Graduate-route eligibility expanded for UK-born children

Material UK international-student policy update

1. Graduate-route eligibility expanded for UK-born children

Status: Confirmed Immigration Rules change
Published: 9 July 2026
Effective: 3 August 2026
Urgency: High for affected families

A child born in the UK while a parent holds current Graduate-route permission can now apply as that parent’s dependant and receive permission ending on the same date as the parent. This closes a gap that previously left some UK-born children without a clear route to regularise their status. It does not allow other new dependants to apply from overseas. Statement of Changes HC 259 , Home Office explanatory memorandum .

Who is affected: Graduate visa holders whose child was born in the UK during their current Graduate permission.

Transitional position: The amendment took effect on 3 August. HC 259 does not provide a separate saving provision for pending Graduate-route dependant applications, so unusual applications submitted before that date should be checked individually.

Update for Global Educational Consultants:

Amend Graduate visa FAQs, dependant guidance and counsellor scripts.

Add UK birth certificate and both parents’ immigration details to the document checklist.

Do not suggest that a UK-born child automatically becomes British.

Continue stating that new partners and overseas-born children generally cannot join someone as new Graduate-route dependants.

Recommended wording:

From 3 August 2026, a child born in the UK during a parent’s current Graduate visa may apply as that parent’s dependant. The child’s permission will normally end with the parent’s Graduate visa. A UK birth does not automatically give the child British citizenship.

The updated GOV.UK Graduate visa family guidance now reflects this change.

2. Additional safeguarding rule for Child Student carers

Status: Confirmed Immigration Rules change
Effective: 3 August 2026
Urgency: Medium; high if advising applicants under 18

For an overseas Child Student application requiring a UK-based carer, a suspended sentence of at least 12 months received by the listed carer is now a mandatory refusal ground. Shorter sentences and certain other criminal disposals may still result in discretionary refusal. Home Office explanatory memorandum .

Applications made before 3 August 2026 are assessed under the rules in force on 2 August.

Update:

Add carer criminal-history questions to the Child Student intake form.

Update safeguarding and accommodation checklists.

Escalate disclosed convictions or suspended sentences to a regulated immigration adviser.

Never advise a client to omit a carer’s criminal history.

3. Stricter university sponsor-compliance requirements

Status: Confirmed and already operating
Effective: 1 June 2026
Urgency: High for recruitment and application quality

For Basic Compliance Assessments made from 1 June 2026, education providers must maintain:

Visa refusal rate below 5%—previously below 10%

Enrolment rate of at least 95%—previously 90%

Course completion rate of at least 85%, increasing to 90% from 1 June 2027

A new red-amber-green system applies. Red ratings can lead to CAS reductions, action plans and potentially loss of sponsor status. UKVI Student sponsor compliance guidance .

Practical implication: Universities may conduct stricter document, finance, English-language, academic-progression and genuine-student checks before issuing a CAS.

Update:

Strengthen pre-CAS screening and credibility-interview preparation.

Verify qualifications, funds and study rationale before submission.

Monitor the official Register of Student Sponsors and partner-university status.

Remove wording implying that admission, CAS issuance or visa approval is guaranteed.

Recommended wording:

Admission and CAS issuance remain subject to each university’s academic, credibility and compliance checks. A university offer does not guarantee a CAS or Student visa.

4. £925 international-student levy planned for England

Status: Confirmed government policy with draft legislation; still subject to parliamentary approval
Published: Government response issued 13 July 2026
Planned effective date: 1 August 2028
Urgency: Low now; monitor

Higher-education providers in England are expected to pay a flat £925 per international student per year , collected by the Office for Students. It is a provider liability—not currently a separate visa charge payable directly by students. Department for Education consultation outcome .

Providers could subsequently adjust tuition fees or scholarships in response, but that is a possible indirect effect rather than a confirmed student charge.

Update:

Do not advertise the levy as a new £925 student or visa fee.

Review future tuition-fee and scholarship content only after individual universities publish confirmed changes.

Add an internal monitoring note for 2027–28 university fee announcements.

This is general policy information, not individual immigration legal advice.