Highly Trusted Sponsor status was replaced with Tier 4 Sponsor status in April 2015.<\/p>
The maximum permitted visa refusal rate for Tier 4 sponsors was reduced from 20% to 10% in November 2014 to make sure that the colleges and universities who directly benefit from student migration help prevent abuse, and to ensure that institutions are only offering places to genuine students with an appropriate level of English.<\/p>
Since the new rate was introduced, visa applications from students wishing to study at the UK\u2019s world-class universities have continued to rise. Latest figures show that visa applications from university students are now 17 per cent higher than they were in 2010, and visa applications to Russell Group universities are 33 per cent higher than in 2010.<\/p>
We will continue to keep the visa refusal rate under review but we have no imminent plans to change the maximum permitted rate.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bates"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bates"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-11-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "HL3407"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-11-13T09:04:21.637Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2015-11-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Visas: Overseas Students"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of halving the maximum visa refusal rate on the Highly Trusted Sponsor status given to higher education institutions in the UK.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3789", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Teverson"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Teverson"} ], "uin" : "HL3406"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/426920", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/426920/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Highly Trusted Sponsor status was replaced with Tier 4 Sponsor status in April 2015.<\/p>
The maximum permitted visa refusal rate for Tier 4 sponsors was reduced from 20% to 10% in November 2014 to make sure that the colleges and universities who directly benefit from student migration help prevent abuse, and to ensure that institutions are only offering places to genuine students with an appropriate level of English.<\/p>
Since the new rate was introduced, visa applications from students wishing to study at the UK\u2019s world-class universities have continued to rise. Latest figures show that visa applications from university students are now 17 per cent higher than they were in 2010, and visa applications to Russell Group universities are 33 per cent higher than in 2010.<\/p>
We will continue to keep the visa refusal rate under review but we have no imminent plans to change the maximum permitted rate.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bates"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bates"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-11-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "HL3406"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-11-13T09:04:21.713Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2015-11-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Visas: Overseas Students"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government whether they are considering making further reductions in the maximum university visa refusal rate in relation to Highly Trusted Sponsor status.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3789", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Teverson"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Teverson"} ], "uin" : "HL3407"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/426717", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/426717/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
A consultation on support for postgraduate study was launched in March of this year. The consultation sought views on the Government\u2019s intention to introduce a new loan scheme for taught Master\u2019s study and a review of how to broaden and strengthen support for postgraduate research. Consultation responses have been analysed and the Department is preparing its response.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4039", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Johnson of Marylebone"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Orpington"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Joseph Johnson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-11-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-11-13T12:31:21.233Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2015-11-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Postgraduate Education"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what progress his Department has made on introducing loans for postgraduate study.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4382", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Daniel Zeichner"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cambridge"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Daniel Zeichner"} ], "uin" : "15302"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/426723", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Cabinet Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/426723/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Family Test was announced by the Prime Minister in August 2014 and introduced in October 2014. Department for Work and Pensions published guidance for Departments and officials on how the test should be applied when formulating policy and my Department follows that guidance available at:<\/p>