The Bloomsbury Institute in central London had its licence to sponsor international students revoked on Wednesday 5 August after it failed the Basic Compliance Assessment.
The assessment measures visa refusal rates, enrolment rates and course completion rates. At the time, sponsors needed a visa refusal rate below 10 per cent, an enrolment rate of at least 90 per cent and a completion rate of at least 85 per cent. The institute would also have failed the stricter thresholds introduced on 1 June 2026.
What the assessment covers
The Home Office states that failure to meet the standards is a serious breach of sponsor duties. The institute has been removed from the Register of Student Sponsors and can no longer sponsor new international students on the Student Route.
Support for current students
Existing sponsored students will not be affected immediately. The institute may continue teaching them for a short period. A small number of students who cannot finish their course in that time will be supported to transfer to another institution. Students who do not transfer must apply for another visa route they are eligible for or leave the UK. Students not on a Student Visa remain unaffected.
Future compliance thresholds
From 1 June 2026 the thresholds tightened to a visa refusal rate below 5 per cent and an enrolment rate of at least 95 per cent, with the completion rate staying at 85 per cent. From June 2027 the completion threshold rises to 90 per cent.