Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to extend the current arrangements which enable universities to sponsor overseas students to study remotely into the next academic year until international travel restrictions in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic are eased.

Throughout the pandemic, the Government has operated a wide range of concessions to support international students and their sponsors, and these have been kept under regular review.

There is no requirement for students overseas who begin a course by remote study to hold a Student visa or to be sponsored by a licensed Student sponsor for study undertaken overseas.

Students who begin a course remotely are able to make an application for a visa once they intend to begin face-to-face learning in the UK. The simplified Student route allows for an application to be made up to 6 months in advance of the start date for study in the UK. This is increased from the 3 month period allowed under the former Tier 4 route, and formerly a Covid-19 concession which we have formalised in order to provide assurance to students who plan to travel to the UK for their course.