Universities and colleges warned to sign up now to the new points system if they want to teach international students
27 January 2009
The deadline is fast approaching for universities, colleges and schools who want to sponsor international students when the student tier of Britain's tough new points system goes live, the UK Border Agency warned today.
The points-based system was created to manage the number of people coming here to work and study in the best interests of the United Kingdom. The introduction of the student tier, Tier 4 will complete the rollout of the points-based system.
If education institutions want to bring in international students when Tier 4 starts at the end of March they must apply by 2 February. So far more than 800 universities, colleges and schools have signed up.
Institutions who do not apply before the deadline will not be able to sponsor students from the go-live date in March.
Under the new rules schools, colleges and universities must pledge to take responsibility for any students they bring here from outside Europe and have a licence to do so. The new system will be rolled out over the next 12 months.
This strict new approach will weed out bogus colleges who abuse the system and ensure that international students wanting to take advantage of Britain's world-class universities, colleges and schools play by the rules, preventing bogus students from failing to show up or overstaying.
International students who want to come here under Tier 4 will have to be sponsored by a UK Border Agency-licensed education institution, prove that they have the means to support themselves and their families and supply their fingerprints.
The tough new student route means Britain can continue to recruit good students from outside Europe while cracking down on those who seek to abuse the system.
Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said:
"Everyone who comes here must play by the rules and that includes foreign students wanting to take advantage of our world-class universities and colleges. The new student tier of the points system will ensure we will know exactly who is coming here to study and crack down on bogus colleges.
That is why I am delighted that more than 800 colleges and universities have registered so far. I now urge other educational institutions to sign up so they are ready when the system goes live at the end of March."
The Agency has worked closely with the education sector to ensure legitimate schools, colleges and universities do not fall foul of the new regime and are ready for the introduction of the new rules.
The new points system is just one part of the biggest shake up to immigration and border security in a generation, along with fingerprint visas for anyone wanting to come to the United Kingdom and compulsory ID cards for foreign nationals.
30 October 2008
A delivery plan for the student tier of the Australian-style points system was announced by the Home Office today.
Under the new system, which will be rolled out from March next year, colleges and universities who want to teach non European Economic Area (EEA) nationals must have a licence issued by the UK Border Agency. Licensed institutions can then sponsor non EEA students to come to study in the UK.
The system will clamp down on bogus students and ensure only those who benefit Britain can continue to come. Before they can study here, foreign students must be sponsored by a UK Border Agency-licensed education institution, supply their fingerprints and meet new criteria.
