Pathway & Foundation Colleges Licensed to Sponsor International Students
There are currently 8 pathway colleges on the UK Home Office register of licensed student sponsors. 8 sponsors on the Student route.
Embedded colleges run international foundation, pathway and pre-sessional courses on or near a partner university’s campus. Completing a pathway course typically leads to guaranteed progression onto a degree at the partner university, subject to grades.
The largest concentrations are in Nottingham (2), Bournemouth (1), Glasgow (1), Brighton (1), Colchester (1), Liverpool (1), Bristol (1).
Full list (8 institutions)
Swipe the table sideways to see all columns →
| Sponsor Name | Town/City | Sponsor Type | Status | Route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bournemouth University International College | Bournemouth | Embedded college offering pathway courses | Student Sponsor - Track Record | Student |
| Glasgow International College | Glasgow | Embedded college offering pathway courses | Student Sponsor - Track Record | Student |
| Nottingham Trent International College | Nottingham | Embedded college offering pathway courses | Student Sponsor - Track Record | Student |
| University of Brighton International College | Brighton | Embedded college offering pathway courses | Student Sponsor - Track Record | Student |
| University of Essex International College | Colchester | Embedded college offering pathway courses | Student Sponsor - Track Record | Student |
| University of Liverpool International College | Liverpool | Embedded college offering pathway courses | Student Sponsor - Track Record | Student |
| University of Nottingham International College | Nottingham | Embedded college offering pathway courses | Student Sponsor - Track Record | Student |
| University of the West of England Bristol's International College | Bristol | Embedded college offering pathway courses | Student Sponsor - Track Record | Student |
What the sponsor status means
- Student Sponsor – Track Record: the institution has held a sponsor licence for some time and has a proven history of immigration compliance. Universities with this status can, for example, be more flexible about the financial evidence they ask for.
- Student Sponsor: a fully licensed sponsor in good standing that can issue a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).
- Probationary Sponsor: a recently licensed institution that has not yet built up a track record. It can still sponsor students, but some limits apply (for instance, probationary sponsors cannot sponsor students for postgraduate doctor or dentist courses).
Route: Student vs Child Student
- Student route: for students aged 16 or over studying at any level, from English language courses to PhDs.
- Child Student route: for children aged 4 to 17 studying at an independent school.
Browse all cities and institution types or search the full sponsor list.
Source: Register of licensed sponsors: students, published by the UK Home Office. This page was last rebuilt on 30 August 2026 from the latest published register.