UKVI Compliance Office-About us

Cledwyn Building

What is our role?

Aberystwyth University is a registered ‘sponsor’ under the Point-Based Immigration system (PBS). This gives us the ability to recruit and sponsor students who are nationals of countries outside of the UK/Republic of Ireland. The Home Office places responsibilities on students and universities to ensure immigration laws are followed.

Helping protect Student visa holders

The UKVI compliance office are here to support students and to enable them to protect their Student visas by ensuring that visa rules are followed. The guidance on these web pages does not cover all circumstances and UKVI rules, students should refer to the documents published or referred to on these pages for more detail.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact compliance@aber.ac.uk.

Ensuring university wide compliance with UKVI regulations

 

Admissions and Recruitment

The UKVI Compliance Office work closely with departments across the university to ensure all UKVI guidance is followed and that staff are aware of the duties we have as a visa sponsor. We work closely with admissions teams to provide guidance and advice on applications and the requirements needed to assign a CAS to applicants. 

Record Keeping

We maintain student records ensuring that all UKVI required documents are on file, including but not limited to:

  • a copy of the student's current passport
  • a copy of their current visa 
  • proof of date of entry to the UK
  • copies of any previous visas in the UK (if applicable)
  • copies of academic transcripts / certificates (if applicable)
  • copy of English Language proficiency (if applicable)
  • copy of ATAS certificate (if applicable)

 

Reporting duties

The university is required by the UKVI to report within 10 working days of being made aware of a change in a student's circumstances. The main reporting duties are highlighted below:

  • Changes in study location (student is undertaking a period of study abroad), for example approved exchanges.
  • PhD student undertaking fieldwork abroad
  • Returning students not re-registering for their course
  • New students not enrolling
  • Student changes their course of study
  • Visa refusals
  • Students who choose to permanently withdraw from their studies
  • Students who choose to take a period of temporary withdrawal from their studies
  • Students who are excluded from university 
  • Student changes immigration category and no longer requires a student visa
  • Successful completion of a course of study (QCF6 and above) if the student has:

a) successfully completed their course; 
b) met the qualification requirement; 
c) met the requirement for studying in the UK.

 

Passing an annual Basic Compliance Assessment

The UKVI require that each sponsor monitors its cohorts and to ensure that the following thresholds are met.

 

Focus  Threshold  Definition
Enrolment  90% An enrolment rate of at least 90 per cent. This means that of all 
the CAS the sponsor has assigned to students who have been granted entry 
clearance or permission to stay (to study with that sponsor), at least 90 per 
cent must have enrolled on their course within the enrolment period.
Visa Refusals  10% A visa refusal rate of less than 10 per cent
Completion rate 85% A course completion rate of at least 85 per cent. This means 
that at least 85 per cent of students they have sponsored under the Student or 
Child Student routes who enrol with them must complete their course.

Much of the focus of the UKVI compliance team is in mitigating against risks that could affect passing the annual BCA.