London Metropolitan University granted permission to apply for judicial review
26 September 2012
As has been widely reported in the press, in August the UK Border Agency revoked London Metropolitan University’s sponsorship licence to teach students from outside the EEA, causing consternation amongst its students.
In welcome news, on 21 September 2012 the High Court granted the university permission to apply for judicial review of that decision. According to the press, the court made temporary orders allowing existing students and ones who were due to start this term to start or continue their courses as long as they were already in the UK and had full immigration status, pending a resolution of the issue.
The UKBA has issued the following statement, confirming such students will be able to start or continue their courses:
"London Metropolitan University's Tier 4 sponsor licence remains revoked. London Metropolitan has failed to get its sponsor status restored and the judge has not granted interim relief.
'UKBA agreed to allow existing genuine students to continue studying at the university until their course has ended or the end of the academic year, whichever is sooner — as long as they meet the right standards. But students who are here illegally and do not meet our immigration criteria will not be allowed to stay.
Revoking the university's licence was the right course of action and we will continue to fight the University's challenge at the full hearing."
