UK suspends Buckinghamshire New University’s licence to sponsor international students

London, UK, October 6, 2026 — The UK Home Office has suspended Buckinghamshire New University’s Student sponsor licence, affecting international students at the university, including around 250 Nepali students.

The suspension took effect immediately on September 30, and the university was removed from the UK’s Register of licensed sponsors for students. The Home Office said the action followed concerns about the university’s compliance with its sponsor duties.

The university has 20 working days to respond to the decision and provide evidence or representations seeking reinstatement of its licence. If it fails to demonstrate that the licence should be reinstated, the Home Office said the licence will be revoked.

The suspension itself does not immediately prevent current sponsored students from continuing their studies. The Home Office said students currently sponsored by the university can continue studying while the suspension remains in place, provided their immigration permission remains valid.

If the university’s licence is ultimately revoked, students whose permission is curtailed will generally be given 60 calendar days, or the shorter period remaining on their existing permission, to find a new sponsor and apply for further permission to stay. They must leave the UK if they do not secure a new sponsor within the permitted period.

The suspension means the university cannot currently sponsor new international students under the Student route. The Home Office’s current guidance also states that a student sponsor removed from the register pending investigation does not affect students who already have valid permission, unless further action is taken following the investigation.

The UK has introduced tighter compliance requirements for student sponsors. Current Home Office guidance includes monitoring of sponsor performance through measures covering student visa refusals and student enrolment and course-completion requirements. Sponsors are required to meet their duties concerning recruitment, enrolment, academic engagement and course completion.