If your circumstances change while we are considering your Tier 4 application or while you are studying in the UK as a Tier 4 student, you should tell us using the change of circumstances form. You can download this form from the right side of this page.

You should use the form to tell us about:

• changes in your personal details (but see below);
• criminal convictions that you have not previously told us about;
• changes in your contact details;
• changes in your representative's details;
• changes in your family members' details, if they are in the UK as your dependants; and
• any other information that you think we should know.

The form should not be used to report other changes, such as a change in your education provider or course of study. You can find more information in the guidance notes at the back of the form.

If you have a biometric resident permit (formerly known as an identity card for foreign nationals), you should not use the change of circumstances form to tell us about changes to your personal details or appearance. Instead you should use form BRP (RC), which you can downoad from the Biometric residence permit holders' responsibilities page.

When you complete the change of circumstances form, you will need:

• a description of the change you want to make;  
• your points-based system reference number;  
• your representative's reference number (if appropriate);  
• your date of birth; and 
• your nationality.

You must send the form to the postal address on the cover of the form.

You do not need to get our permission if you want to do a different course of study with your Tier 4 sponsor and the new course will finish before your current permission to stay expires. Your Tier 4 sponsor will tell us that you have changed course.

If your new course will end before your permission to stay expires, you must tell us by sending an email message to migrantreporting@ukba.gsi.gov.uk.

If your new course will end after your current permission to stay expires, you will need to make a new Tier 4 application to us. You will therefore need a new confirmation of aceptance for studies from your Tier 4 sponsor. You can make this new application at any time before your current permission to stay expires, but we recommend that you do this as soon as possible.

If you want to study with a new tier 4 sponsor and you made your last tier 4 application on or after 5 October 2009, you must apply for new permission to stay.
 
You can start your new course before your new tier 4 application has been approved if:

• you have applied for permission to stay to study with a tier 4 sponsor that has a highly trusted sponsor rating; and
• you have existing leave to study in the UK; and
• your tier 4 sponsor has assigned a CAS to you for your new course.

You do this at your own risk as it is possible that your application will be refused.
 
If you are applying to study with a tier 4 sponsor that has an A (trusted) or B (sponsor) sponsor rating, you cannot start your new course until your new tier 4 application has been approved.
 
If you are applying to study with a tier 4 sponsor that is not a trusted sponsor, you cannot start your new course until your new tier 4 application has been approved.
 
You can leave your current tier 4 sponsor before your new tier 4 application has been decided, but it is at your own risk, as if your new Tier 4 application is refused, you may not be able to continue with your old course.

If your course ends earlier than expected (because, for example, your education provider has cancelled your place on the course, or you have finished the course early), we will limit your permission to stay to 60 days. But we will not limit your permission to stay if it will expire in less than 60 days anyway.

If we suspend your education provider's Tier 4 sponsor licence while you are studying in the UK, we will not tell you that we have suspended the licence. However, if the result of the suspension is that your education provider loses its sponsor licence, we will tell you and we will reduce the length of your permission to stay. 

If your permission to stay will expire while your education provider's sponsor licence is suspended, you can apply to extend your stay provided that the education provider has already assigned a new confirmation of acceptance for studies to you. However, we will hold your application until the suspension is resolved.

If we suspend your education provider's Tier 4 sponsor licence while you are studying in the UK, we will limit your permission to stay.

If you were not involved in the reasons why the licence was withdrawn, your permission to stay will be reduced to 60 days. We will not limit your permission to stay at all if your permission to stay will expire in less than 60 days. You may want to apply for permission to stay with another Tier 4 sponsor during this time.

If we think you were involved in the reasons why the licence was withdrawn, we will curtail your permission to stay immediately.

If your Tier 4 sponsor is taken over by another organisation which is a Tier 4 sponsor, this will not affect your permision to stay.

If your Tier 4 sponsor is taken over by another organisation which is not a Tier 4 sponsor, the new organisation must apply to become a Tier 4 sponsor within 28 days of taking over the business. If it does not do this, we will limit your permission to stay to 60 days (unless your permission to stay will expire in less than 60 days anyway). During this time you may want to apply for permission to stay with another Tier 4 sponsor.