Buckinghamshire New University Sponsor Licence Suspended: What It Means for Applicants

TL;DR: On 30 September, the Home Office suspended the Buckinghamshire New University sponsor licence for international students. While it stays suspended, the university cannot issue new CAS letters, so new applicants cannot use it for a Student visa. Students already studying there can continue if their visa is still valid. The university has 20 working days to respond, after which the licence is reinstated or revoked.

If you hold an offer from Buckinghamshire New University, often called Bucks New University, or you were about to accept one for January, this news changes your next step. Students applying from Sri Lanka and elsewhere now need a clear plan, not guesswork. This guide explains what the suspension means today, what happens if the licence is revoked, and how to check any UK university before you pay a deposit.

Holding a UK offer and unsure whether your plan still works? Check your eligibility with Prosper.

What happened to the Buckinghamshire New University sponsor licence

The Home Office published a short statement on 30 September. It says the university's Student sponsor licence is suspended with immediate effect, and the university has been removed from the Register of Licensed Sponsors for students. The university has 20 working days to respond. If it cannot show why the licence should be reinstated, the licence will be revoked.

Three points from the statement matter most:

• Students already sponsored by the university can continue their studies, as long as their immigration permission remains valid.
• Home students and students on other types of visa are not affected.
• Only the Student licence is suspended. The university's Worker and Temporary Worker licences are not affected.

The Home Office has not given a public reason for the suspension. Bucks New University hosted around 1,530 international students in its most recent reported year, according to The PIE News.

What a suspended licence means for your CAS and visa

A suspension is not the same as a revocation. It is a pause while the Home Office investigates. The Home Office's student sponsor compliance guidance and UKCISA's student advice set out what happens at each stage.

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If you hold an offer from Bucks New University

Students already in the UK are the least affected for now. The real pressure falls on applicants for the January intake, because a January start needs a CAS in the next few weeks. Nobody outside the Home Office knows yet whether the licence will be reinstated, so plan for both outcomes and protect your timeline.

1. Do not pay a new deposit yet. Wait until the licence status is clear. If you have already paid, ask the university in writing how its refund policy applies if it cannot issue your CAS.
2. Do not submit a visa application on an existing CAS. It would be held until the outcome is known, and refused if the licence is revoked.
3. Do not travel on a visa you already hold until the outcome is known. UKVI advises against it.
4. Secure a second offer now. A UK application usually takes two to three months from start to visa. If January is your goal, a backup offer from a licensed university keeps it within reach.
5. Watch the 20 working day window. It runs to around 28 October. A decision on reinstatement or revocation follows after that.

If you are already studying there, keep attending and keep your visa valid. If the licence is later revoked, the 60 day period gives you time to move to another licensed university.

How to check a UK university's sponsor licence before you accept

This takes five minutes and should be part of every UK decision, not only this one.

1. Open the Home Office Register of Licensed Sponsors for students on GOV.UK. It is updated several times a week.
2. Download the list and search for the university's full legal name.
3. Confirm it is listed for the Student route and check its rating.
4. Check again just before you pay a deposit and again before you apply for your visa.

Universities are also measured against the Home Office's Basic Compliance Assessment. Since 1 June, a sponsor needs a visa refusal rate below 5 per cent, an enrolment rate of at least 95 per cent and a course completion rate of at least 85 per cent. Your own application quality helps your university stay inside those limits, which is one more reason to apply only with complete, genuine documents. A university with a long, steady record on the register is a safer choice than one you know little about, so ask about its standing before you commit.

Related reading: the realistic UK January intake timeline and what a UK student visa costs and what you must show.

Applying from Sri Lanka

• Before you transfer a tuition deposit from a Sri Lankan bank, get the university's refund terms in writing, including what happens if a CAS cannot be issued.
• Hold off booking biometrics at the VFS Global centre in Colombo until you have a CAS from a university that is on the register.
• Keep copies of every offer, CAS and payment receipt. You will need them for a refund request or a new application.

Frequently asked questions

Can I still apply to Buckinghamshire New University as an international student?

You can hold an application or offer, but while the licence is suspended the university cannot issue a CAS. Without a CAS, you cannot apply for a Student visa.

Will my existing student visa be cancelled?

Not during the suspension. Students already sponsored can continue while their permission is valid. If the licence is revoked, permission is usually limited to 60 days so you can find a new sponsor.

How long does the suspension last?

The university has 20 working days from 30 September to respond. The Home Office then decides whether to reinstate or revoke the licence. There is no fixed date for that decision.

What happens to my visa application if I already applied?

It is held while the investigation continues. If the licence is revoked, the application is refused, so a backup offer from another licensed university is a sensible step.

How do I know if a UK university can sponsor my visa?

Check the Home Office Register of Licensed Sponsors for students on GOV.UK. A university that has been suspended is removed from it.

PS. A suspension like this is a reminder that the university you choose matters as much as the course. If you are weighing a UK offer for January or September, we can review your profile and point you to two or three licensed universities that fit it. Check your eligibility with Prosper.

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