Attendance Monitoring Policy for Tier 4 Sponsored Students

Transcription

1 Attendance Monitoring Policy for Tier 4 Sponsored Students Version Number v6.0. Effective from September 2018 Author: Head of Home Office Compliance Home Office Compliance Student Administration Page 1 of 40

2 Document Control Information Revision History incl. Authorisation: (most recent first) Author Summary of changes Version Authorised & Date RDM RDM RH, SM & LD SM & LD Addition of Salford Languages programmes to the policy, removal of minimum percentage attendance, general updates. Exceptions to the Salford Business School attendance monitoring removed due to discontinuation of Block Delivery Model. Addition of PGR holiday entitlement Changes to include addition of commutable distance, minimum percentage attendance and the fraudulent signature process. Clarification on attendance panel. Inclusion of MBA students following structural changes to the programme of study. Procedural info transferred to supporting Student Guide. Changes to include the number of missed contacts reduced from 10 and 6 to 6 and 3 for taught programmes up to the point of progression to final stage of Masters programme which has also been reduced from 10 and 6 to 1 and PGR contact points reduced from 3 and 6 to 1 and 3. Form submission and Reporting period has changed. V6.0 Home Office Compliance Assurance Group: 08/18 V5.0 SELTEC: 17/05/2017 V4.0 Chair s Action - Sam Grogan (for SELTEC Chair): 19/12/16 V3.0 Home Office Compliance Assurance Group: 09/2016 SM & LD Changes to include sickness and Authorised absence V2.0 Director of Student Admin: 09/2014 BB Initial Attendance Monitoring Policy created V1.0 Director of Student Admin: 08/2012 Policy Management and Responsibilities: Owner: Others with responsibilities (please specify): This Policy is issued by the Home Office Compliance Team within Student Administration. The Directorate of Student Administration has the authority to issue and communicate policy on Attendance Monitoring for Tier 4 sponsored students and has delegated day to day management and communication of the policy to the Home Office Compliance Team and School Administration Staff. All subjects of the Policy will be responsible for engaging with and adhering to this policy. Author to complete formal assessment with the following advisory teams: Equality Analysis (E&D, HR) 1. 1 September 2016 Copy sent to Equality adviser Dec 2016 Page 2 of 40

3 Document Control Information Equality Assessment form Legal implications (LPG) 2. N/A Information Governance (LPG) 3. Template support Dec 2016 Student facing procedures (QEO) 4. N/A UKVI Compliance (Student Admin) 5. N/A this is a UKVI Compliance policy. Consultation: Staff Trades Unions via HR Students via USSU Relevant external bodies (specify) N/A the policy is non-negotiable due to UKVI regulations. The University s Home Office Compliance Assurance Group (HOCAG) includes representatives from across the University. On 16/08/18, HOCAG considered the policy and recommended approval to SELTEC. Review: Review due: Document location: At the point of Home Office changes, new attendance system or within one year, whichever is sooner. University Policy & Procedure Pages University Policy pages at The owner and author are responsible for publicising this policy document. Page 3 of 40

4 1. Purpose The University of Salford is required to monitor the attendance of all Tier 4 students, in line with UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) regulations as well as the Immigration Rules that underpin immigration into the United Kingdom. As a Sponsor, the University of Salford is committed to meeting all of its duties under its Tier 4 licence. As such, the following attendance monitoring procedures have been put in place, which will assist students in protecting their immigration status. 2. Scope This policy is to be adhered to by Tier 4 students who are currently registered on a programme of study with the University of Salford. Tier 4 sponsored students would fall under the following categories: Students who currently hold a Tier 4 visa; Students holding student leave before the introduction of the Points Based System; Students who have made an application for Tier 4 leave within the UK using a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number from the University of Salford and a decision on the application is outstanding; Students who have made an application for Tier 4 leave within the UK using a CAS number from the University of Salford, have had their application refused and are currently undergoing an administrative review; This policy does not apply to students who currently hold leave to remain in the UK that is outside of Tier 4 of the Points Based System. Further information regarding leave to remain in the UK that permits study can be found in Appendix A of this policy. Any queries should be forwarded to HomeOfficeCompliance@salford.ac.uk 3. Policy Statements 3.1. All Tier 4 sponsored students on pre-sessional English programmes (PSE) All Tier 4 sponsored students on pre-sessional English programmes will be monitored at one teaching event per day by the School. Teachers will register students at each of the two timetabled classes. It is the responsibility of the Salford Languages Support Office to monitor attendance on a daily basis and contact students who do not attend Tier 4 PSE students must inform Salford Languages of any absence prior to the start of the timetabled class where possible. Where this is not possible, students must inform Salford Languages by lunchtime on the day of absence All Tier 4 sponsored students are subject to the Attendance Policy for Tier 4 Sponsored Students until the end of their programme of study on their student record or the duration of their visa, whichever is the earliest of the two dates Tier 4 sponsored students will also be exempt from the Attendance Policy for Tier 4 Sponsored Students if they return to their home country, provide evidence that they have left the UK and sponsorship of their Tier 4 visa has been withdrawn In order for Tier 4 sponsored students to fully comply with the Attendance Policy, the University expects students to live within a commutable distance from the Page 4 of 40

5 University. The University of Salford defines commutable distance from the University of Salford as a distance from the University that enables the student to attend the University during core working hours on a daily basis if they are required to do so. The location of where a Tier 4 sponsored student chooses to reside cannot, in any circumstance, be considered an adequate reason for noncompliance with this policy Salford Languages are responsible for checking attendance submissions and contacting students who have not attended on a daily basis. Appendix C and D contain end to end flowcharts detailing the attendance monitoring process for students on the Pre-Sessional English (PSE) programme International Foundation Year (IFY), Undergraduate (UG) and Postgraduate taught (PGT) programmes All Tier 4 sponsored students on taught programmes (IFY, UG and PGT) will be monitored at one teaching event per week. If the student has progressed to the final dissertation stage of a PGT programme, monitoring will take place once a month. Each teaching week or month, where applicable, is known as a contact point. Further information regarding regularity of submission can be found in Appendix B of this policy It is the student s responsibility to print off a Tier 4 Attendance Form from the Immigration and Visas section of the AskUS website; however a stock of blank forms will be made available to each school office at the start of each academic year. They must take this form together with their ID card to a teaching event each week. They will present their ID card to a lecturer/technician who will sign their form IFY, UG and students at the taught stage of a PGT programme will submit their signed Attendance Form via Salford Advantage no later than the Sunday at the end of each teaching week PGT students who have progressed to the final stage of the programme will need to maintain contact with their supervisors on a regular basis and have their Attendance Forms signed by their supervisors. Students who have progressed to the final stage of their PGT programme will submit their signed Attendance Form via Salford Advantage no later than the Sunday at the end of the calendar month. These deadlines are available via the Immigration and Visas section of the AskUS website During the designated reading weeks and holiday periods for their programme of study, IFY, UG and PGT students are not required to submit attendance monitoring forms. This is because the programme of study has no expected contact points during these times During the designated exam periods for their programme of study, IFY, UG and PGT students are not required to submit attendance monitoring forms Schools are responsible for checking attendance submissions and contacting students who have not submitted their attendance form on a weekly basis. Appendix E, F and G contain end to end flowcharts detailing the attendance Page 5 of 40

6 monitoring process for students on each stage of the programme. Appendix H, I J and K contain the end to end processes for checking attendance forms and chasing missed submissions via Qlikview PGT students who are writing up their dissertations who have an approved PMC will need to follow the same procedure as per point if supervision is agreed All Tier 4 sponsored students are subject to the Attendance Policy for Tier 4 Sponsored Students until the end of their programme of study on their student record or duration of their visa, whichever is the earlier of the two dates For PGT students writing their dissertations or final project, Student Administration will also need to be informed of the final submission date before they can be exempted from UKVI Attendance Monitoring requirements. This evidence can be provided either by a TurnitIn receipt or by written confirmation from the School. Tier 4 sponsored students will also be exempt from the Attendance Policy for Tier 4 Sponsored Students if they return to their home country, provide evidence that they have left the UK and sponsorship of their Tier 4 visa has been withdrawn In order for Tier 4 sponsored students to fully comply with the Attendance Policy, the University expects students to live within a commutable distance from the University. The University of Salford defines commutable distance from the University of Salford as a distance from the University that enables the student to attend the University during core working hours on a daily basis if they are required to do so. The location of where a Tier 4 sponsored student chooses to reside cannot, in any circumstance, be considered an adequate reason for noncompliance with this policy All Tier 4 sponsored students on placements or exchange programmes It is a UKVI requirement that all Tier 4 sponsored students on placements must also be monitored for attendance Placement tutors or co-ordinators must inform Student Administration of a student s placement location and the duration of the placement as soon as the details are confirmed as this must be reported to UKVI within 10 working days of the placement commencing. It is the student s responsibility to ensure that their contact details (e.g. term time address and contact telephone number) are kept up to date on the Student Information System by using Self Service The students must follow the same attendance monitoring procedure as those on taught programmes. They must print off an Attendance Form each week and have it signed by a nominated line manager or point of contact at the placement venue. Alternatively, copies of timesheets may be provided as evidence of attendance The Attendance Form (or timesheet) must be submitted via Salford Advantage no later than the Sunday at the end of each teaching week. Placement co-ordinators must be able to verify the signature of the line manager at the placement venue During the designated reading weeks and holiday periods for their programme of study, Tier 4 students are not required to submit attendance monitoring forms. Page 6 of 40

7 This is because the programme of study has no expected contact points during these times In order for Tier 4 sponsored students to fully comply with the Attendance Policy, the University expects students to live within a commutable distance from their placement or exchange programme. The University of Salford defines commutable distance as a distance from the placement or exchange programme that enables the student to attend said placement or exchange during core working hours on a daily basis if they are required to do so. The location of where a Tier 4 sponsored student chooses to reside cannot, in any circumstance, be considered an adequate reason for non-compliance with this policy Please note: if students move from a non-placement version of the course to a placement version of the course, their visa will not cover them for the duration. Students should therefore have applied for a new Tier 4 visa after securing, but before starting, the placement or study abroad if their programme will now be longer as a result. However, if this application is not made in good time (e.g. eight weeks before the placement or study abroad is due to commence), this visa extension should be made after the placement or study abroad has taken place Reassessments/retakes and the 60-day regulation UKVI regulations state that if any students are not required to participate in their programme of study (either in class or by some other in-person face-to-face contact) for more than 60 days then these students must leave the UK. In such instances, the University will withdraw its Tier 4 sponsorship of these students, their student records will be set to interruption of study and UKVI will be informed of the circumstances The 60-day regulation applies to all students who fail their assessments and have to undergo reassessment (i.e. they do not undertake any study or attend any classes in the intervening period) as in the following, but not exhaustive, circumstances: a) The student fails in September and the next available opportunity will be in the following assessment period in January: the student must return to their home country and only return to the UK on either a Tier 4 or a short-term study visa for the reassessment (dependent on whether they will be undertaking further study); b) The student fails in January (e.g. January intake) and the next available opportunity will be in the following assessment period in June: the student must return to their home country and only return to the UK on a Tier 4 or a shortterm study visa for the reassessment (dependent on whether they will be undertaking further study) The 60-day regulation also applies to students who only need to retake one semester in the next academic year, as in the following circumstances: a) The student has a retake in Semester One and then no further contact is required in Semester Two: the student should complete Semester One as required and then return to their home country for Semester Two; Page 7 of 40

8 b) The student has a retake in Semester Two but there is no contact required during Semester One: the student must return to their home country for Semester One and only return to the UK for Semester Two Where a student is not required to engage in study within a 60-day period, students will be asked to provide evidence that they have left the UK (such as a scanned exit stamp in their passport and an e-ticket/ boarding pass). This will then exempt them from the Attendance Policy for Tier 4 Sponsored Students Students that are carrying a fail that also have a requirement to engage in classroom based activities remain subject to the Attendance Policy for Tier 4 Sponsored Students, subject to them being at dissertation stage In exceptional circumstances, if a Tier 4 sponsored student requires access to relevant university systems such as Blackboard and student , then the student s record will be set back to registered once acceptable evidence has been received which shows: a) they have returned to their home country following withdrawal of sponsorship; or b) they have made an on time application for leave to remain outside of Tier All Tier 4 sponsored students on Postgraduate Research Programmes (PGR) Full-time PGR students are required to attend at least one formal supervision session each month For Home Office Compliance purposes, these sessions must take place once a month, every month It is the responsibility of the PGR student to keep a record of each formal supervisory session on the Research Supervision Record Form (RSRF). The RSRF is located on the Immigration and Visas section of the AskUS website and on the research-specific support pages Students will submit their signed RSRF via Salford Advantage by no later than the Sunday at the end of the calendar month concerned. These dates are provided on the University of Salford webpages If the RSRF form contains an electronic rather than a wet signature from the supervisor, the student must ensure that they provide a screenshot of the in which this form was returned to them in as evidence All Tier 4 sponsored research students are subject to the Attendance Policy for Tier 4 Sponsored Students until the end of their research programme on their student record or the duration of their visa, whichever is the earliest of the two dates. Tier 4 sponsored students will also be exempt from the Attendance Policy for Tier 4 Sponsored Students if they return to their home country, evidence that they have left the UK has been provided and sponsorship of their Tier 4 visa has been withdrawn Student Administration will carry out a sample audit of submitted RSRFs annually. The forms will be checked against academic signatures held on file. Page 8 of 40

9 In order for Tier 4 sponsored students to fully comply with the Attendance Policy, the University expects students to live within a commutable distance from the University. The University of Salford defines commutable distance from the University of Salford as a distance from the University that enables the student to attend the University during core working hours on a daily basis if they are required to do so. The location of where a Tier 4 sponsored student chooses to reside cannot, in any circumstance, be considered an adequate reason for noncompliance with this policy All Tier 4 sponsored research students are required to comply with the Taking Leave of Absence Requirements in the Code of Practice for Research Programmes. Please note: PGR students who take an authorised leave of absence of 21 days or more in one calendar month will not be required to have a formal supervision session within that calendar month, but will be required to complete an Advantage form detailing the authorised leave period. PGR students who take an authorised leave of absence of 20 days or less within one calendar month will still be required to have a formal supervision session within that calendar month Authorised absence and sickness periods Schools should ensure that they know where the student is and what they are doing at all times A student can self-certify for absences of up to seven days using the Self Certification form provided to students via Blackboard If the absence exceeds seven days, the student must provide a medical certificate to cover all consecutive days after the permitted seven days. Please note that notes from holistic therapists without an additional note from a certified doctor or recognised medical professional in the UK cannot be accepted To comply with Tier 4 sponsor duties, the School needs to stay in contact with any student who is away from the University for field-work, data collection, conference or for research purposes. The School should agree the schedule and form of contact prior to the student leaving campus. These ideally should be face-to-face contacts via Skype Any official absences need to be authorised by the academic member of staff concerned. Please note that authorised absence, without maintaining contact with the University, cannot exceed 59 days Staff absence An expected contact point is one which the student would in principle have been able to attend. If a lecture, tutorial or other planned contact point with a student is cancelled due to staff absence or industrial action, any missed contact point caused by such circumstances should not be treated as an unauthorised absence In the event of a prolonged disruption to the normal schedule of attendance, for example as a result of the absence of a member of staff or industrial action, it may be necessary to vary the process for verification of attendance. If this is necessary, Page 9 of 40

10 students will be informed of any new requirements via their University address and other formal notification processes. 4. Policy Enforcement 4.1. Submission of Tier 4 Attendance Forms and Research Supervision Record Forms As previously detailed, Tier 4 sponsored students on IFY, UG and PGT programmes must submit their weekly attendance monitoring form no later than the Sunday at the end of the teaching week. Tier 4 sponsored students on the final stage of a PGT programme, or on a PGR programme, must submit their attendance monitoring form/research supervision record form no later than the last day of the month concerned. Late forms will not be processed and will be classed as a missed contact point Attendance monitoring forms/research supervision record forms that are not signed and dated will not be accepted and will be classed as a missed contact point Tier 4 sponsored students who submit fraudulent forms, such as those where the date has been purposefully altered or a signature has been forged, will be subject to the University s Student Disciplinary Procedure. Further information about the submission of fraudulent forms can be found in Appendix L of this policy Consecutive missed attendance and non-compliance: Pre-sessional English Language (PSE) students Tier 4 PSE students will be sent a communication regarding their absence after each missed contact point Tier 4 PSE students must inform Salford Languages of any absence prior to the start of the timetabled class where possible. Where this is not possible, students must inform Salford Languages by lunchtime on the day of absence. Absences that have not been reported to Salford Languages will be recorded as an unauthorised absence and will not count as a contact point Tier 4 PSE students who have been recorded as having an unauthorised absence will be contacted via by Salford Languages Support Office Tier 4 PSE students who miss two consecutive contact points will be sent a further warning by Salford Languages Support Office Tier 4 PSE students who miss three to five consecutive contact points will be sent a warning by the English co-ordinator in Salford Languages. This warning will advise the student that they need to comply with the attendance monitoring policy and further non-compliance will result in the withdrawal of sponsorship of their Tier 4 visa If six consecutive contacts have been missed by a Tier 4 PSE student, they will be requested, by the English Language Centre manager, to attend an interview with Salford Languages and provide evidence of their attendance. If the student fails to meet with Salford Languages and does not provide further evidence of Page 10 of 40

11 their attendance within 10 working days of being identified, the case will be referred to an attendance panel convened by the Home Office Compliance Team and sponsorship may be withdrawn Consecutive missed attendance and non-compliance IFY, UG and PGT students Tier 4 sponsored students on an IFY, UG or on the taught phase of a PGT course who have not submitted an Attendance Form for the previous week will be contacted via by their School Tier 4 sponsored students on an IFY, UG or on the taught phase of a PGT course who miss three to five consecutive contact points will be sent a warning by Student Administration. This warning will advise the student that they need to comply with the attendance monitoring policy and further non-compliance will result in the withdrawal of sponsorship of their Tier 4 visa If six consecutive contacts have been missed on an IFY, UG or up to the point of progression onto the final stage of a PGT programme, the Tier 4 sponsored student will be requested to attend an interview with a member of the Home Office Compliance Team and provide evidence of their attendance. If the student fails to meet with the Home Office Compliance Team and does not provides further evidence of their attendance within 10 working days of being identified, the case will be referred to an attendance panel and sponsorship may be withdrawn Consecutive missed attendance and non-compliance PGR students and PGT students at dissertation stage of programme Tier 4 sponsored PGR students, and PGT students who have progressed to the final stage of their programme, who miss one to two contact points will be sent a warning by Student Administration. This warning will advise the student that they need to comply with the attendance monitoring policy and further non-compliance will result in the withdrawal of sponsorship of their Tier 4 visa If three consecutive contacts have been missed on a PGR programme, or following progression onto the final stage of a PGT programme, the Tier 4 sponsored student will be requested to attend an interview with a member of the Home Office Compliance Team and provide evidence of their attendance. If the student fails to meet with the Home Office Compliance Team and does not provides further evidence of their attendance within 10 working days of being identified, the case will be referred to an attendance panel and sponsorship may be withdrawn Action following an Attendance meeting Following attendance meetings with students, a member of Home Office Compliance staff will review the evidence provided and the outcome of the interview before considering a withdrawal of sponsorship. Staff will consider the student s attendance history overall, regularity of submission of attendance forms (where applicable), consecutive missed attendance and any evidence supplied by Page 11 of 40

12 the student and their school in regard to their engagement in the programme of study. The Home Office Compliance Team staff member will then decide whether continuing to sponsor the student poses a risk to the University s Sponsor License. N.B. This is less than 10 consecutive contact points as per the Sponsor Guidance published by UKVI. For pre-sessional students this constitutes over one week of intensive language classes, for taught students this constitutes six weeks worth of study and for PGR students and PGT students who have progressed to the final stage of their course, this is three months worth of study. Any student having no engagement in their programme for this period of time is too high a risk to the University s Sponsor license to continue to sponsor If a decision is made not to withdraw sponsorship of the student s Tier 4 visa, Student Administration will send an to the student to advise them of this. The student s attendance record will be updated and they will also be sent a Terms and Conditions document that they will need to sign and return. If the student continues not to comply with the University s Attendance Monitoring Policy, sponsorship of their Tier 4 visa may be automatically withdrawn Students who are withdrawn under this regulation will only be permitted to reregister if they are able to provide mitigating evidence for their non-attendance or state that they understand and will comply with this attendance policy going forward. This will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the panel who will decide if the student is able to re-apply to the university or if it is deemed too high a compliance risk in which case no further reapplication opportunities will be offered If a decision is made to withdraw sponsorship of the student s Tier 4 visa, Student Administration will send a letter and to the student to advise them of this and to detail the actions that they need to take. The School will then be asked to liaise with the Fees and Awards Team to withdraw the student s registration record Where sponsorship has been withdrawn and contact is made with the Home Office Compliance Team by the student, the decision may be reversed if sufficient evidence of attendance and engagement can be provided. If the Home Office have not actioned the sponsorship withdrawal, and the student meets with the Home Office Compliance Team and provides sufficient evidence, the notification on the Sponsor Management System (SMS) may be withdrawn and the student can continue to be sponsored under Tier 4 by the University of Salford. It should be noted that once the student s registration has been re-instated if the student continues not to comply with the University s Attendance Monitoring Policy, sponsorship of their Tier 4 visa may be automatically withdrawn When requesting to reverse the decision on the SMS where the Home Office have already actioned the withdrawal of sponsorship, the student will be liable to leave the UK and obtain fresh leave to re-enter the UK. Page 12 of 40

13 Following withdrawal of a student s Tier 4 visa (because they were unable to provide satisfactory evidence of their attendance) the decision cannot be reversed. This is because the student has failed to meet the conditions of their Tier 4 visa. Sponsorship of the student s Tier 4 visa will be withdrawn, as will their student status, and the student must return home. Following these actions, if the student wishes to return to the University later on, they must provide mitigating evidence for their non-attendance. This will be reviewed on a case-bycase basis. 5. Related Documentation 5.1. University Policy The following documents can be found on the University Policy & Procedure pages at (Academic Governance section): Attendance Monitoring Policy For Tier 4 Sponsored Students Academic Regulations for Taught Programmes Academic Regulations for Research Programmes Code of Practice for Research Programmes Personal Mitigating Circumstances Procedure Interruptions and Withdrawals Policy Student Disciplinary Procedure Fitness to Practise Procedure 5.2. Government guidance The following documentation can be found on the Government webpages at Tier 4 of the Points Based System Guidance for Sponsors. Document 1: Applying for a Tier 4 License Tier 4 of the Points Based System Guidance for Sponsors. Document 2: Sponsorship Duties Tier 4 of the Points Based System Guidance for Sponsors. Document 3: Tier 4 Compliance Tier 4 of the Points Based System Policy Guidance 5.3. Advice The following supporting documentation can be found on the University of Salford Immigration and Visa Help Pages at Tier 4 attendance form Page 13 of 40

14 Research supervisory record form Sickness self-certification form (for IFY, UG, PGT and PGR students) Guides to submitting your attendance monitoring form Deadlines for research supervision record forms The following supporting documentation can be found on the Salford Languages website: Sickness self-certification form (for PSE students) 6. Appendices Appendix A: Visas outside of Tier 4 Appendix B: Summary of Submission Type and Regularity of Submission Appendix C: Process flow of the attendance monitoring process for PSE students Appendix D: Process flow for PSE Tier 4 students and self-certification form Appendix E: Flowchart for UG and PGT students (taught phase of their course) Appendix F: Flowchart for PGT students who have progressed to dissertation Appendix G: Flowchart for PGR students Appendix H: Flowchart submissions for UG and PGT students (taught phase of their course) Appendix I: Flowchart submissions for PGT students who have progressed to dissertation Appendix J: Flowchart submissions for PGR students Appendix K: Flowchart for Chasing Missed Submission Appendix L: Fraudulent Submission Process Page 14 of 40

15 Appendix A: Visas, including those outside of Tier 4 Visa Code Description Instances Where Used D1 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 Doctorate Extension Scheme Student Visa Tier 4 Dependent of Student Short Term Study Visa Prospective Student Other Dependent To be used where the student has been granted a Tier 4 visa under the University s Doctorate Extension Scheme. If the University of Salford is sponsoring a student, the Tier 4 visa will display our licence number (9DFMKXFW4). To be used where the student has been granted a Tier 4 visa and is studying and registered on any programme of study with us. If the University of Salford is sponsoring a student, the Tier 4 visa will display our licence number (9DFMKXFW4). The visa start date should be the date indicated on the Visa or Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), the visa end date should be the end date indicated on the Visa or BRP. To be used where the student has been granted a visa as a dependent of somebody else with Tier 4 leave. This would normally state PBS Dependent on the visa. The visa start date should be the date indicated on the Visa or BRP, the visa end date should be the end date indicated on the Visa or BRP. To be used for any student that has been issued with what was commonly known as a Student Visitor Visa. These can either be issued as a vignette style visa or be given in the form of an entry stamp at the UK Border for non-visa nationals. They are usually only valid for six months from the date of issue (those issued solely for English language study can be issued for 11 months). The visa start date should be the date indicated on the Visa or BRP, the visa end date should be the end date indicated on the Visa or BRP. This route is no longer applicable and has not been in use since October 2013 To be used where the student has been granted a visa as a dependent of somebody else with any leave outside of Tier 4. The visa start date should be the date indicated on the Visa or BRP, the visa end date should be the end date indicated on the Visa or BRP. Page 15 of 40

16 Visa Code Description Instances Where Used F6 Tier 5 There are three main types of Tier 5 visa: Tier 5 (Youth Mobility); these are issued to people between the age of and are from countries that are part of the Youth Mobility Scheme. This includes: Australia New Zealand Canada Hong Kong Japan Republic of Korea (South Korea) Monaco Taiwan You can also apply for the scheme if you are a British Overseas citizen, a British Overseas territories citizen and a British National (Overseas) citizen. In all cases students studying on this type of leave can study full or part time. There are no general obligations the student must meet in order to retain this type of visa. The visas will normally be valid for two years in total. The visa start date should be the date indicated on the Visa or BRP, the visa end date should be the end date indicated on the Visa or BRP. Tier 5 (Temporary Worker Creative & Sporting); these are normally issued to people if they have been offered work as a sports person or creative worker and are normally valid for 12 months. Students with this type of visa can normally study full or part time as long as they meet the primary obligations of their visa, i.e. work for the company that is sponsoring them. The visa start date should be the date indicated on the Visa or BRP, the visa end date should be the end date indicated on the Visa or BRP. Tier 5 (Temporary Worker Government Authorised Exchange); these are normally issued to people who come to the UK as part of an approved government exchange programme and are being sponsored by a licensed sponsor. Leave can be granted for either 12 or 24 months dependent on the exchange programme. Students can study full or part time as long as they are meeting the primary obligations of their visa, i.e. work for the company that is sponsoring them. The visa start date should be the date indicated on the Visa or BRP, the visa end date should be the end date indicated on the Visa or BRP. Page 16 of 40

17 Visa Code Description Instances Where Used F7 Tier 1 There are three main types of Tier 1 visa: Tier 1 (Entrepreneur); these are normally issued to people who wish to set up a business within the United Kingdom. Leave granted is normally for a maximum of 3 years and 4 months. Students can study full or part time as long as they are meeting the primary obligations of their visa, i.e. working for the business they have intended to set up. The visa start date should be the date indicated on the Visa or BRP, the visa end date should be the end date indicated on the Visa or BRP. Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur): these are issued to graduates of (and are endorsed by) a HEI who wish to set up a business within the UK. Leave granted is for 12 months which can be extended for a further 12 months if the business is proving successful. Student can study full or part time as long as they are meeting the primary obligations of their visa, i.e. working for the business they have intended to set up. The visa start date should be the date indicated on the Visa or BRP, the visa end date should be the end date indicated on the Visa or BRP. Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent); these are normally issued to people who are recognised leaders or emerging leaders in their field of work. There is a two stage process for application, the first being an endorsement from the Home Office as a leader or emerging leader. Leave is granted for a maximum of 5 years and 4 months and the number of places available on this application route is limited. Students can study full or part time as long as they are meeting the primary obligations of their visa, i.e. working in their field of expertise. The visa start date should be the date indicated on the Visa or BRP, the visa end date should be the end date indicated on the Visa or BRP. Page 17 of 40

18 Visa Code Description Instances Where Used F8 F9 G1 Indefinite Leave to Remain Student Visa (Pre-Tier 4) Tier 4 another institution This is normally granted to people seeking settlement within the UK. Although the term indefinite means that the person granted this type of leave are able to remain in the UK indefinitely, the BRP cards issued to endorse this type of leave will have an expiry date. They are required to re-apply before the expiry date of the endorsement. Students can study full or part time on this type of leave without any restrictions. The visa start date should be the date indicated on the Visa or BRP, the visa end date should be the end date indicated on the Visa or BRP. It was confirmed by the University of Salford s Premium Account Manager on the 21 st April 2015 that anyone holding Indefinite Leave does not require an ATAS for an ATAS related course of study. These were granted to students who were given a visa before the points based system was introduced in It is very unlikely that you are going to be presented with a visa from a student holding this type of leave. The visa start date should be the date indicated on the Visa or BRP, the visa end date should be the end date indicated on the Visa or BRP. If the University of Salford is sponsoring a student, the Tier 4 visa will display our licence number (9DFMKXFW4). If the student presents us with a Tier 4 visa with a different sponsor number it is likely that their leave is being sponsored by another institution. Care must be taken if this type of leave is presented to you and in all instances should be referred onto the Home Office Compliance Team particularly if the student has a large amount of time left on the visa (the visa may have been cancelled by the relevant sponsor and may no longer be valid). The University does not register students holding Tier 4 leave sponsored by another institution and will therefore ask the student to make an on time Tier 4 application and present us with evidence of this before allowing the student to register and populating a check in date in SGASTDN. In any instance, this type of visa should only be populated into the GOAINTL record by the Home Office Compliance team as a reference as to why a student was unable to register and check-in. The visa start date should be the date indicated on the Visa or BRP, the visa end date should be the end date indicated on the Visa or BRP. Page 18 of 40

19 Visa Code Description Instances Where Used G2 Family Reunion Visa This type of visa is normally granted to people who have applied to come or stay in the UK if the student was separated from a partner when they were forced to leave their home country or have been granted Asylum or 5 years humanitarian protection but they do not yet have British Citizenship. Students can study full or part time. The visa start date should be the date indicated on the Visa or BRP, the visa end date should be the end date indicated on the Visa or BRP. G3 Tier 2 Tier 2 visas are normally granted where the student is being sponsored by an employer to work full time. Study is permitted on this type of visa as long as the primary obligations are being met by the student, i.e. working full time for the sponsor that is employing them. Generally, if you come across this type of visa it will be for a part time programme. The visa start date should be the date indicated on the Visa or BRP, the visa end date should be the end date indicated on the Visa or BRP. Page 19 of 40

20 G4 Visa Application With UKBA T4 We can allow students to study with us where a physical visa is not held as long as the student has made an on time application to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). Where an applicant has made an application to UKVI we normally ask for the following evidence in place of a physical visa (the following list is in the order that the student normally receives documents): The application cover sheet and a post office receipt (where applicable): this indicates the date of application and the date supporting documents have been sent to UKVI (the student normally has 15 days to submit any supporting documents to UKVI) A UKVI letter confirming receipt of the documents: this is normally sent to the student within two weeks of the application and supporting documents being submitted to UKVI. There seems to be inconsistency with how these letters are now managed by UKVI and in most cases these appear to no longer be issued. Instead the student will receive a request to enrol for their biometrics instead. A Biometric Appointment Request and Post Office Receipt: the student will be requested to make an appointment with a local post office to take biometrics (fingerprints) for their residence permit. The student must enrol for the biometrics within 15 working days; the post office receipt should confirm the date of enrolment. A decision letter: a decision on a Tier 4 application is normally made within 8 weeks of submission provided the student enrols for their biometrics on time. A decision will either be that applicant has been successful or refused. If the applicant is successful they will be sent their Biometric Residence Permit within 10 working days. The GOAINTL record must be updated and inputted in the following way: Visa Start Date This must be the date the application was made to the Home Office Visa End Date This must be 8 weeks from the visa start date Visa number This must be the word Evidence followed by the date the latest piece of evidence was received. By updating records in the above format it allows us to see if the application is taking longer than expected and chase up with UKVI. It also allows us to see the last time the student provided us with an update. We would not chase up a student who has provided an update within the last month. Page 20 of 40

21 Visa Code Description Instances Where Used G5 G6 G7 G8 Limited Leave to Remain Visa not required (EEA) Visa/passport with DVLA No visa required/no attendance There are various instances where limited leave can be granted to a student; the reasons and restrictions are normally detailed on the visa. Studying on limited leave can be acceptable in most circumstances. The visa start date should be the date indicated on the Visa or BRP, the visa end date should be the end date indicated on the Visa or BRP. Students may arrive at the University with a passport that was issued from an EU or EEA country but they may be resident in a country outside of the EU/EEA. In all cases the student will be entitled to study in the UK. The GOAINTL record must be updated and inputted in the following way: Visa Start Date This will normally be the date of issue of the passport Visa End Date This will normally be the end date of the passport Visa Number This will normally be the issuing country of the passport Students may be required to send their visa or passport to the DVLA to apply for a driving license within the UK. This is generally not used as the student must be able to demonstrate they currently hold leave in order to register or, where their previous leave has expired and the documents are with DVLA, this is often hard to evidence. This is normally inputted onto the students record if the students visa has expired, they still have time remaining on the course but they have left the UK upon receipt of exit evidence from the student. Exit evidence would normally be: A boarding pass; and/or Entry stamp from their home country (where applicable) The GOAINTL record must be updated and inputted in the following way: Visa Start Date This will normally be the date the student left the UK based on the evidence received Visa End Date This would only be entered where the student is required to return to the University, i.e. after an interruption of study. The date entered would be the return date Page 21 of 40

22 Visa Code Description Instances Where Used Visa Number This must be the word Evidence followed by the date the latest piece of evidence was received. G9 H1 Sponsorship Withdrawn Sponsorship Withdrawn Exit Evidence Where students have had sponsorship withdrawn by us in most instances. The reason for withdrawal must be noted on SKAICAS but the GOAINTL record must be updated in the following way: Visa Start Date This will normally be the date sponsorship was withdrawn Visa End Date This should be left blank Where students have had sponsorship withdrawn by us at the student s request, normally where they have returned to their home country and still have time remaining on their Tier 4 visa but do not wish to return to the UK and have provided evidence of their return. Exit evidence would normally be: Boarding pass; and/or Entry stamp from their home country (where applicable) The reason for withdrawal must be noted on SKAICAS but the GOAINTL record must be updated in the following way: Visa Start Date This will normally be the date the student left the UK Visa End Date This should be left blank Visa number This would be the date the student has provided exit evidence Page 22 of 40

23 Visa Code Description Instances Where Used H2 H3 Dissertation or Thesis Submitted Visa Application Check & Send scheme Where students have submitted their final piece of assessed work (on a Masters level programme) or final hard bound thesis following viva and any corrections (on research related programmes). However if the piece of assessed work or thesis has been submitted two weeks earlier than the completion date indicated on SKAICAS then the student may need to be reported and sponsorship withdrawn as the student has completed early. If this is the case the student must be set to G9 instead. If this code is applicable then the BANNER record must be updated in the following way: Visa Start Date This will normally be the date the student submitted the final piece of assessed work Visa End Date This should be left blank It is normally beneficial to update the GOAINTL record to this visa type where the student may require an exemption from attendance monitoring duties and is pending award/graduation. This is normally used where the student has submitted a visa application via the University s Check & Send scheme. The date inputted onto GOAINTL for this type of record should be the same as a G4 Application with UKBA T4 record. However, documents are sent directly to the University as opposed to the student Page 23 of 40

24 Visa Code Description Instances Where Used H4 H5 Appeal against UKVI T4 Derivative Residence Card The right of appeal is gradually becoming less common with refusals on Tier 4 applications. Appeals normally have to be submitted within 10 working days of a visa refusal in order to be classed as on time and timeframes can vary across the UK. The Courts and Tribunals service recommend that on average standard appeals can take up to 20 weeks from the date of submission. If the application for appeal (at any stage) was submitted on time, students can continue to study until the outcome of the appeal is known. If an appeal is rejected, the student can sometimes appeal to an upper tribunal and, following that, the court of appeal. The final stage may be a Judicial Review but students no longer have study rights when they submit a Judicial Review. We chase students for an update on appeals where contact/updates have not been made/received within the last month. The GOAINTL record must be updated and inputted in the following way: Visa Start Date This must be the date the application was made to the Courts and Tribunals Service Visa End Date This must be 20 weeks from the start date Visa number This must be the word Evidence followed by the date the latest piece of evidence was received. This is normally issued to a primary carer of someone who has the right to live in the UK, a child of a primary carer for someone who has the right to live in the UK or a child of a former EEA worker who is currently studying at a school, college or university within the UK. Students can study on this visa. The visa start date should be the date indicated on the Visa or BRP, the visa end date should be the end date indicated on the Visa or BRP. Page 24 of 40

25 Visa Code Description Instances Where Used H6 Appeal Against UKVI Non T4 Appeals normally have to be submitted within 10 working days of a visa refusal in order to be classed as on time and timeframes can vary across the UK. The Courts and Tribunals service recommend that on average standard appeals can take up to 20 weeks from the date of submission. If the application for appeal (at any stage) was submitted on time, students can usually continue to study until the outcome of the appeal is known but in some instances we would need to know the type of application the student has submitted and to see the refusal notice in order to see if the student has retained any study rights. If an appeal is rejected, the student can sometimes appeal to an upper tribunal and then the court of appeal. The final stage may be a Judicial Review but students no longer have study rights when they submit a Judicial Review. We chase students for an update on appeals where contact/updates have not been made/received within the last month. The GOAINTL record must be updated and inputted in the following way: Visa Start Date This must be the date the application was made to the Courts and Tribunals Service Visa End Date This must be 20 weeks from the start date Visa number This must be the word Evidence followed by the date the latest piece of evidence was received. Page 25 of 40

26 Visa Code Description Instances Where Used I1 I2 I3 Administrative Review Discretionary Leave Asylum General Visitor Visa As the right of appeal has gradually been removed from Tier 4 applications, UKVI have replaced this with the administrative review. The student has 10 working days to submit the administrative review. If the original visa application was submitted on time and then the subsequent administrative review was submitted on time, the student retains their study rights. Administrative reviews are expected to take 28 days from the date of submission. The GOAINTL record must be updated and inputted in the following way: Visa Start Date This must be the date the application was made to UKVI Visa End Date This must be 28 days from the date the student has submitted the application Visa number This must be the word Evidence followed by the date the latest piece of evidence was received. If someone applies for Asylum but the application is refused, they may be given Discretionary Leave instead. This is normally only applicable for a five year period. The person holding discretionary leave then has the option to apply for a renewal. In order to retain any study rights the student has to have made a renewal application to UKVI on time. Students can study on this visa. The visa start date should be the date indicated on the Visa or BRP, the visa end date should be the end date indicated on the Visa or BRP. Students cannot normally study on any visitor visa outside of the short term study visa route. However, UKVI do allow students to study for a maximum of 31 days over the lifecycle of the General Visitor Visa provided study is not their primary reason for travel to the UK. The GOAINTL record must be updated and inputted in the following way if we have allowed the student to study on this visa: Visa Start Date This must be the start date of study, not the start date on the visa Visa End Date This must be 31 days from the start date of study, not the end date on the visa Page 26 of 40

27 Visa Code Description Instances Where Used I4 Application with UKVI (Non T4) Applications outside of the Tier 4 route can still allow the student to study in some cases but we would need to know the type of application that has been made and be able to establish if the student made the application on time. Most applications outside the Points Based System can take up to 6 months to process. The GOAINTL record must be updated and inputted in the following way if we have allowed the student to study whilst an application outside of Tier 4 is pending: The GOAINTL record must be updated and inputted in the following way: Visa Start Date This must be the date the application was made to UKVI Visa End Date This must be six months from the visa start date entered Visa number This must be the word Evidence followed by the date the latest piece of evidence was received. By updating the record in the above format, this allows us to see if the application is taking longer than expected and chase up with UKVI. It also allows us to see the last time the student provided us with an update. We would not chase up a student who has provided an update within the last month. I5 Diplomat Visa This type of visa is issued to diplomats and their dependents who are posted to the UK. Students can study on this type of visa. The visa start date should be the date indicated on the Visa or BRP. The visa end date should be the end date indicated on the Visa or BRP. I6 Temporary Visa (30 day) Tier 4 Students applying for a Tier 4 visa outside of the UK will be given a visa to enter the UK that is valid for only 30 days. They are then required to pick their permanent Biometric Residence Permit, normally from the University. In some instances the student may be required to collect this from the Post Office. The visa start date should be the date indicated on the Visa or BRP. The visa end date should be the end date indicated on the Visa or BRP. Page 27 of 40

28 Visa Code Description Instances Where Used I7 Asylum Application This is where an asylum application is pending a decision from UKVI. The University currently allows students with pending asylum applications to study. The GOAINTL screen must be updated in the following manner: Visa Start Date This must be the date the application was made to UKVI Visa End Date This must be left blank Visa number This must be the word Evidence followed by the date the latest piece of evidence was received. Page 28 of 40

29 Appendix B: Summary of Submission Type and Regularity of Submission Student Type Where to submit form Regularity of Submission Warning Sent To Student Student Interviewed Student Reported & Sponsorship Withdrawn Pre-sessional N/A paper registers taken Daily Between one and five consecutive contacts missed by Salford Languages After six consecutive contacts missed Within 10 working days of six consecutive contacts being missed where sufficient evidence cannot be provided to explain missed attendances International Foundation Year Undergraduate All Schools Postgraduate completing taught element of programme Salford Advantage Weekly Between three and five consecutive contacts missed After six consecutive contacts missed Within 10 working days of six consecutive contacts being missed where sufficient evidence cannot be provided to explain missed attendances Postgraduate taught completing final stage of programme Postgraduate Research all Schools Salford Advantage Monthly Between one and two consecutive contacts missed After three consecutive contacts missed Within 10 working days of three consecutive contacts being missed where sufficient evidence cannot be provided to explain missed attendances Page 29 of 40

30 Appendix C: Process flow of the attendance monitoring process for PSE students Page 30 of 40

31 Appendix D: Process flow for PSE Tier 4 students and self-certification form Page 31 of 40

32 Appendix E: Process flow of the attendance monitoring process for IFY, UG and PGT students on the taught phase of their course. Page 32 of 40

33 Appendix F: Process flow of the attendance monitoring process for PGT students who have progressed to dissertation. Page 33 of 40

34 Appendix G: Process flow of the attendance monitoring process for PGR students. Page 34 of 40

35 Appendix H: Process Flow for Processing Salford Advantage Submissions (for IFY, UG and PGT students on the taught phase of their course). Page 35 of 40

36 Appendix I: Process Flow for Processing Salford Advantage Submissions (for PGT students who have progressed to dissertation). Page 36 of 40

37 Appendix J: Process Flow for Processing Salford Advantage Submissions (for PGR students). Page 37 of 40

38 Appendix K: Process Flow For Chasing Missed Submission (IFY, UG, PGT and PGR) Page 38 of 40

39 Appendix L: Fraudulent Submission Process Background The University currently requires students sponsored to be in the United Kingdom under Tier 4 of the Points Based System (PBS) to have their attendance monitored. This is a compulsory part of our Tier 4 licence with the Home Office. Since moving most submissions over to Salford Advantage, increased oversight of the process and increased student ownership over the submissions has led to more scrutiny over the signatures being used on the form. Following implementation during semester one of the 2016/2017 academic year, there were 26 Salford Advantage submissions flagged as potentially fraudulent submissions. Whilst this only accounts for less than one per cent of the total number of submissions on Salford Advantage (20469 submissions in total), to support the implementation of a culture of compliance across the University of Salford a process is required to review these submissions and note what actions have been taken upon identification of any fraudulent submissions. The submission of falsified information is a very serious matter which can have a damaging effect on the operation of University processes and on the overall student experience. Such action, if not appropriately addressed, can damage the reputation of the University and, in certain circumstances, be considered a beach of the University s sponsor licence. In addition such an act may well be a criminal act under UK law (fraud). Where the University suspects information that is submitted to be falsified it may choose to take action under the Student Disciplinary or the Fitness to Practice procedures. Penalties that may be applied through both these procedures range from written warnings, up to, and including, Expulsion from the University. Page 39 of 40

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