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Tier 2 (General)

Students with financial sponsorship

This page describes the additional requirement that you may need to meet when you make an initial application under Tier 2 (General), if you have recently been receiving financial sponsorship as a student in the UK.

Your financial sponsor must give their unconditional consent for you to re-enter or remain in the UK. If they do not give unconditional consent, or give their consent for a limited time, we will refuse your application.

The consent must be given in writing, on the organisation's official letter-headed paper or stationery. It must bear the organisation's official stamp, and must have been issued by an authorised official of the organisation.

You must meet this additional requirement if a government or an international scholarship agency has given you financial sponsorship, which has wholly covered your course fees and living costs, to study in the UK during the past 12 months:

  • under Tier 4 (General) of the points-based system; or
  • as a student, student nurse, student re-sitting an examination, student writing up a thesis, postgraduate doctor or dentist, an overseas qualified nurse or midwife or a student sabbatical officer.

You do not need to provide your financial sponsor's consent if you have received private financial sponsorship during your studies (from an employer or a relative, for example).



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Tier 2 policy guidance

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Terms explained

  • British overseas territories citizen

    You will be a British overseas territories citizen if you are connected with a British overseas territory because you or your parents were born, registered or naturalised in that British overseas territory. If you were born before 1 January 1983, you may gain the citizenship through your grandparents. (See British overseas territory.)

  • European Economic Area

    The European Economic Area (EEA) consists of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, the Republic of Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the UK. Although Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway are not members of the European Union (EU), their citizens have the same rights as EU citizens to enter, live in and work in the UK.

All glossary terms