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Child students

Their licence

This page explains the approved education provider's licence, their rating when then get their licence and the tier 4 register of sponsors (education providers).

The education provider must be approved by us and have a licence to bring students to the United Kingdom.

Once they are licensed, they are given either an A-rating or B- rating. B-rated education providers are working with us to improve the management of their duties, and to get an A-rating.

Once education providers are approved with a licence, they are added to our register of tier 4 sponsors (approved education providers). Once you have chosen an education provider to study with, you can check to see if they are on the register, which you can find on the right side of this page. If the education provider is not on the register, you will not be able to get a student visa.

More information

  • What is a licence?

    To apply as a student under tier 4, you must have an approved education provider. All education providers who want to provide courses for international students need a licence from the UK Border Agency. Once they get a licence, they are added to the tier 4 register of sponsors.

  • What is the rating?

    The register of sponsors has the name, location and rating of the organisation. All sponsors (who are approved education providers) are given an A rating or B rating when they join the register. A B rating is a transitional rating and means that the sponsor is working with us to improve their systems.

  • Register of tier 4 sponsors (known as approved education providers)

    You can check whether your education provider has a license by looking at the tier 4 register of sponsors, which you can find on the right side of this page.

Terms explained

  • A rating

    This term is applied to a sponsor under the points-based system for coming to the United Kingdom to work, train or study. It is the rating awarded by us when a sponsor joins the register of sponsors.

  • B rating

    This term is applied to a sponsor under the points-based system for coming to the United Kingdom to work, train or study. It is the rating awarded by us when a sponsor joins the register of sponsors. A B rating is a transitional rating for a sponsor who is under a sponsorship action plan.

All glossary terms

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