The role of visa sponsors

The UK immigration system is managed by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), which is part of the Home Office. The UKs immigration system is also often referred to as the points-based system for immigration. There are different categories of immigration permission in the UK, generally comprising of:

• Work visas
• Study visas
• Family visas
• Asylum and refugee
• Visitor visas
• Specialist routes (such as health care workers and entrepreneurs)

Many of the UKs immigration categories require the migrant to have a sponsor, such as an employer or education institution. The University of Bath is one such sponsor and must have a sponsor licence for any category under which we wish to sponsor migrants. Without a licence, we are not able to recruit staff or students who require immigration permission.

In order to maintain our sponsor licence, the University must comply with UKVI regulations, and ensure that all our students have valid immigration permission to study at the University.

Please see our guide for more information about how the University ensures that its Student sponsor licence is safeguarded across the institution.

For information about what is required to ensure the University's sponsor licence for workers is safeguarded, please refer to the points-based immigration system responsibilities on the HR web pages. For more general information on appropriate work visa routes for staff at the University, please visit the staff immigration web pages. Please also contact HR if you want to invite an academic member of staff to visit the University.

Check if sponsorship is possible or if the student has a Student visa

Most students on full-time degree programmes will need a Student visa to study. A part-time Student visa is available for students who want to study part-time at RQF level 7 or above. However, not all courses at the University are eligible for Student visa sponsorship.

Students on programmes of less than six months in duration, or students doing distance learning or exchange programmes may be able to study on a Standard Visitor visa. Certain other types of visa also permit study and should be checked with the Student Immigration Service.

Some courses at the University do not meet the criteria for Student visa sponsorship. If you are modifying an existing course (including adding placements or internships), or offering a new course to international students, please reach out to us for guidance.

Check if a current student has a Student visa

On the STU screen in SAMIS, the 'report to UKVI' box will be ticked if the student is on a Student visa. Alternatively, you can ask the Student Immigration Service for a list of visa-holding students. This list changes regularly and therefore the report must be refreshed on a regular basis.

Academic engagement monitoring for Student visa holders

As part of the University's Student visa sponsor duties, we oversee Student visa holders engagement with their studies. The University has an Academic engagement monitoring policy which outlines how engagement is monitored. The policy covers all Student visa holders, including doctoral students, and students on work placements or a study abroad year. The policy implements the latest UKVI requirements for engagement monitoring which need to be met if we are to continue to sponsor international students.

Academic engagement monitoring in the 2024/5 academic year

The policy has remained largely the same as in the 2023/4 academic year, focusing on empowering students to take charge of their own academic engagement, contacting Directors of Studies (taught) at a later stage in the non-engagement process.

Please note the following key points:

• Students will be monitored through a mixture of physical attendance points and will be required to meet at least one engagement point per week, as well as at least one physical engagement point every two weeks in term time.
• SafeZone will continue to be used to monitor physical attendance.
• Doctoral students will continue to be monitored through regular meetings with their supervisor.
• The authorised absence policy for Student visa holders remains unchanged.
• The Student Immigration Service will contact Directors of Studies / Doctoral Supervisors where more information is needed (particularly if a problem has been identified).

Please see the Academic engagement monitoring web pages and the Academic engagement monitoring policy (2024/5) for more detail.

Changes to student circumstances and UKVI reporting

As part of its Student visa sponsor duties, the University is required to inform UKVI of changes to a student's circumstances when the student:

• fails to enrol
• changes their course
• suspends their studies
• withdraws from the University
• completes their studies early
• stops engaging with their studies

The University must report relevant changes to UKVI within 10 working days of the change taking effect. It is therefore crucial that University systems (SAMIS etc.) are updated promptly so that we can meet this requirement.

Changing University or changing course

The Student visa is tied to the course and the institution for which it was granted. This means, if a student wants to change University, they will need to obtain a new Student visa for the institution they will be joining. Often, the new Student visa application needs to be made from overseas. Some course changes within the University are also not permitted without the student first obtaining a new Student visa.

Teaching partnerships and visiting doctoral students

There are additional considerations for Student visa holding doctoral students studying at multiple sites as part of a Doctoral Training Partnership.

Undertaking a period of research at another institution

Student visa holders can conduct short periods of research at another institution. This is allowed under the 'temporary authorised location' rule. If a student is studying elsewhere, including where they are working with a second supervisor based at another institution, the University must still meet the engagement monitoring requirements. The Student Immigration Service will still request information from lead supervisors about the student's engagement with their research.

The University of Bath can accept students sponsored by other institutions for short periods of research. The Student Immigration Service needs confirmation in writing that the institution will still sponsor the student for their Student visa.

Undertaking periods of taught study at another institution

Taught study is not permitted under the ‘temporary authorised location’ rule. Any study that includes classroom teaching is considered taught study.

If a Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) requires students to complete taught study at another institution, this is considered to be a ‘teaching partnership’. In order to create a teaching partnership there must be a contractual signed agreement between institutions. The agreement must include the following information:

• agreement to teach students in the manner specified
• the course(s) being delivered
• the location of delivery
• the qualification awarded upon completion
• the education provider delivering the teaching
• the length of the agreement

Both institutions must include each other on their respective Student visa licences. The institution responsible for teaching the majority of the course (i.e., more than half) must sponsor the student and fulfil all related sponsor duties. If the teaching is split equally, the institutions must agree on which one will sponsor the student for the entire course under the partnership.

Currently, the institutions on our licence are Bristol, Exeter, Cardiff, Loughborough, Plymouth and the University of the West of England. It can take several months to add an institution to our licence. To do this, the University must send the signed agreements to the Home Office.

Therefore, before making an offer to an international student who would require a Student visa, please consider the following carefully:

• Will there be taught elements at other institutions? If so, are those institutions on our Student sponsor licence?
• Is there a signed agreement? It can take a long time to get an agreement signed by all institutions.
• If we are the Student sponsor for a student, can we meet our engagement monitoring requirements whilst the student is being taught elsewhere?

We cannot issue a CAS for a sponsored student on a CDT programme involving teaching at another institution unless the partnership and institution is on our Student sponsor licence and there is a signed agreement. Without a CAS, the student cannot get a Student visa.

Inviting PhD students to visit

If you are a member of staff, you should not issue any form of communication inviting someone to visit from outside the UK, as this may result in the individual being issued the wrong visa.

If you would like to invite a PhD student to visit, please contact the Doctoral College who can advise you further.