The International Student Team (IST) is dedicated to providing a high quality service to all of our international students and visitors. Please refer to our Terms and Conditions of Service for the framework in which our immigration advice is given.
The International Student Team (IST) is committed to providing fair, professional, and accessible services. This document outlines what you can expect from us and what we ask of you in return.
1. Who is the IST and what do we do?
The IST are the area of the University responsible for:
(1) the provision of immigration advice and guidance services to university visitors, applicants, student and staff and
(2) Home Office Student Sponsor licence advice, monitoring and measuring process and support to staff.
The staff in the IST are the only staff permitted to provide these services at the University.
Our mission is to protect individuals seeking immigration or compliance advice by ensuring that our services are carried out within the law, are of a high standard, that staff are trained and services delivered are reviewed and monitored.
The IST will:
- Ensure that staff providing services uphold professionalism and deliver their work within the correct competency levels in a timely manner
- Provide clear guidance to help individuals understand their rights and responsibilities
- Provide clear guidance to staff and stakeholders regarding compliance matters
- Investigate compliance issues and take appropriate action to mitigate against activities that could impact on the Home Office student sponsor licence
- Promote best practices and institutional trust in immigration advice services and compliance services provided
- Always work within the law and in line with our Student Sponsor licence duties
2. Areas we cover
The work of the IST covers two primary areas.
2.1 Immigration advisory services
The Advice and Guidance team (A&G) delivers immigration advisory services that will provide guidance and support to sponsored international students (prospective and continuing) and international visitors to help them understand the correct visa category for their visit, how to access relevant forms or information and advice on the complexities of immigration laws and procedures.
These services help with various aspects of immigration, including type of visa for the purpose of your visit, the visa application process, visa refusals and advice when issues arise.
2.1.1 What do A&G advice and guidance advisors do:
They provide information and advice on a wide range of immigration matters – they will advise you on any legal requirements you must be aware of, best next steps and links for further help
- Advise on visa applications:
Immigration advisors can provide you with a direct link to the Home Office for advice on the documents you need to meet the criteria for making a visa application. Advisors can offer checks on documents needed for a student route visa. A&G do not normally offer a checking session for non-sponsored route visas but can provide general advice around the visa requirements.
- Navigate Complex Processes:
Immigration laws and procedures in the UK can be confusing. A&G advisors will provide you with accurate information to explain your immigration matter, understand your rights, your responsibilities and they will ensure that you are aware of any key requirements and deadlines
- Supervise and regulate the work of IST advisers:
A&G will ensure that its staff are appropriately trained in UK immigration law to ensure that advisors are suitably qualified, competent, and act in accordance with the law and in the best interests of its users.
Depending on the complexity of the immigration matter, you may be advised to seek independent legal advice from a regulated immigration advisor or solicitor where appropriate.
2.2 Compliance Support Services
The Training and Compliance team (T&C) delivers compliance support services that provide guidance and support to staff in the University to help them understand their sponsor duties, how to access relevant information, advice on the complex compliance matters and spot checking/audit checking of stakeholder processes.
2.2.1 What does a T&C advisor do:
They provide information and advice on a wide range of student sponsor compliance matters – they will advise you on any requirements you must be aware of, best next steps and links for further help
T&C can provide you with support with complex compliance matters that arise and advise you on best next steps. They can review your processes and any information they plan to share with colleagues and/or students to ensure that compliance information is accurate.
- Navigate Complex Processes:
Home Office Student Sponsor compliance duties can be confusing. T&C will provide you with accurate information to explain your compliance matter, understand your responsibilities and they will ensure that you are aware of requirements and deadlines
- Supervise and regulate the work of T&C advisers:
T&C ensures that its staff are appropriately trained in UK immigration law and Student Sponsor Guidance to ensure that they are suitably qualified, competent, and act in accordance with sponsor duties.
3. What can you expect from IST services?
When you engage with the IST, you can expect:
- Professionalism: we treat everyone with integrity, impartiality, and respect
- Clarity: our communication is clear, accurate, and easy to understand
- Support: we provide guidance to help you navigate the immigration advice system and compliance duties
- Fairness: everyone is treated equally and without discrimination
- Confidentiality: your information is handled securely and in line with data protection laws
The IST is committed to:
- Being open, honest, and transparent in all interactions
- Providing accurate information and clear explanations
- Providing a timely response to your queries and feedback
- Seeking input about the services delivered by us and valuing your input to continually improve our services
4. Your responsibilities
To help us deliver the best possible service, we ask that you:
- Treat our staff with respect and courtesy
- Provide the necessary information to help us address your issue or query
- Inform us of specific communication needs, such as alternative formats or languages
- Let us know if you require reasonable adjustments due to a disability
- Understand that we may be unable to share certain information or provide updates on ongoing cases due to confidentiality requirements
- Understand that your matter may be outside the work the IST is permitted to advise on and follow guidance sent to you to seek alternative immigration support
- Read the information we send you and refer to links
- Act in accordance with the laws of the UK
5. Service Standards
We are committed to providing a professional, fair and efficient service:
5.1 Process
- Acknowledgment - we confirm receipt of your matter
- Review and investigating - where appropriate we will review all relevant details and may contact you for additional information
- Resolution: we aim to provide you with an answer to your question promptly and, where we need more time to review your matter, will keep you informed throughout the process. When we have reviewed it, we will explain the next steps you need to take and any steps we will take
5.2 Support for immigration advisers and those seeking advice
We provide:
- For IST staff – access to legal resources/Home Office guidance documents to help meet us meet our regulatory standards
- For advice seekers: provision of clear information so as you understand your rights and, when needed, appropriate referral to other reliable immigration advice
5.3 Support for managing compliance matters - advisers and advice seekers
We provide:
- Resources, support and guidance to IST staff to help them meet regulatory standards.
- Clear information to you to help you understand your rights/compliance matters and access reliable immigration advice/support services
5.4 Feedback and continuous improvement
Feedback is invaluable to us in helping us improve our services. Whether you have a suggestion, compliment, or concern, we encourage you to share it via 'contact us' form.
Regulation of Immigration Advice
In the UK, the provision of immigration advice is regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA).
The IAA is responsible for ensuring that all immigration advisers fulfil the requirements of good practice. The IST carries out its immigration advisory services in accordance with the IAA Code of Standards.
The University of Birmingham is a member of the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) and operates in accordance with the UKCISA Code of Ethics for Advisers.
Where the level of immigration advice required is beyond our mandate, we will inform you and ask you to contact an appropriately qualified independent legal advisor.
This means that the only staff who are permitted to provide immigration advice and services to applicants, students and visitors at the University of Birmingham, are the staff in the International Student Team (IST).
The IST webpage outlines the range of immigration matters we can advise on.
The IST provides advice in good faith based on the information we have about your situation.
We endeavour to ensure that any advice we provide is accurate at the time it is given. However, this advice may be subject to change. We cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions, for consequences arising from the use of advice provided, nor for decisions made by government agencies.
Data Protection and Confidentiality
The IST deals with personal and sensitive data over a range of issues and is committed to providing a confidential advice service to ensure the security of sensitive data and personal documentation collected, processed and stored in the everyday business of the Service.
Confidentiality is an important part of establishing a relationship of trust between you and your adviser and may be defined as ‘ensuring that information is accessible only to those authorised to have access.’
The IST comply with the OISC Code of Standards, the Data Protection Act 2018 and the University Data Protection by following strict procedures for the collection, processing, storage and destruction of sensitive data and keeping clear written records of all advice given and all work done on your behalf.
No information about you will be given directly or indirectly to any third party who is not a member of the IST team, without your consent to the disclosure of any information.
No information will be given to any external agency without your consent except when the provision of such information is:
(a) Where you have given your consent to disclose information or data;
(b) If you or others are in immediate physical danger; and
(c) If the provision of such information is required by law.
Case files may be made available for inspection by the Immigration Advice Authority Commissioner, upon request, subject to Data Protection Regulations.
In order to maintain confidentiality we are only able to discuss immigration issues with you. We cannot, for example, discuss your situation with a parent, legal guardian or friend, unless you have given us your permission to do so in writing.
Written records of all visa advice provided by the IST, whether by email or following an appointment, will be retained.
If you attend an appointment, the advisor will write notes about your enquiry and the follow-up advice given to you. This information will be sent to you as a client care letter by email after your appointment. The IST will store the notes and letter electronically. When we have sent our letter, we will assume that you agree that the content is an accurate record of the appointment unless you contact the IST team within three working days of receipt to tell us otherwise.
An adviser must not act where there is a real or potential conflict of interest between them and you. In these circumstances, the adviser must explain fully and clearly to you any circumstances in which there might be a conflict and it may be necessary in these cases to refer your case elsewhere.
The IST will not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, age, nationality, faith, sexual orientation, physical ability, or any other relevant consideration. We aim to provide an equal service to all students without prejudice or bias.
Withdrawal of Advisory Services
An adviser must not advise you if any of the matters you have raised requires them to act beyond their authorisation.
If we find ourselves in this position, we will inform you immediately in writing and explain the reasons why we are unable to assist you and refer your matter to appropriately qualified independent legal advisor.
The service outlined above applies to all applicable visitors to the University who are subject to UK immigration rules including visitors who have been assessed visa the Visa Assessment Form (VAF) process. Further, it includes services provided for Student Route compliance activities.
The IST welcomes the opportunity to improve its services; therefore we welcome feedback from you. We have a number of ways of collecting feedback including by completing feedback forms, email, or in person.
You have the right to complaint if you are not happy with the service you received from the IST. The University recognises that, from time to time, things do go wrong, and recognises the need for students to be able to express their dissatisfaction where this happens.
If you are not satisfied with our service, please contact an IST adviser straight away. We shall try to solve the problem quickly and informally. If your concerns are resolved in this manner, we will make a note on file to register your concerns and how they were resolved.
The normal steps for this would be:
(a) Inform the Advisor if you are not happy with the Service your received and why;
(b) If you are not satisfied with the response from the Advisor you can email the Head of Service: h.eastham@bham.ac.uk;
(c) If you are not satisfied with the response from the Head of Service, or if you do not wish to follow (a) and (b) above you can raise a student concern by following the advice in this link.
IST Location, contact and opening hours
The International Student Team (IST) is located in the Aston Webb Student Hub. Our working hours are:
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 09:00- 17:00
- Wednesday: 10:00 - 17:00
If you wish to receive visa and immigration advice you can:
Log and enquiry online: www.studenthelp.bham.ac.uk
Request a Triage Appointment online: Your triage appointment can be arranged via Zoom or face-to-face.
Attend a visa workshop: Workshops will be delivered via Zoom and advertised on our webpage.