St Mary’s University, Twickenham is a licensed Student Sponsor under the UK Home Office sponsorship system. This licence allows the University to sponsor international students under the Student Route. In order to maintain this licence, both the University and sponsored students must meet specific requirements set by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).
All students are expected to uphold the values of St Mary’s University:
- Contribute positively to its inclusive community.
- Adhere to the University’s academic regulations, engaging actively and honestly in learning.
- Show respect towards themselves, fellow students and staff.
- Act responsibly, respect the campus environment including University facilities.
- Take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others.
- Show consideration to our neighbours and the wider local community.
Please refer to the Student Charter for further information on the expectations and responsibilities of students.
Responsibilities of Student Visa Holders
If you hold a Student Visa sponsored by St Mary’s University, you must comply with the conditions attached to your immigration permission at all times.
Breaching your visa conditions can have serious consequences, including cancellation of your visa, withdrawal of sponsorship, requirement to leave the UK and potential restrictions on future UK immigration applications.
Your visa conditions are recorded on your digital immigration status (eVisa) or previous immigration documents. It is your responsibility to understand these conditions and ensure ongoing compliance.
As a sponsored student, you are expected to:
- Enrol and re-enrol at the University within the required timeframes.
- Study on a full-time basis and actively engage with your programme.
- Attend all timetabled teaching sessions, tutorials, seminars, placements and required academic activities.
- Participate in the University’s attendance monitoring and engagement processes.
- Maintain satisfactory academic engagement in line with University regulations.
- Inform the University promptly of any absence and provide supporting evidence where required.
- Keep your UK residential address, telephone number and email address up to date via the Student Portal.
- Live within a reasonable commuting distance of campus (maximum 1 hour 45 by public transport) to support regular attendance. Please refer to the commutable distance policy for international students.
- Provide updated copies of your passport and visa whenever they are renewed or changed.
- Comply with the working hour limits and other conditions stated on your visa.
- Inform the University immediately if your immigration status changes.
- Seek visa advice from the UKVI Immigration and Compliance Team before making changes to your programme, mode of study, or immigration category.
- Follow formal procedures if you defer, suspend or withdraw from your course.
- Leave the UK if your sponsorship ends and you no longer hold valid immigration permission.
- Act lawfully and in accordance with UK immigration legislation at all times.
Responsibilities of St Mary’s University as Student Sponsor
As a licensed sponsor, St Mary’s University must comply with duties set out in UKVI Sponsor Guidance. These duties apply throughout the period of sponsorship.
The University is required to:
- Verify and retain copies of immigration documents, including passports and visas.
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date contact details for all sponsored students.
- Monitor enrolment and academic engagement.
- Record and monitor attendance in accordance with institutional policy.
- Report to UKVI where a student fails to enrol, fails to meet minimum engagement requirements, withdraws, defers, transfers course, or completes earlier than expected.
- Report visa application refusals.
- Report significant changes in a student’s circumstances that affect sponsorship.
- Ensure that students studying on placements or approved off-site activity remain engaged.
- Maintain robust systems and audit trails to demonstrate compliance with UKVI requirements.
St Mary’s University is legally obliged to report certain events to UKVI. These reporting duties are mandatory and form part of the University’s sponsorship responsibilities.