Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the time taken to process (a) student visa and (b) student sponsor license applications.

The Home Office has continually remained within published service standard for straightforward applications within the Student route. We work closely with the education sector and through public communications campaigns to encourage students to apply as early as possible and to check they have submitted the right documents, to reduce delays. Customers applying to the Student route from overseas can apply up to six months ahead of the course start date, once their education sponsor has provided the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). We continue to review internal processes to identify opportunities to improve the customer journey.

Student Sponsor license applications have an eight-week service standard which includes a pre-licence visit. To reduce processing times, the pre-licence visits are now undertaken by dedicated Study Compliance officers. Applications may take longer to decide where further information is required from the prospective sponsor following the visit, to confirm the licence requirements are met.