The Home Office made clear that the assessment was carried out under thresholds that applied before the compliance standards were tightened on June 1 2026.
Under the new compliance framework handed down by the government, visa refusal rates must now be below 5%; course enrolment rate must be at least 95%, and course completion rate must be at least 85%. For assessments submitted from June 2027, the course completion threshold will rise to at least 90%.
“The Bloomsbury Institute would also have failed to meet the new, stricter standards. Failure to meet these standards represents a serious breach of its duties as an international student sponsor, and as a result, its licence was revoked on Wednesday August 5,” the Home Office statement read.
“Student sponsors must meet the standards required to retain their licence. Where standards are not met, the Home Office will take action to protect students and the integrity of the immigration system.”
The Home Office confirmed that the Bloomsbury Institute has been removed from the register of student sponsors and can no longer sponsor new international students under the student route.
Bloomsbury Institute said in a statement that it “acknowledges the Home Office’s decision to revoke its student sponsor licence following the Institute’s failure to meet two metrics of the annual Basic Compliance Assessment”.
“The assessment data related to a period prior to October 2025 following which significant changes in the leadership and management of the Institute and its processes have been implemented,” it continued.
“From October 2025, the Institute implemented a substantial program of improvements in governance and leadership. The Home Office recognised these steps in its decision, noting that the Institute had begun to respond to and address the identified failings from the earlier period,” the Institute’s statement read.
“In acknowledgement of those improvements, the Home Office reduced the length of time before the Institute may reapply for a Student Sponsor Licence from the standard two years to 18 months.”
The assessment data related to a period prior to October 2025 following which significant changes in the leadership and management of the Institute and its processes have been implemented
Bloomsbury Institute
The PIE News had previously reported on Bloomsbury Institute’s licence being suspended. At the time, a representative from the higher education provider 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.
On August 6, announcing the revocation, the Home Office said its priority is to “minimise disruption for international students already enrolled at the Bloomsbury Institute”.
Similarly, the Institute said it is focusing on the welfare and continuity of study of currently enrolled sponsored students and said it is working closely with academic partners, the Office for Students and other relevant bodies “to ensure that all currently enrolled sponsored students are fully supported throughout this period”.
Existing students will not be affected immediately, and the Bloomsbury Institute will be permitted to continue teaching its current sponsored students “for a short period,” the Home Office statement read.
“A small number of students are expected to be unable to complete their course within that window and they will be supported to transfer to another institution. If they choose not to, they will need to apply for another visa route for which they are eligible or leave the UK,” it continued.
Alex Lock, head of immigration compliance at Anglia Ruskin University, commented on the development: “I am pleased that the Home Office have confirmed a teach out method for students and to allow students to transfer to other organisations, and I hope the best for the Institute’s staff and students at this time.
“It’s always really saddening when something like this happens and I hope that we, as a professional platform, can offer support, measured commentary, and take the lessons learned away,” he added.
Lock reminded his LinkedIn audience that the BCA has been “noted for a number of years as the correct process for license based discussions with the Home Office”.
“Whatever conversations meetings and discussion points that have occurred are for both the institute and the Home Office, and it is not appropriate for us to discuss or dig further in to this.”
Lock did acknowledge the Home Office statement as “sounding the alarm” for the wider higher education sector that the BCA metrics “will be fully enforced”.
