The Home Office suspended Buckinghamshire New University's Student sponsor licence on 30 September 2026. The suspension means the university can no longer issue new Certificates of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), the document international students need before applying for a Student visa.

What changed

Buckinghamshire New University held a Student sponsor licence, which allowed it to sponsor international students under the UK's Student route. From 30 September 2026, that licence stands suspended. A suspended sponsor cannot issue new CAS, so prospective students cannot use the university as their sponsor for new Student visa applications while the suspension remains in force.

The Home Office has not stated the reason for the suspension in the published guidance. Suspension is an administrative step the department can take while it reviews a sponsor's compliance with its duties; it does not by itself mean the licence has been withdrawn.

Who is affected

The decision directly affects two groups:

• Prospective students who planned to apply for a Student visa with Buckinghamshire New University as their sponsor. Without a CAS from a licensed sponsor, they cannot submit a new application under the Student route.
• Current students already sponsored by the university, whose position depends on how the Home Office and the institution handle the suspension. The published guidance confirms the suspension date but does not set out arrangements for existing students, so affected individuals should wait for direct communication from the university and check the official GOV.UK register of licensed Student sponsors for the institution's current status.

What prospective applicants should do

Anyone considering Buckinghamshire New University for sponsored study should verify the university's status before taking any further steps. The Home Office publishes the register of licensed Student sponsors on GOV.UK, and that register reflects live licence status, including suspensions.

Applicants who have not yet received a CAS from the university cannot proceed with a Student route application using this sponsor while the suspension is in place. Applicants who already hold a CAS or have a pending application should rely only on official communications from the Home Office and the university, since the published guidance does not address these cases.

Suspension versus revocation

A suspension is not the same as licence revocation. Under the Student route, a suspended licence pauses the sponsor's ability to issue CAS. The Home Office may later reinstate the licence if its review resolves the concerns, or it may take further action, including withdrawal of the licence. The guidance published for this case confirms only the suspension of Buckinghamshire New University's licence effective 30 September 2026; it does not state any outcome beyond that.

Students and advisers should treat the GOV.UK register of licensed sponsors and any Home Office updates as the authoritative record of what happens next.

Where to check

The official record of this change is the Home Office guidance entry titled "Buckinghamshire New University: Student sponsor licence suspension," which states that the licence was suspended on 30 September 2026. Readers should consult that guidance and the GOV.UK sponsor register for any updates, because sponsor status can change and this report reflects the position as published at that date.

This article reports a change in immigration rules and does not constitute legal advice for any individual case.