Change of https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/student-sponsor-guidance

Change description : 2026-10-09 11:55:00: Updated Applying for a Student sponsor licence and Sponsorship duties in line with changes to the Immigration Rules. [Guidance and regulation]

Showing diff : 2026-05-31 23:04:06.799819092 +00:00..2026-10-09 10:56:12.084781503 +00:00

Guidance

Student sponsor guidance

How to apply for a Student sponsor licence and how to sponsor a student.

Updates to this page

From:
UK Visas and Immigration
Published:Published
1 October 2013
Last updated:updated
9 1 OctoberJune 2026 —
ShowSee all updates

Documents

Applying for a Student sponsor licence

PDF, 776 KB, 81 pages

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Sponsorship duties (accessible)

HTML

Sponsorship duties

PDF, 1.13 MB, 112 pages

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Student sponsor compliance

PDF, 503 KB, 34 pages

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Higher education regulatory reform (accessible)

HTML

Higher education regulatory reform

PDF, 280 KB, 14 pages

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Details

This is the Immigrationfull Rules.policy guidance on sponsoring a student. Use this guide to find out how to:

  • apply for (or renew) a university or college sponsor licence
  • enrol international students who will be studying under the Student or Child Student routes

We are aware that this publication may have accessibility issues. We are reviewing it so that we can fix these.

Read more about our accessible documents policy.

Updates to this page

Published 1 October 2013
Last updated 1 June 2026 href="#full-history">+ show all updates

  1. 'Student sponsor compliance' has been updated. Changes are detailed in the 'changes since last publication' section.

  3. Updated Document 1: Applying for a Student sponsor licence and Document 2: Sponsorship Duties.

  5. Updated the Sponsorship duties guidance in line with the Immigration rules changes being laid. A full list of changes can be found within the guidance.

  7. Updated the guidance on Applying for a Student sponsor licence and Sponsorship duties.

  9. Updated to reflect new Immigration Rules changes which come into effect on 11 November for the Student and Child Student routes. Full details of changes are listed in the document.

  11. 'Sponsorship duties' updated. A full list of changes is in the 'changes since last publication' section.

  13. 'Sponsorship duties' guidance updated with a link to the new Ecctis website.

  15. Guidance on applying for a student sponsor licence and sponsorship duties has been updated. A full list of the changes made since last publication is included in the guidance documents.

  17. Updated all documents to include information about remote delivery. Further details of updates can be found within each document.

  19. Updated applying for a student sponsor licence guidance.

  21. Updated 'Applying for a Student sponsor licence' and 'Student sponsor compliance' to remove information about premium customer service.

  23. Student Sponsor Guidance document 1 updated to reflect change of oversight provider from School Inspection Service to Mainland Education Ltd.

  25. Sponsorship duties document updated, changes to paragraphs 3.12, 3.27 and 5.82. Sponsorship compliance document updated, changes to paragraph 3.13.

  27. Added accessible HTML versions of documents.

  29. Sponsorship Duties guidance updated to confirm sponsors can accept Certificates of Application as proof of an unsponsored EU or EEA national's right to study in the UK (paragraph 2.11).

  31. Updated 'Sponsorship duties' document. Clarification added surrounding study abroad programmes and work placement durations.

  33. Sponsorship duties document update. Changes are detailed on page 5 of the document.

  35. Updated 'Sponsorship duties' guidance to reflect changes made to the ATAS requirement to apply to work routes as well as study routes.

  37. Updated guidance documents for use on or after 1 December.

  39. Updated all guidance documents to reflect new Student Visa route.

  41. Updated all 4 documents to reflect immigration rules changes.

  43. Updated guidance to be used from 1 August 2019.

  45. Replace all 4 documents with new versions.

  47. Updated guidance.

  49. Updated sponsorship duties document to be used from 8 May 2018.

  51. New guidance on higher education regulatory reform added.

  53. Guidance documents updated.

  55. Updated sponsorship duties guidance.

  57. Updated guidance for use on or after 6 April 2017.

  59. Updated guidance for use on or after 24 November.

  61. Updated guidance on 'Sponsorship duties'.

  63. Updated guidance.

  65. Updated guidance for educators.

  67. Updated guidance.

  69. Updated guidance for sponsors

  71. Updated tier 4 compliance guidance.

  73. Updated guidance

  75. Updated guidance

  77. Updated guidance.

  79. Updated guidance.

  81. Updated guidance.

  83. Updated sponsors' duties and compliance.

  85. Updated guidance.

  87. Updated sponsor guidance.

  89. Updated documents for use on or after 1 July 2014.

  91. New version of guidance published for use on or after 6 April.

  93. First published.

Documents

Applying for a Student sponsor licence

PDF, 1.22 MB, 89 pages

Sponsorship duties

PDF, 1.16 MB, 116 pages

Student sponsor compliance (accessible)

HTML

Student sponsor compliance

PDF, 503 KB, 34 pages

Higher education regulatory reform (accessible)

HTML

Higher education regulatory reform

PDF, 280 KB, 14 pages

Details

This is the full policy guidance on sponsoring a student. Use this guide to find out how to:

  • apply for (or renew) a university or college sponsor licence
  • enrol international students who will be studying under the Student or Child Student routes

We are aware this publication may have accessibility issues, for example if you use assistive technology.

Contact us if you need this document in a different format.

We cannot answer any other questions through this form.

Read our accessible documents policy.

Sign up for emails or print this page

Update history

2026-10-09 11:55
Updated Applying for a Student sponsor licence and Sponsorship duties in line with changes to the Immigration Rules.

2026-06-01 00:01
‘Student sponsor compliance’ has been updated. Changes are detailed in the ‘changes since last publication’ section.

2026-04-07 00:01
Updated Document 1: Applying for a Student sponsor licence and Document 2: Sponsorship Duties.

2026-03-26 09:00
Updated the Sponsorship duties guidance in line with the Immigration rules changes being laid. A full list of changes can be found within the guidance.

2026-01-16 00:01
Updated the guidance on Applying for a Student sponsor licence and Sponsorship duties.

2025-11-11 09:00
Updated to reflect new Immigration Rules changes which come into effect on 11 November for the Student and Child Student routes. Full details of changes are listed in the document.

2025-05-29 09:00
‘Sponsorship duties’ updated. A full list of changes is in the ‘changes since last publication’ section.

2025-05-01 09:00
‘Sponsorship duties’ guidance updated with a link to the new Ecctis website.

2025-04-09 09:00
Guidance on applying for a student sponsor licence and sponsorship duties has been updated. A full list of the changes made since last publication is included in the guidance documents.

2025-03-19 09:00
Updated all documents to include information about remote delivery. Further details of updates can be found within each document.

2024-11-08 16:02
Updated applying for a student sponsor licence guidance.

2023-10-16 08:00
Updated ‘Applying for a Student sponsor licence’ and ‘Student sponsor compliance’ to remove information about premium customer service.

2023-07-25 16:21
Student Sponsor Guidance document 1 updated to reflect change of oversight provider from School Inspection Service to Mainland Education Ltd.

2023-07-17 15:19
Sponsorship duties document updated, changes to paragraphs 3.12, 3.27 and 5.82. Sponsorship compliance document updated, changes to paragraph 3.13.

2023-07-17 15:00
Sponsorship duties document updated, changes to paragraphs 3.12, 3.27 and 5.82. Sponsorship compliance document updated, changes to paragraph 3.13.

2022-12-30 10:06
Added accessible HTML versions of documents.