been prosecuted by the UK Border Agency for breaches of Tier 4 rules and/or has been badly run overall as a business. This does not mean that all B-rated institutions are untrustworthy, as the sham colleges will have their licences revoked, but it should force students and agents to ask more searching questions.
Sponsorship Action Plans
Sponsorship action plans are a series of actions the UK Border Agency has told a school or college it must follow to improve their Tier 4 Sponsor Rating to A and properly fulfil their obligations as a sponsor of migrants to the UK.
B-ratings on the Register of Sponsors should be seen as transitional – in other words, when the UK Border Agency awards a B rating, it expects to see improvement from the education provider concerned. Sponsorship action plans really are double edge swords in that quick progression will see sponsor rated as A, whilst failure to follow the plans laid out will result in a sponsor’s licence being permanently withdrawn. The UK Border Agency will also set a timetable to any action plan, often being 12 months in length.
How Sponsorship Action Plans are Created
Whilst direction and leadership is given by the UK Border Agency, an action plan drawn up is a join exercise involving the education provider concerned. However, the UK Border Agency reserves the right to the final say and can even force education providers to comply without consent.
Sponsorship action plans outline simply the steps needed to become fully compliant as a Tier 4 migrant sponsor and what’s needed to achieve an A rating. Examples of what improvements might be asked of an education provider include:
- Improving record keeping;
- Improving control over key staff, such as those issuing confirmations of acceptance for studies and course completion certificates;
- Improving communication across different branches the education provider may have.
Sponsorship Action Plan Timetables
Whilst the majority of sponsorship action plans are designed to run for 12 months to allow ample time for monitoring by the UK Border Agency, they can be of as short duration as only three months. At the end of the allotted period, the UK Border Agency will appraise the sponsor’s progress and either upgrade their rating or withdraw their sponsor licence permanently. However, there are examples of exceptional circumstances where sponsors have made sufficient progress to receive an extension to their sponsorship action plan. In this case, the education provider will continue to be rated as B and will receive a new sponsorship action plan to follow. Being granted this exemption is dependent on:
- The sponsor making genuine attempts to complete the original sponsorship action plan; and
- The sponsor being able to show that circumstances outside their control prevented them from completing the original sponsorship action plan in time.
In as case, the maximum amount of time a sponsor can remain rated as B is 12 months. Education providers must either satisfy all the concerns of the UK Border Agency or have their sponsor licence under Tier 4 withdrawn permanently.
Consequences of a B Rating
Tier 4 sponsors who have been given a B rating by the UK Border Agency will be subject to more frequent and extensive checks and inspections. An individual monitoring plan will be drawn up for the education provider, based on an assessment of the potential risk posed to immigration control. Further controls, such as limiting the number of students an institution can sponsor may also be imposed on B rated education providers.
B rated sponsors will also be expected to carry out extra duties in their role as a sponsor of migrants. B rated sponsors may be asked to report to the UK Border Agency details of all students who arrive to study, not just the students who have poor attendance.
Daniel (81)
Amita (4)
SBI (4)
Ali Ahmed Shaikh (3)
Archna (2)
hello
iam a student of alphameridian college .
now i have gota visa now college is suspend ?now iam in nepal can igo studying for there or not?please inform me
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Hi Mohani
As your college has had their sponsor licence suspended, the UK Border Agency advises students in this position not to travel to the UK. I think it best to speak with your college, defer the start date of your course and travel to the UK once your education provider’s suspension has been lifted.
The UK Border Agency should contact you to give you this information – have they? If they did, could you tell us what they said and how they contacted you?
Thanks.
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im a sandwich course student from twin english centre london, right now i am in my work placement in harrogate and coming back in april to finish the course. the school is not on the list anymore will this affect me? does this mean i am an illegal student? what should i do?
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Hi Michelle
You shouldn’t worry too much – we’ve worked with Twin UK for a number of years now – they are an excellent education provider with a great reputation. We were as surprised as they were when they were suspended pending investigation by the UK Border Agency!
As you are a current student you have nothing to worry about. Twin will still operate as normal for existing students, so when you return for classes they will be available. Currently, the school won’t be able to sponsor any new student migrants.
You will only experience a delay if you need to extend your student visa while the college’s sponsor licence is suspended – your application will be placed on hold by the UK Border Agency until the suspension is resolved.
Keep me posted on your situation Michelle and good luck with the rest of your studies.
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Twin’s Tier 4 Suspension lifted 3 March 2010
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I have applied for student visa on 5 jan 2010 with BHC but my college Anglian college London is taken out from the list from sponsors.Now could you please tell i need to withdraw my application or wait.Please suggest me i have paid all my college fees to the college they are saying to wait for the decision
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Hi Tajinder
You shouldn’t need to withdraw your application otherwise you would have wasted your visa fee.
The UKBA regulations are that your application should be placed on hold until your education provider’s suspension is resolved.
As of 13 February 2010, Alpha Meridian College’s sponsor licence is still suspended.
The have made the following announcement on their website:
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Dear sir/madam
I am currently a student of International school of Business studies(ISBS).When I arrived UK and went to college i came to know that college wasn’t in the the list of UKBA colleges list after onwards the college staff claim that college will be back in the list soon but i am still onaware of it,whether it is back in register list or not.Can you kindly provide me information about the status of this college.Now,I am worried about my future studying in a college whose on future is in the doubt and if the college is in blacklist and closed what will be to the students studying at that college.Will they get their draft money back or not?if they can’t get money back if the college is closed then if student can stay in UK untill their visa expeired working over here.I want to know detail about it.Futhermore i want to know that if student want to return back their country by cancelling their visa simply by the reason that they can’t effort financially to stay here.Can they still receive their money back.Can UKBA cancelled student visa on the request of student or not?if student don’t want to stay here.
with regards
sabin
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Hi Sabin
As of 13 February 2010 their sponsor licence under Tier 4 is still suspended. I will contact the college for a press release and post anything they send here.
You shouldn’t need to worry too much, as an education provider being suspended doesn’t indicate poor standards or practice. It is in fact quite a widespread occurence. You should not experience any changes in your day-to-day student life. If you need to extend your visa whilst your sponsor’s licence is suspended, you can still do so but your application will be put on hold until the suspension is resolved.
If your education provider has their sponsor withdrawn permanently, your permission to enter the UK will be limited in the following way:
- to 60 days if you were not involved in the reasons why your approved education provider had their licence withdrawn (the UKBA will not limit your permission to stay if you have less than six months left. You may want to apply for permission to stay with another approved education provider during this time);
- immediately if the UKBA think you were involved in the reasons why your sponsor’s licence was withdrawn.
I see what you’re getting at, with asking the UKBA to cancel your visa to try to illicit some sort of refund from your college, but I just don’t see this is possible. Should your college have their licence withdrawn, you should persue them vigorously for a refund. But, you might find it hard to get one and may have to take them to court.
Keep me updated on your situation and good luck!
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My name is Waqar Munir and i am from pakistan. I applied for Uk student’s Visa on Feb 2009 and Unfortunately my visa was refused. i submited appeal again decision and appeal was approved in my favor. My selected London Reading College is permanently removed from A rating collages. I want to know, if i select A rating college like St George College and during visa process my selected college licence would be permanently removed/withdraw then what would my application status. Will my application refused unless i have won appeal?
My Consult tells me on this situation, Uk Embassy would ask me to resubmit a new A rating College documents like visa letter. Can you explain me or clear me?
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Hi Waqar
You will have to either wait for London Reading College to be re-included on the Register of Tier 4 Sponsors or make a fresh application with a new education provider. Visas are tied to the school or college you applied to and can’t be transferred, even after appeal – to the best of my knowledge.
To discuss the precise details of your individual case you should also consult a fully qualified and regulated immigration lawyer.
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the isbs international school of business studies was removed by UKBA in October 2009 and todate no signs of coming back.you will be better off to change your college and ask for a refund as they may go bankcrupt and you will be ending up with nothing.
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the isbs international school of business studies was removed by UKBA in October 2009 and todate no signs of coming back.you will be better off to change your college and ask for a refund as they may go bankcrupt and you will be ending up with nothing.
dont let any one play with your future choose colleges like kaplan,lca
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still waiting for positive reply
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See my reply above.
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Let me explain you sir. I applied on Jan 2009 on that time there was not tier system and after applied allowed there is tier system. So for you kind information i can change College or School.
i just want to know, let say as a example, i submit my cause on 1 march 2010 and during my visa procedure on 12 march 2010 my college permenently suspend then what would be my application status. would Embassy hold on my case and call me to resubmit another new college letter for my visa process or simple refuse me?
I hope you have understand my queston
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Hi Waqar
If your sponsor has their licence withdrawn permanently whilst your application is pending, your visa will be refused. Your leave to stay in the UK will then be limited to either 60 days if you have 6 months left of your visa, or not limited if you have 6 months or less left. During this time you would be able to apply to another education provider.
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dear mr. daniel,
Good day to you sir. I am from the Philippines and i just have some concerns that i hope you can clear about. We are still on the process of applying as a student for Majestic College, which i believe is an accredited school with sponsor license in UK. I believe our application was sent last quarter of last year 2009 and sadly up until now we still haven’t receive any feed back form the school. Since the agency helping us here can not answer my concerns i decided to ask you if the said school we are applying is removed from the tier 4 registered or if not like the others, is suspended. Is this also the reason why after almost 4 months of waiting we still haven’t received our visa letter from the school? That until suspension is lifted, suspended schools can not issue visa letters to their applicants. If so, when possibly can this suspension be lifted from the concerned schools?
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Hi Chloe
I’ve contacted Majestic College for an official update – let’s see what they come back and say.
I’m sorry to disappoint you but Majestic College was suspended on 1 March 2010. When exactly did you send your application as you seem to have been waiting a very long time?!
I don’t think the college has been suspended for all that time – as I said above it has recently come off the list. Have the college or your agent been able to give you any details?
Good luck and keep me posted on your situation.
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Dear daniel,
pls tell me what would be the possible result for my application in visa extesion now that majestic college is suspended. I submitted my application last week of january and i had my biometric 3rd week of february and now i am still waiting for the result of my application… please answer me back, my visa will be expired soon.
thanks
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Majestic college is a funny one , there seems to be some issues that need to be investigated , they seem to be some worrying relationship with an online site called Immigration matters , read this article
http://fightback.lefora.com/2009/11/11/overseas-consultant-charles-kelly-facing-bankruptc/
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Thanks for that Wolrdenron, that’s some useful news you’ve provided.
The same people are also involved with Concept Care College. It must be a worrying time for all genuine students connected with these education providers.
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Dear Sir/Maam
Im currently waiting for my Student visa to be approved when I receive a text from a friend which her cousin is currently studying at Majestic college, that the said college is suspended. What will happen to us now? What happen if our visa has been approve, can we still go to Uk? or it is possible to use our approved visa and enroll to other college provider? pls your answer us asap. were so lost.. you can sent it to my email. Thank you..
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hi sir Daniel. Is the College already respond to your inquiry? Is this Majestic scam issue really true? what will happen to us now?
to chloe, where are u in the Philippines? what agency are u from?
so that we could talk also this matter and to those people who are under the MAJESTIC COLLEGE provider..
pls guys, we have to do something…
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Hi… I’m a student of Majestic College as of the moment, and im here in London already. The school’s license was suspended last March 1, but theya re now on their appeal process. let us just hope that everything will be fine in the next days to come. as to those who have applied with majestic college since last year, i think (based on what my agent said) they are now giving refunds with the 500 pounds registration, and they are now enroling the students to a new college. and it’s a degree now because the home office is so strict with the NVQ courses, especially with the number of hours you are allowed to work. (this is based on my own opinion and interpretation based on what is hapening now with the college.)
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Thanks for the update Rosh. You’ve given us some great details. Good to hear that the college is prepared to offer refunds to those students who don’t want to wait.
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Hi
My Name is Semiu Bidemi Omotosho, i am a student of Lincoln College Of Manchester, sometime in about four months ago, all the student were given letter regarding the suspension of the college lisence by the home office, and we were made to understand that the issue would soon be resolved.
It is four months now, and the issue is yet to be resolved,at the moment , i am confused as i dont know what to do.
I am a diploma student studying Infomation Technology and my exams are been organise by british Computer Society (BCS) The chartered body for information technology professionals in the U.K
The reason am written you is that i need your advice on what to do, if i should continue my classes with the college or i should go ahead and enroll with another school.
looking faward to hear from you.
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hi dainel
did u get any reply from majestic college and international school of business studies from media department.you forwarded a request in feb 2010.
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No news but I’m chasing them for updates. There are accusations that the owners are caught up in a number of court cases, which may or may not jeopardise the future of the college.
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hello denial how r u why u not give me repley ?
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Hi Husen
Sorry for the delay, we’ve been very busy.
It can take schools and colleges anywhere from 3-6 weeks to several months to be inspected by the UK Border Agency, for a Sponsor Action Plan to be drafted if needed and to be re-included on the Register.
You should keep checking the master list of college suspensions to see when your colleges suspension is resolved.
Only the college and the UKBA will know for sure. After inspection, 32 days is set aside for correspondence, so it isn’t a quick process. Find out more on the timescales: what happens to my education provider if their licence is suspended?.
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i paid 1750£ nd came to londn to study at a college but the college is saying that a friend of mine took the money back hence i hav to pay total fees in order to attend school. is ther any sort of action i can take against the college? i do not have any receipt but i do hav the college letters saying that i paid 1750£.
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Hi Bidi
What college are you studying at? And pardon the obvious question, do you know the person whom the college refunded the money to?
Do you have a copy of the school’s terms & conditions or refund policy? It may state that refunds will only be made to the named student.
How did you pay the money to the college in the first place? Bank transfer?
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BISON GROUP AND CHARLES KELLY IN FRAUDULENT ACTIVITIES
12 FEBRUARY 2010
Charles Kelly of Bison UK and George Hynes of Balitapinoy have published articles and ran campaigns to discredit the successful business activities of Overseas Angels and Angelique Blin. This includes their reeatedly publishing that Angelique Blin and Overseas Angels were struck off the OISC register ( Uk offices of the Immigration Services Commissioner). Angelique Blin and Overseas Angels were never struck off the register of the OISC, and to verify this applicants can view the OISC prohibited advisor list where immigration advisors who are struck off the register are listed. Angelique Blin and Oversas Angels in fact do not require OISC registration and are not obliged to be regulated by the OISC and have chosen other legal structures. The OISC has no right or authority or remit over Overseas Angels and they are only permitted contact with Angelique Blin and Overseas Angels via Angelique Blins retained lawyers, who are known to the OISC. If any OISC staff give any advice or input about Overseas Angels they are acting outside of their remit and illegally in full breach of their own established procedures. Any person who makes any enquiry with the OISC about Angelique Blin or / and Overseas Angels should be referred to Angelique Blins lawyers.
The reason why Charles Kelly, and Cynthia Barker of Bison and Hynes of Balitapinoy have continually published that Overseas Angels was struck off a register was due to the envy at the success that Overseas Angels had gained. They have done this to many other companies to damage case work and mislead overseas workers. Both Bison and Charles Kelly as well as Hynes and Balitapinoy are now being sued by a number of companies including overseas angels for damages which will likely leave Bison and Balitapinoy bankrupt as well as overseas workers who have joined in the campaign under directives from Bison and Hynes, without verifying their facts
PROSECUTIONS AGAINST VISA FRAUDSTER & HIRED THUG HYNES AND BALITAPINOY
7 DECEMBER 2009
In the lead up ….a few days before criminal master mind & visa fraudster George Hynes , onwer of Balitapinoy, assisted by Adelaide Bulaon, his editor, find themselves prosecuted at the Uk Queens bench, Uk High court, by Mark Valmoria, Lina Barrameda & John Valmoria, now the new owners of the prestigious CAMBRIDGE based LIMA international healthcare college, having been obliged to restructure, their business following extreme damage, carried out by Hynes to knock them out of business by underhanded methods, ( read more about the case on the Valmorias site) for DISCREDITING LEGAL companies on behalf of BISON MANAGEMENT UK ,MAJESTIC COLLEGE, and IMMIGRATION MATTERS ON LINE NEWS, all of which are owned by CHARLES KELLY, CYNTHIA BARKER and GENE ALCANTARA,… there has been a sudden unexpected new development… action has now been taken against the OISC for their part in this sinister crime ring ( Offices of the Immigration services commissioner) papers have now been served on the above mentioned, Offices of the Immigration Services Commissioner,
( OISC) headed by Commissioner Suzanne Mc Carthy by the reputable South Wales based firm of immigration consultants KHAN & co. Mr Khan has explained to Overseas Angels that it has already been established that the OISC ( Offices of the Immigration Services Commissioner) uses the services of hired thugs to damage and discredit good businesses and as such when the reputable businesses were under attack and milions of pounds of case work damaged, the OISC regularly use the services of GEORGE HYNES and the ” criminal fraternity to ” totally trash ” and pulp successful businesses to pieces and even advertise for people to cause damage and damage case work irretrievably. In fact the OISC did nothing about it.
journalist & company owner George Hynes & balitapinoy in desperate fight for survival
25 NOVEMBER 2009
British citizen, journalist, George Hynes and owner of British Company Balitapinoy, has been discrediting legal companies for many years on behalf of overseas consultants Charles Kelly, Gene Alcantara and Cynthia Barker who own Bison Uk management & Majestic College & Immigration matters on line news. We are now a few days away from the first of many libel cases against them from legal companies and overseas workers whose case work they damaged with malicious intent. The first hearing has been lodged by Lina Barrameda, Mark Valmoria and John Valmoria in December 2009 at the Uk queens bench ( high court of justice) wiht the lowest claim being in the region of 154,000 and the highest in future hearings to be over one million. papers are also being prepared to served on the criminal gangs master mind Charles Kelly of Bison Uk.
Whilst Hynes and balitapinoy and his assistant Edgar of Probonopinoy are illegal advisors and non OISC regulated or registered for any form of immigration advice and have received many warnings about irresponsible journalism and illegal advice which they have ignored, Charles Kelly and his team are actually regulated by the OISC and their actions of ushering clients away from legal businesses, running advertising campaigns to ruin them, holding harassment conferences is all outside of the OISC remit. We understand that they have been marketing themselves in as the saviour of the Phillipines people … They maintain that they are OISC endorsed informers and regulators and that is how they carry out their attacks on legitimate businesses. OISC corrupt staff have offered them protection and abused the system to do so. The OISC commissioner is now ( Suzanne Mc Carthy ) is now aware of what has been going on however has stated that she has been totally in the dark about this and clueless about any impropriety carried out by her own staff . She would rely on them for clearly honest reports. If she has any doubts now about their actions she will soon find out in December 09 when the OISC hired thugs find themselves in the High Court of Justice and likely later the OISC will be sued as a third party. Whilst the OISC commissioner knew nothing of this according to letters sent to Miss Angelique BLin t/a overseas angels, the OISC treasury solicitor is fully informed, and is aware of the impropriety, the fact that some OISC corrupt staff are acting outside of their remit, and carrying out underhanded activities for benefits… it was the fact Overseas Angels survived such attacks that she was able to flag other companies and instructed them to SUE as the OISC is not doing anything as the corrupt staff are covering it up… it is however all about to blow wide openn into one of the biggest scandals in Uk immigration history that has taken place in the healthcare transitional changes and the lead up to the points system
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Is this actually true? Do you have any details on the case numbers?
I’m skeptical at the accusations of corruption at the highest levels of the OISC. If this is true, surely it would be all over the news?
More details please.
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hi to loki and sir Daniel.. I want to ask if this issues really true? since if ever the college will closed what will happen to us? is this the sign that the embassy will denied us? can the school gave us the partial tuition fee that we gave them since we are denied because of them-the college..
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We’re trying to confirm it Anne. If the college has their sponsor permanently withdrawn you will be able to apply to another one. You may have to take legal action to get any money back.
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if the college will not take actions to take the money back what actions u think we have to do? thank u sir daniel.. ur really a big help.. do u have any suggestions were we can re apply if ever we denied.? like consultant firms and school that are really good standing??
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