Scholarship switch to Tier 2

[DiegoD]

I got a job offer after completing my studies in the UK with a scholarship. The Tier 2 form requires a sponsor authorization letter to change the status of my visa, does anyone know 1. Circumstances in which I can avoid sending such letter. 2. How do they (H.O) know if my studies were sponsored 3. What if I don't mention the scholarship. I'd appreciate specific answers and no debates about it.

Thanks

[noajthan]

I got a job offer after completing my studies in the UK with a scholarship. The Tier 2 form requires a sponsor authorization letter to change the status of my visa, does anyone know 1. Circumstances in which I can avoid sending such letter. 2. How do they (H.O) know if my studies were sponsored 3. What if I don't mention the scholarship. I'd appreciate specific answers and no debates about it.

Thanks

Read the guidance.
You will have had to send a sponsor letter from any official sponsor as part of T4 application.
Incredibly foolish to play games and practice deception on UKVI.

[sah10406]

You will have had to send a sponsor letter from any official sponsor as part of T4 application.

Consent of an official financial sponsor for a new Tier 4, Tier 2 or some other applications is not required if the official financial sponsor is an international company, a university or a UK independent school. See immigration rule 245HD(a)(d)(vi) and the Tier 4 Policy guidance 11/2016, page 48. A scholarship from such a body may still include terms and conditions that you return to your home country at the end of the scholarship, and breaching this may cause you problems with the provider of the scholarship, but it is not an immigration matter because the new application does not require their consent anyway.

Consent of the previous or current official financial sponsor is only required if the official financial sponsor is "a government or international scholarship agency" [as per immigration rule 245HD(a)(d)(vi)].

Furthermore, consent is only required if the scholarship is current or if it ended less than 12 months ago [again, immigration rule 245HD(a)(d)(vi)], and if the scholarship was "an award which covers both fees and living costs" [see Tier 2 policy guidance, paragraph 17].

The Policy Guidance can be more generous than the immigration rules, and a previous version of the Tier 4 Policy Guidance did specify that consent was only required by those who were "fully" sponsored for both fees and maintenance, but this has been removed.

[SAdam]

I got a job offer after completing my studies in the UK with a scholarship. The Tier 2 form requires a sponsor authorization letter to change the status of my visa, does anyone know 1. Circumstances in which I can avoid sending such letter. 2. How do they (H.O) know if my studies were sponsored 3. What if I don't mention the scholarship. I'd appreciate specific answers and no debates about it.

Thanks

Hi Diego. Were you able to apply without the letter from your sponsor and was your application successful?

[Patoto]

Hi everyone. Please share your thoughts. I am presently having similar issue. I studied in the UK through Commonwealth Scholarship. I am back in my country aftrr my studies. The scholarship was jointly funded by commonwealth and my university. It's less than 12 months since the end of the scholarship and now I have a job offer in the UK and have gotten my rcos.

I have been so concerned about the consent required from my sponsor. Do you think I really need the consent since I was not fully funded by commonwealth? While commonwealth paid my tuition fees, my University took care of my living expenses. In this case I have always thought that I don't need to ask for consent since logically non of the two bodies involved fully funded my studies.

Someone please share your idea.

Thanks

[sah10406]

Do you think I really need the consent since I was not fully funded by commonwealth? While commonwealth paid my tuition fees, my University took care of my living expenses. In this case I have always thought that I don't need to ask for consent since logically non of the two bodies involved fully funded my studies.

See my previous reply above, dated Sat Jan 21, 2017 10:51 am.

[Patoto]

Do you think I really need the consent since I was not fully funded by commonwealth? While commonwealth paid my tuition fees, my University took care of my living expenses. In this case I have always thought that I don't need to ask for consent since logically non of the two bodies involved fully funded my studies.

See my previous reply above, dated Sat Jan 21, 2017 10:51 am.

Dear Dah,

Thank You For Responding.

I saw your post. But the scholarship is a joint initiative between my University and commonwealth scholarship commission. I don't know if home office would claim that my sholarship is fully funded based on that. That has been my fear

So, please share your ideas in support or against my moves to apply for the tier 2. My rcos is approved already and my employer is seriously putting in their effort to have me come and start work

[sah10406]

But the scholarship is a joint initiative between my University and commonwealth scholarship commission. I don't know if home office would claim that my sholarship is fully funded based on that. That has been my fear

I advise you contact the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission and ask them. You cannot be the first person to have such funding, so they will know whether they are expected to provide a consent letter. But to avoid wasting your time, I advise you first check the terms and conditions of your scholarship first, in case it has conditions that prevent you from making this application anyway.

[Patoto]

But the scholarship is a joint initiative between my University and commonwealth scholarship commission. I don't know if home office would claim that my sholarship is fully funded based on that. That has been my fear

I advise you contact the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission and ask them. You cannot be the first person to have such funding, so they will know whether they are expected to provide a consent letter. But to avoid wasting your time, I advise you first check the terms and conditions of your scholarship first, in case it has conditions that prevent you from making this application anyway.

Yes commonwealth have said in their website that they will not give consent to any scholar to remain in the uk and work after studies except they want to proceed to PhD. As a result I did not bother to ask and just returned home after studies.

Sometimes I feel I can claim that my scholarship was not fully funded by commonwealth, other times, I get confused with the joint initiative thing.

Again I saw in commonwealth website that "the University’s share of the award costs may not come from HEFCE, HEFCW, Scottish Funding Council, or DELNI, or from other public funds. Any contribution towards the university’s share of the award costs must come from the university’s own funds or from an organisation whose mission and aims are in line with those of the CSC."

Please just share what you think.

Thanks

[sah10406]

Yes commonwealth have said in their website that they will not give consent to any scholar to remain in the uk and work after studies except they want to proceed to PhD. As a result I did not bother to ask and just returned home after studies.

Sometimes I feel I can claim that my scholarship was not fully funded by commonwealth, other times, I get confused with the joint initiative thing.

Again I saw in commonwealth website that "the University’s share of the award costs may not come from HEFCE, HEFCW, Scottish Funding Council, or DELNI, or from other public funds. Any contribution towards the university’s share of the award costs must come from the university’s own funds or from an organisation whose mission and aims are in line with those of the CSC."

If you knew this all along, I don't really understand why you applied for a job in the UK that would require a Tier 2 application less than 12 months after the end of your scholarship.

I advise you wait until that time has passed, then you will not need your former sponsor's consent for any application..

[Patoto]

Yes commonwealth have said in their website that they will not give consent to any scholar to remain in the uk and work after studies except they want to proceed to PhD. As a result I did not bother to ask and just returned home after studies.

Sometimes I feel I can claim that my scholarship was not fully funded by commonwealth, other times, I get confused with the joint initiative thing.

Again I saw in commonwealth website that "the University’s share of the award costs may not come from HEFCE, HEFCW, Scottish Funding Council, or DELNI, or from other public funds. Any contribution towards the university’s share of the award costs must come from the university’s own funds or from an organisation whose mission and aims are in line with those of the CSC."

If you knew this all along, I don't really understand why you applied for a job in the UK that would require a Tier 2 application less than 12 months after the end of your scholarship.

I advise you wait until that time has passed, then you will not need your former sponsor's consent for any application..

I thought the consent thing would only apply when switching within the UK until I recently saw the tier 2 policy guidance.


But what do you think in a situation where HO asked for the consent in the tier 2 visa application form for those switching within the UK But did not mention any thing pertaining to applicants that got fully funded scholarship nor asked any question about sponsored students in the tier 2 entry clearance form?

[sah10406]

But what do you think in a situation where HO asked for the consent in the tier 2 visa application form for those switching within the UK But did not mention any thing pertaining to applicants that got fully funded scholarship nor asked any question about sponsored students in the tier 2 entry clearance form?

The immigration rules are clear. It is a requirement for Tier 2 entry clearance applications. Not including the consent is highly likely to lead to a refusal under paragraph 245HB(h) of the immigration rules.

[Patoto]

But what do you think in a situation where HO asked for the consent in the tier 2 visa application form for those switching within the UK But did not mention any thing pertaining to applicants that got fully funded scholarship nor asked any question about sponsored students in the tier 2 entry clearance form?

The immigration rules are clear. It is a requirement for Tier 2 entry clearance applications. Not including the consent is highly likely to lead to a refusal under paragraph 245HB(h) of the immigration rules.

Dear Sah,

I really appreciate your responses and candid advise. They are really helpful. I truly commend you for tirelessly responding to me promptly. I feel cared for.

Best regards

[sah10406]

You're welcome.

[golalu127]

But what do you think in a situation where HO asked for the consent in the tier 2 visa application form for those switching within the UK But did not mention any thing pertaining to applicants that got fully funded scholarship nor asked any question about sponsored students in the tier 2 entry clearance form?

The immigration rules are clear. It is a requirement for Tier 2 entry clearance applications. Not including the consent is highly likely to lead to a refusal under paragraph 245HB(h) of the immigration rules.

Dear Sah,

I really appreciate your responses and candid advise. They are really helpful. I truly commend you for tirelessly responding to me promptly. I feel cared for.

Best regards

Hello Patoto,
Have u applied for VISA ? Did u get it?
Same thing here. Need u solution to this.

[redon88]

Hi all,
I need help while i am facing some difficulty regarding the consent of my Governmental Sponsor.
My case is as follows :
Last year i got a scholarship from a governmental institution covering both tuition fees and living costs. The contract with the government is not a strict return, while it mentions the fact that i should work back home but not turn back.
While i was reading the Tier 2 Guidance and The Immigration Rules, it requires a document that mentions the Unconditional Consent of the Governmental Sponsor : "The documents must confirm that the organisation gives the applicant unconditional consent to remain in or re-enter the UK for an unlimited time."

I already spoken to the authority and their answer was : They cant give me the consent to remain for an unlimited time, but they can give me the consent to re-enter the UK for an unlimited time.

My question is : Would it be enough to full fill this criteria?

Any help is appreciated,

[sah10406]

I already spoken to the authority and their answer was : They cant give me the consent to remain for an unlimited time, but they can give me the consent to re-enter the UK for an unlimited time.

My question is : Would it be enough to full fill this criteria?

Yes, but if they will only only give their consent for the Tier 2 application if you apply in your home country, not in the UK, this makes a big difference to your Tier 2 sponsorship, and it may mean you cannot apply at all. For a Tier 2 application outside the UK, you and your employer lose all the advantages of a direct Tier 4 to Tier 2 switch. Your employer will need to use one of their limited CoS, and you will be subject to the Residence Labour Market Test. Neither is required for a switch to Tier 2 in the UK.

I wonder if your sponsor has misunderstood. Perhaps you (or someone at your university, or someone in HR at your employer) can liaise with the official financial sponsor to ascertain why they have made this odd decision to only support your Tier 2 application if you make it in your home country, not in the UK.

[Zeemdam]

Hi All,

Does anyone have guidance as to how UKVI defines international scholarship agency?

I was sponsored by an international company whose branch in my home country operates a scholarship scheme in my country. The award letter states the terms of the award and doesn't obligate me to return to my home country. The thing is, the company says it cannot provide me with a consent letter because the terms of the award says they have no business with me after the expiration of the award period which was in September.

If i am to switch to a tier 2 visa, will the company be categorized as an international scholarship agency?

[sah10406]

I was sponsored by an international company...

...will the company be categorized as an international scholarship agency?

You have answered your own question. No, it is an international company, not an international scholarship agency.

[Zeemdam]

I was sponsored by an international company...

...will the company be categorized as an international scholarship agency?

You have answered your own question. No, it is an international company, not an international scholarship agency.

Thank you for your response.

But when i was applying for the tier 4 visa, i had to select tier general sponsored type for my award letter to accepted as proof of finance. I'm hoping this would not affect the categorization of my sponsor. I have been trying to get the outcome of applications of people who had similar issues but i have yet to see any

[sah10406]

But when i was applying for the tier 4 visa, i had to select tier general sponsored type for my award letter to accepted as proof of finance.

You are conflating two different things. See my previous reply above, dated Sat Jan 21, 2017 10:51 am.

[Zeemdam]

But when i was applying for the tier 4 visa, i had to select tier general sponsored type for my award letter to accepted as proof of finance.

You are conflating two different things. See my previous reply above, dated Sat Jan 21, 2017 10:51 am.

Thanks for your advice. Got my visa approved