What is a Tier 4 sponsor?

Adult students

Your education provider

This page explains your education provider's role as your 'Tier 4 sponsor' if you are studying in the UK under Tier 4 (General) of our points-based system.

If a UK education provider wants to teach international students, it must apply to us for a Tier 4 sponsor licence. If we approve the education provider's application, we will give it a licence and add it to our register of Tier 4 sponsors.

As a Tier 4 sponsor, your education provider must comply with a number of duties while you are in the UK. These are described below.

Only a Tier 4 sponsor can assign confirmations of acceptance for studies (CASs) to international students. To score enough points to become a Tier 4 student, you will need a CAS, so you must check that the provider of your chosen course is a licensed Tier 4 sponsor. You can do this by downloading the most up-to-date version of the register of sponsors from the right side of this page.

For more information about CASs, see the Confirmations of acceptance for studiespage.

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More information

• What is a Tier 4 sponsor?

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  To apply as a student under Tier 4, you must have been offered a place on a course of study by a 'Tier 4 sponsor'. This is an education provider which has been approved by us to teach international students.
  If an education provider successfully applies to us for approval, we will give them a sponsor licence and add them to the register of Tier 4 sponsors.
  The register contains the education provider's name and location. It also indicates whether the education provider is a Highly Trusted sponsor, or is a standard sponsor with an A (Trusted) or B (Sponsor) rating. The B rating is a transitional rating, and means that the sponsor is working with us to improve its systems.
  Highly Trusted sponsors have demonstrated the highest levels of compliance with their duties, and in return can offer a wider range of course levels and work placement opportunities.
  You can check whether a UK education provider has a Tier 4 sponsor licence by looking at the register of Tier 4 sponsors. This is updated regularly, and you can download the most up-to-date version from the right side of this page.
  When a Tier 4 sponsor gives an international student an unconditional offer of a place on a course, it assigns a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) to the student.

• Tier 4 sponsor's duties

• If we suspend or withdraw your sponsor's licence before you apply

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  If you apply to us under Tier 4 using a co nfirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) from a sponsor whose licence is suspended, we will not consider your application.
  If you apply to us under Tier 4 to do a short course to prepare you for your main course of study, we will not consider your application if your CAS shows that the short course will be at a partner institution whose licence has been suspended.
  If we withdraw your education provider's Tier 4 sponsor licence, your CAS will become invalid and you will not be able to use it in an application to us. We will refuse any applications made using an invalid CAS.