Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many tier 4 visa applications were refused for applicants intending to study at each English university in the last year for which records are available; and what guidance his Department issues to universities on retaining fees paid by students whose applications for such visas are subsequently refused.

Statistics on Tier 4 refusals are published in the Home Office's quarterly Immigration Statistics, available in the libraries of the House and at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release.

Information relating to individual institutions is not published in line with the requirements of the Code of Practice for Official Statistics. Information on the number of refusals of tier 4 visa applications by education sector or by individual institution is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

As autonomous bodies, individual UK HE institutions are able to decide their own tuition fee refund policy including what refunds will be made to overseas students who are subsequently refused a visa to study in the UK. The Department does not issue guidance, however, the QAA has issued guidance in 2012 for institutions on sponsoring international students which included recommendations on refund procedures for international students.