News of the suspension emerged after the Home Office released an updated register of student sponsors on June 9, revealing London’s Bloomsbury Institute is no longer licensed to sponsor migrant students.
The official suspension comes one week after the Institute told international partners and agents that it was pausing recruitment activities “until further notice” and would not be processing any new or existing applications for the upcoming October intake.
It said in a statement that the Institute was engaged in a “regulatory review” by UKVI relating to “historic intakes of sponsored international students [reflecting] the wider evolution of the compliance landscape across the international student sponsor sector”.
It said it was engaging “fully and constructively” with UKVI, reiterating the Institute’s commitment to satisfying “all regulatory obligations” in line with the new rules.
“We have proactively implemented a number of substantive changes to our management structure and internal processes, and we are confident that these steps position the Institute well to meet the demands of the regulatory framework going forward.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “We engage regularly with the education sector and UK universities to support them in ensuring robust recruitment practices.
“Ensuring higher education institutions are compliant with their sponsorship duties is an essential part of making the system both effective and safe from abuse.”
The institution is the first provider to face disciplinary action from the Home Office since the new UKVI compliance metrics took effect on June 1, setting out stringent sponsorship rules for UK universities as part of the government’s crackdown on alleged study visa abuse. However, The PIE understands that this enforcement action relates to the previous BCA requirements.
Under the new rules, institutions must maintain a visa refusal rate below 5%, an enrolment rate of at least 95% and a course completion rate of at least 90% to remain eligible to host international students.
We have proactively implemented a number of substantive changes to our management structure and internal processes
Bloomsbury Institute
The Institute, a specialist higher education provider in business, law and accounting, said the review would not change the experience of enrolled students.
“Their studies continue uninterrupted, the full range of support services remains in place, and our staff remain fully committed to their progress and academic success,” it said.
“The interests of our students and our wider stakeholder community remain central to all that we do.”
News of the suspension will likely fuel heightened tensions among UK universities, warned by the government last week that those hoping to “game the system” would face sponsor license action.
The institute’s website confirms international applications for October 2026 are currently closed.
