In this the last post of our series on schools and colleges removed from the Tier 4 Sponsors Register, we’ll be looking at how the UK Border Agency withdraws a sponsor licence, why they may do so and what will happen to students.
An education provider will have their licence to sponsor student migrants under Tier 4 of the Points Based System immediately withdrawn if any of the following happen:
- The school or college becomes involvement and ceases to operate
- If the school or college loses an accreditation it needs to deliver courses
- If the school or college – or connected person – is issued a civil penalty for employing an illegal worker and they are fined the maximum of £10,000
- If the school or college fails to improve from a B rating to an A rating and/or fails to follow a Sponsorship Action Plan for 12 months or more
- If anyone connected with the school or college is convicted of a criminal offence, the sponsor’s licence would normally be withdrawn :
- Any immigration offence
- Any people trafficking offence
- Any offence which might mean the individual is a risk to immigration control
An education provider can also have their licence withdrawn if they are dishonest in any way to the UK Border Agency – I guess this goes without saying! For example:
- Making false statements when applying for a sponsor licence
- Making false statements about certificate of sponsorship issued e.g. stating a student has paid more fees than they have, issuing completion certificate despite poor attendance, etc
- Offences relating to ability to run a business can also result an education provider losing their licence:
- If any person connected with the sponsor is banned from being a company director
- If any person connected with the sponsor files for bankruptcy
- If any person connected with the sponsor is issued with a civil penalty and fails to pay
- If the education fails to follow any instruction from the UKBA
The above lists of offences that can result in a sponsor having their licence permanently withdrawn are quite varied and widespread. So it does raise the question of what mitigating factors apply when the UK Border Agency makes their decision. We can’t speak for every individual case, but in general terms, if the sponsor’s breach of the rules is down to a rogue employee who was dismissed as soon as management became aware, the education provider is likely to be downgraded to a B rating.
The following list details instances where the UK Border Agency may consider withdrawing a sponsor’s licence, but may apply discretion:
- If a school or college fails in any way in their role as a sponsor
- Failure to use correct procedures that allow the sponsor to fulfil their obligations as a sponsor
- If anyone connected with the sponsor is convicted of a serious offence
- Migrants who have been sponsored have not complied with the immigration rules they are subject to
- If anyone connected with the sponsor has been involved with another case of a sponsor licence withdrawal
- A B rated education provider can also have their licence withdrawn permanently if anyone discloses the password of the Sponsorship Management System to anyone not authorised to use it.
An education provider may also have their licence withdrawn any of the following are true:
- Students are continued to be sponsored despite twice failing a re-sit and/or repeating a course of study more than twice
- If a work placement component makes up more than 50% of the total course
- If students at any time are not taught on the sponsor’s premises
- If a sponsor offers courses below the required level to students applying for a general student visa
Part 1: The Tier 4 Sponsor System: Sponsor Licences
Part 2: Tier 4 Sponsor Licence Ratings
Part 3: Help, my School or College is suspended from the Tier 4 Register of Sponsors!
Part 4: What happens to my College if its sponsor licence is suspended?
Part 5: My College is Suspended – Will it be blacklisted or lose its Tier 4 sponsors licence?
thanks deniel to ur kind reply. well how can i show the embassy that the college was closed coz i ve sent mail to british embassy abu dhabi.they said to me that i cant take admission anywhere till the college is not completely suspended.now u tell me what sort of papers i have to show to embassy so they allow me to get admission another college.
thanks deniel
plz reply me as soon as possible.
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most respectfully sir.
could u plz tell me abt london school of business n comuting,when its got removed from tier4 list or it has any chance to come back to the list?? plz reply soon..
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Hi Khan
I think they’ve closed down; they are no longer in their registered offices.
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HI
i asked this befdore but i did not got any answer is it possible any one answer me plzz
i ve submitted my application at 31st december for the college(london school of business n computing)but in the meanwhile it has got suspend. so i ve sent mail to british embassy abu dhabi. they gave me 2 options i can choose either one of the following options:
1. Wait the results of the suspension.
2. Withdraw your application.
they said i can not change my college at this point.so u plz tell me what should i do..should i ve to wait of college back or i ve to withdraw my case.
thanks
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Hi i think u should withdraw ur application and try again,
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hi noor
i got my application last week and was refused due to college. London school of business and computing is permanently closed by uk border agency.
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Their telephone numbers have been disconnected for sometime now. Such a sad story for many students like you who’ve applied. What’s your situation – how much did you pay to the college and did you have insurance? Are you considering taking any action to recover your fees?
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i do not have any insurance number. i have paid 1500 pounds demand draft. i have asked my agent to recover my fee as soon as possible. he has given me two weeks for refund
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hii imran
thanx for ur reply
so wat should we do now..?
i think to withdraw my case from embassy
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Hi Atul, i have withdraw my case today, we cant wait and wait.. so i think ti withdraw and apply again for a Uni, best of luck to u..
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hi daniel
how are you?
thanks for reply the email.
i have got a visa from alphameridian college
now iam in nepal . Alphameridian college inspected 16th
febuary ? when college suspension lifted.can college go blacklist ?plz buy…………………….
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Hi Mohani
Thanks for your comment. I think we should hear something about this college later this month or early next. Hopefully you can travel to the UK soon. On the bright side, at least you got your visa before all applications from Nepal were suspended; a suspension which is still in place today.
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Helo i got Visa from embassy and my college was UK help for U, m college license cancelled and i fly for UK, they stop me at the airport and send me back and they cancelled my Visa, now what should i do, they also give me a appeal letter form, pls guide me what to do next?? thx.
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have you a list or update of sponsors licence permanently removed?
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hi daniel
i want to know about the london school of business and computing. is that permanently removed or still under investigation? i applied for entry clearence on 11th december 2009 but i did not get my passport back till now? and college is not answering any phoe call?
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hi shahryar
well i asked this to all but did not got any answer maybe u got some if yes then reply me
i ve submitted my application at 31st december for the college(london school of business n computing)but in the meanwhile it has got suspend. so i ve sent mail to british embassy abu dhabi. they gave me 2 options i can choose either one of the following options:
1. Wait the results of the suspension.
2. Withdraw your application.
they said i can not change my college at this point.so u plz tell me what should i do..should i ve to wait of college back or i ve to withdraw my case.
well do u know any thing about college so let me know plz
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you should wait the result of suspension because if you withdraw you application than new changes in the rules are very tough especially IELTS requirement.
iwant to contact you
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Yes I agree, better to wait for the result unless you know that your English level is a minimum of CEFR B1, for English courses and probably B2 for degree level programmes.
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dear sir,
i hv applied for visa on 12th jan 2010 and my application is still under processing. i applied for pg course in aa hamilton college london.
plzz tell me how much time i should wait ? or i withdraw my application
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hi Atul i applied the same date and or same college and i didt get my documents back, Daniel told me the AA Hamilton College’s license is suspended, this is a worry period for us. this is the reason our documents not sending back to us.
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HELLO…. I Really appreciation to your working, my college lost tier 4 licence. if it wont come back in tire 4 colleges, what is the next process to do so,can you please suggest me the process that how i need to change another college.
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u have to take a new admission in A rating college. if ur old College lost the license u cant say how long it will take to come back.
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Some students have a long time left to run on their current visa and so can afford to wait a little longer to learn the outcome of their sponsor’s licence suspension.
But yes, if your sponsor has their licence withdrawn permanently, then students will need to change sponsor.
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Hi Srikar
If your sponsor has their licence permanently withdrawn, the UK Border Agency should contact you to tell you. Your permission to enter the UK will then be limited. As long as you are not involved in the reason why your sponsor lost their licence, you leave will be:
- limited to 60 days if you have more than 6 months left on your visa
- not limited if you have less than 6 months left
During this time you can apply to a new sponsor.
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What college are you studying at Srikar?
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Helo. is AA Hamilton college London is in A rating?
a student can apply a visa for this college??
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Hi Imran
No, this college’s licence is still suspended. They can therefore not sponsor any new student migrants and any pending visa applications will not be considered until the suspension is resolved.
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thx for ur reply, can u pls guide me what should i do now, and what about my Fee which i paid in advance? i am stuck in between.
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Hi Imran
I assume then that you haven’t yet made your visa application?
How much have you paid them already? Full fees?
Have you been in touch with your college or agent at all over the issue?
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i submitted my Documents on 12h Jan 2010, for visa, but still no response, i paid 1500 UK pounds, can u pls tell me what date the license of AA Hamilton College suspended?
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and one more thing what happen if i withdraw my case? is any negative impacts occur on my document and i can still apply again? Thx
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now im thinking for a withdraw, can u pls tell me is this good for me? becoze my college is dont have a valid license and i m waiting for 2 months already. an i am stuck in between. thx for ur co-orporate..
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uk help 4 u college is curent tier 4 categaroy or not & they dismiiss uk border agency plz give me full information abou the college
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no UK help for u is not is tier 4 category, one of my friend got visa 15 days ago when he arrived at London airport being deported. V.Sad for him..
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Very sad indeed Imran. You see, the UK Border Agency does advise students not to travel if their licence is suspended.
All readers should take note of this student traveling all the way to the UK, only to be turned away at his port of entry.
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Hi Dev
Their licence was suspended on 23 February 2010.
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Do you know what happens to the students who are already in the UK and studying with colleges who have had their licences suspended?
My college – London School of Accountancy and Management – is still on suspension and I doubt it will get its licence back.
That that mean I have to leave the country and cant finish my degree or does the Home Office allow us to transfer to another school which does have a sponsership licence?
Do we have to pay for another Student Visa again?
Thanks
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Hi Lisa
If your college’s sponsor licence is withdrawn permanently, your leave 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.
So the UK Border Agency will definitely give you time to change education provider, unless you’ve broken the rules yourself.
Changing sponsor under Tier 4 depends on when you were given your original student visa.
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i applied in uk on the bases of tire 4 student dependent . but my wife course below degree level . but as per rules i am not working .but if i want to qualefy for tire 1& 2 i can work .so please help how can i qualify in tire 1 &2 rules plese help
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Hi Samir
On what date did you make your application?
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Hi Daniel I’m a student in Alpha Meridian College but for the moment this college is suspended but I have to extend my visa because it’s going to finish in 31 st of March.What do you think is the best thing to do,to change college or to wait.Do you know that they are going to take soon the licence because I’m a bit worried for this.I don’t know what to do because some of them tell me to stay but I don’t know if it’s sure or not.
I am waiting for your response as soon as
possible.
You sincerely
Nertila
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Hi Nertila
According to reports, the college was inspected 16 February 2010. As you are a current student, could you try and confirm this with the college?
If this is correct, we should expect to learn their fate towards the end of March.
However, this does cut things very fine regarding your visa. You could consider switching sponsor – when does the course you’ve paid for finish?
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Hi Daniel,
I have register for my exam in June 4 exams and I have paid my college till December 2010,the home office has contacted my college and they have told that this week your college is going to be in Tir4 colleges.I hope that is going to happen soon because now is late to find an other college because no one is going to accept me now.
Thanks a lot for your response.
Yours faithfully
Nertila Gjoni
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Thanks for getting back to me Nertila and best of luck to you.
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Hello Respected Ones
i was been trying fOr mOney since two years,i dint make it up to mark.. at last i needed to add sOme mOney for my cOllege fees..sO my dad sOld his ONLY shOp for my further education..after wasting my preciOus two years nOw that i hav arrange mOney for my studies there are nO cOlleges i can get ADDMISSIOn in sufficent amOunt ..UNI are too expensive for ppl like me.hOpe yOu underestand me
THANK YOU for yOUr cO.Opreation ..GOOD DAY
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Hi Furqan
What’s your current status – are you still looking for a college? Have you paid fees to a college that has now been suspended? Give me some more details.
I hope I can help you find a college.
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Dear sir,
I am the student of Rims college london.
ihave submittedmy case in britsh embasy on 15th january.
but on 19th jan my college was suspended.
but my casse is still in embassy.
slud i have wait or withdraw the case.
what is the best option for me?
Thanks Best regards.
M.Muddassar ashraf
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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.
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what about guildhall college it is suspended or removed .
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Hi Ahmed
Their licence is still suspended. Pending visa applications have not been refused leading me to think that the UK Border Agency has not made a decision yet. Publicly, at least.
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reply urgen maight..
cromwell colllege and it manegement. plz tell us, when this college in block list….plz tell us, why because we are now in frustation, if you not give any reply only one way is there……that is suicide……..plz i request you and i beg you dont play with student life, students only change the world. plz be honest save and save student life, means our lives……
with best regards……
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Srinivas, there’s really no need to be so over-dramatic. Talk of suicide over a college being suspended is simply too much. I’m also not too comfortable in you claiming I’m playing with your life.
I’m chasing them for an update every day. Currently their website doesn’t load – I don’t know if this is coincidence or the sign of something worse. I’ll update you with any news I receive.
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hI Daniel
well dont take srinivas wrong well mate people who live in poor country sold their lands even gold jewelleries just for the sake of their childs better education and future as v can see many students join this wonderful blog just to get info regarding their colleges well yes i agree sucide is not a solution watever the reason is anyways thanks for helping the students in this bad situation god bless u
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Yes, I take your point. But still, nobody’s died and that’s the most important thing.
The college is still answering the phone, which I think is a good sign.
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Hey Daniel, most regards and appreciation to your working, can u give me a favour and please tell me that IELTS is mendatory after 22 february 2010 or not for MBA program at any college like LSC , Kensington college of business or BITE College…. or a policy revision is coming at 6 April 2010 so IELTS would be there or not…
Tell me its urgent dude…
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Hi Sayeed
At the level of the courses you are studying, an English language requirement would be imposed by the school. If you are studying an MBA, surely it has an IELTS entry requirement already?
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daniel it means gateway2uk education would be blacklisted due to this fruad.?
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Hi Ali
No decision has been taken yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they lose their licence. The Immigration Minister did say in his interview that the college would be closed, but you can never believe anything politicians say in interviews, trust me.
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Visa Fraud uncovered at Gateway2UK Education
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can u please tell me what is the news about gateway2uk education college
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Update 25 February 2010 0043: Visa Fraud uncovered at Gateway2UK Education
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Hi John
As it has been found to be invovled in visa fraud, it is likely to take a long time for the suspension to be resolved. Have you seen our post, visa fraud uncovered at Gateway2UK Education? It has loads of info and a video with all the details.
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what is the latest news about st. patricks college
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As of 1 March 2010, their licence is still suspended.
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Suspension lifted 4 March 2010.
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Dear sir
please tell me aa hamilton college london when back her tier4 liscence.
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dear sir
when you reply my question? my college name is aa hamilton college london.when this college get her tier4 liscence.
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Sorry for the delay Bashir, I’ve replied to you now.
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Hi Bashir
Each case is different and the UK Border Agency inspections can be very thorough. Also if the college is very large, it will take a long time to check everything. Also, there is 32 days set aside forcorrespondence alone following an inspection, so you can see that the process is quite a drawn out one.
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Still suspended as of 12 March 2010. I think their licence has been suspended for quite a while now. They are still answering the phone so that is a good sign.
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Hi daniel,
Can you give me an information as to exactly when Alpha Meridian college was suspended from tier 4 register.If you could provide a link to the register list on that particular date,then it would be really helpful.Due to that ,I had changed my college on that time and after a year now I am having to proove that I had changed my college because of that reason.As the college management themselves told me that during suspension they could not take admission or grant a visa letter.
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They were removed from the Register before 26 January 2010. Unfortunately I do not know the exact date. The college would know and if you need to know the exact date you should have your lawyer make legal claims to that information from the college and/or UKBA.
They were back on the Register 18 March 2010.
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Very useful article containing a lot of information. Well done Mr Daniel.
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Thanks Kih.
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