Visas and Guardianship
Visas
Students who do not hold a British passport or who do not have settled or pre-settled status in the UK will need to apply for a visa before they can commence their studies at Concord.
Students who are under the age of 18 on their date of entry to Concord will require a Child Student visa and those over 18 will require a Student visa.
The visa is course based, so one application will be required for study up to GCSE and another for A Level study when the student enters Sixth Form. Concord will issue students with a CAS (Certificate of Acceptance for Studies) approximately six months prior to the commencement of their studies. The CAS has a unique reference number to enable a student to submit their visa application online to the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).
Educational Guardianship
All students who usually live outside of the UK (regardless of nationality) are required to have a UK-based guardian. Guardians should be able to provide accommodation if the student needs to stay in the UK during the holidays when Concord is closed or needs to stay in the UK away from the College for any reason. You may choose someone who is already known to you (with their agreement) to act as a guardian or appoint a guardian from an accredited educational guardianship agency or organisation.
Unlike many schools, Concord remains open during some holiday periods, and so students may not need to stay with a guardian during holidays. The College also helps to arrange airport coach transfers, though a guardian will also be able to help you arrange transport to visit them.
Additional information and advice on guardianship can be found via AEGIS (The Association for the Education and Guardianship of International Students), an organisation that inspects and accredits guardianship providers in the UK and works to promote the welfare of international students. Please see their website for further information which includes a list of AEGIS-accredited guardianship organisations.
Visas and Guardianship FAQs
Do students need to go to stay with a guardian during every college holiday?
No – all students can choose to stay at Concord during Half Terms, and students in Forms 5, 6.1 and 6.2 can choose to stay during Easter. Residential holiday charges apply (though please note that there is no additional charge for students who stay at Concord for the short Summer Half Term).
We do not have whole-college exeat weekends, but we are closed for all students during the Christmas and Summer vacations.
Will the guardian arrange transport to the airport?
No – the College will usually help you with this. If a student goes to stay with their guardian, however, they will arrange transport for the student to go and visit them and any onward travel from there.
I have a relative (or close friend) who lives in the UK. Can they act as a guardian?
Yes – they must be over the age of 25 and not in full-time education to act as an educational guardian.
Do students need a guardian if they are over the age of 18?
Yes – all students need a guardian for the entirety of their time at Concord.
If a student plans to travel home whenever the College isn’t open for boarders. Do they still need a guardian?
Yes – occasionally there may be circumstances when you are unable to travel home (due to changing international travel restrictions, for example), or need to spend a short time away from Concord during term-time (due to suspension for disciplinary reasons, for example).
Can my child’s guardian attend Parents’ Meetings?
We do not currently run in-person parents’ meetings for international students, but we do provide parents with weekly updates on their child’s grades. If a parent wishes, these updates can also be provided to guardians. However, the principal relationship for the child’s education remains between the school and the parents.
On occasion parents may feel it useful for a guardian to come to the College to speak with academic staff about a student’s progress. In such circumstances the college will arrange a suitable meeting.
Can the College recommend any guardianship agencies?
If you are choosing to use a professional guardian or guardianship agency, they must be accredited by AEGIS or the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA). Different agencies offer different packages. For example, some include all home stays with the named guardian as part of the overall cost, while some add this as an extra. We recommend that you select an accredited provider that offers you the level of package that you require for your child’s individual circumstances.
