How do I sponsor a migrant?
Tier 4 - students
This page explains how points are awarded to migrant students under tier 4 of the points-based system.
For more information, you should read the full policy guidance (which you can find on the right of this page) and the page on specific requirements for tier 4 - general and child students.
To qualify as a general student or a child student under tier 4, a migrant must score 40 points. Points for initial applications and for extensions are awarded as follows:
| Criteria for points | What we award points for | Points awarded |
|---|---|---|
|
Sponsorship (30 points available) |
Having a visa letter from a licensed sponsor containing an unconditional offer of a place on a course of study at an acceptable level | 30 |
|
Maintenance (10 points available) |
Having enough money to cover the course fees and monthly living costs for up to one year | 10 |
There are no other ways of gaining points under tier 4.
The sponsor is responsible for issuing the visa letter, but is not responsible for confirming that the migrant meets the maintenance requirement. However, you may want to check a prospective migrant's finances before you give them a visa letter, as we will refuse the migrant's application if they do not have enough money to meet the maintenance requirement.