Sponsors of Students and Child Students are affected by the Student sponsor guidance updated on 9 October 2026, which includes Basic Compliance Assessment thresholds for applications made on or after 1 June 2026.
Key facts
- Who: Student sponsor licence holders and applicants sponsoring students on the Student and Child Student routes
- From: Guidance updated 9 October 2026; Basic Compliance Assessment thresholds apply to assessments applied for on or after 1 June 2026
- Source: Student sponsor guidance
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) updated the Student sponsor guidance on 9 October 2026. The changes are to "Applying for a Student sponsor licence" and "Sponsorship duties", in line with changes to the Immigration Rules. The guidance covers how to apply for or renew a Student sponsor licence and how to sponsor a student.
The guidance also contains Document 3, Student sponsor compliance (version 06/2026, to be used from 1 June 2026). It replaces the legacy Basic Compliance Assessment (BCA) framework with a new one. A sponsor must apply for a BCA every 12 months using the SMS. Applications can be made up to one month before they are due (paragraphs 2.6 to 2.8).
A sponsor must meet all core requirements on the date it applies to obtain a green or amber rating (paragraph 2.12). The thresholds depend on the application date (paragraph 2.14):
Outcomes are given as a single Red-Amber-Green (RAG) rating, set by the lowest-rated of the three metrics rather than an aggregate (paragraphs 2.28 and 2.29). Red means a core requirement is failed. Amber covers a refusal rate of 4% to under 5%, an enrolment rate of 95% to under 96%, or a course completion rate of 90% to under 92%.
A first red rating means an action plan of at least 12 months, a reduction in the next CAS allocation of at least 10% of the sponsor's previous usage, and a Final Warning that stays active for the next 5 assessments (paragraphs 2.44 to 2.46). Failing multiple metrics at once, or a second red rating within those 5 assessments, is treated as a serious breach unless exceptional circumstances apply (paragraphs 2.51, 2.52 and 2.60).
An amber-rated sponsor will not be granted more CAS than it previously used until it is rated green. It will normally be required to attend engagement meetings (paragraphs 2.65 to 2.67).
Where a sponsor withdraws a CAS before a decision on the linked visa application, that CAS is not included in the refusal rate calculation (paragraph 2.19).
What this means for applicants
Sponsors must apply for each BCA every 12 months. Missing the deadline will normally be treated as a serious breach and lead to licence revocation action. In most cases the sponsor is removed from the Register of Student Sponsors and given 20 working days to make representations (paragraph 2.3).
Representations against a BCA outcome must be made within 20 working days of receiving the BCA Outcome Notice (paragraph 2.34). A sponsor challenging a rating must show the data relied on was materially flawed (paragraph 2.33). Where a licence is revoked after representations on a serious breach arising from failing BCA core requirements, there is no right of appeal against that decision (paragraphs 2.57 and 2.58).
Sponsors and education providers applying for a licence should read all four documents of the guidance, including the updated "Applying for a Student sponsor licence" and "Sponsorship duties" (paragraph 1.1).
Related guide
Sources
- Student sponsor guidance, UK Visas and Immigration
- Student sponsor compliance (accessible)