Private Education Providers Licensed to Sponsor International Students

There are currently 112 private providers on the UK Home Office register of licensed student sponsors. 109 sponsors on the Student route and 3 on the Child Student route.

Private providers include independent colleges, language schools and specialist training institutions licensed to sponsor international students. Courses range from English language programmes to professional qualifications and degree-level study.

Check the provider’s status carefully: providers without Track Record status cannot offer some benefits (such as work rights during study in certain cases), so confirm your work and progression rights before accepting an offer.

The largest concentrations are in London (52), Various (6), Gateshead (3), Glasgow (3), Edinburgh (2), Manchester (2), Belfast (2), Bolton (2).

Full list (112 institutions)

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 16 July 2026 from the latest published register.