Guidance

Study priority change of circumstance service

Published 11 November 2025

1. About the service

The priority change of circumstances service allows sponsors to prioritise certain requests each day, by submitting an application by email.

These requests are:

• add a new level 1 user
• change level 1 user
• replace the authorising officer (AO)
• amend the authorising officer (AO)
• replace the key contact (KC)
• amend the key contact (KC)

Please note: this service does not guarantee your request will be approved. Post License request for in year CAS allocation request, follow on CAS allocation requests, add a representative, update organisation details – moved premises will not be accepted on priority services.

2. Eligibility

To be eligible for this service:

• you must be either Dormant Licenced, a Probationary Sponsor, Student Sponsored or Track Record licensed student sponsor
• you must have submitted a request via the Sponsor Management System (SMS) prior to emailing the Study Post Licence priority service mailbox
• the request must not be in progress/or allocated to a caseworker
• you must have printed the submission sheet if your request is to replace the authorising officer
• you must submit a fully completed application to the priority service team

3. How to apply

Full guidance on how to submit a change of circumstances request on the sponsorship management system (SMS) can be found within the SMS manual.

Once you have submitted your SMS change, you can now email studypostlicencepriorityservice@homeoffice.gov.uk with a completed Study priority request form as an attachment. Please ensure to include your organisation name (as detailed on your licence), sponsor licence number and priority request type in the email subject line. Example below:

Priority service request: organisation name (sponsor licence number): request type

You can apply for multiple priority requests however they must be on the same licence. Multiple request forms for different sponsors on the same email will not be considered.

The priority service is open from 7am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Any requests made outside of this time will not be considered.

A limited number of priority service requests will be accepted each day.

If your request has been successful, you will receive:

• an email from the priority service team to advise that your request has been accepted, along with further instructions
• a second email containing a Worldpay link - check your spam or junk folder if it does not arrive

You have 72 hours from when you receive the second email to make a payment. This includes weekends. If we do not receive your payment within that time, your priority request will expire, and you will need to apply again to be considered.

There are several reasons why your request may not be successful:

• your request is ineligible for the service – see the eligibility criteria above
• we have reached our daily allocation limit
• you have submitted a priority request outside the services operating times

If you do not receive a response, please assume that your request has not been successful.

If your request is to replace the authorising officer, you will need to send the submission sheet to us. Attach the electronically signed submission sheet, along with all relevant documentation, to your priority request. If you are not sure what documentation you need to provide, please check the Study priority request form for guidance.

4. Processing times

Eligible requests that have successfully made payment will be considered within 5 working days.

The 5 working days consideration period begins the following working day from when the payment is made. For example, if you were to make a payment on Monday, the 5 working day timescale will begin on Tuesday.

If you are required to send a submission sheet, the 5 working days begins from the date that UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) receives your submission sheet if it has not already been received.

You may not receive an outcome within the 5 working days if your request is complex or extra checks are required.

We may request further information within the 5 working day timescale; if we do not receive this information in due course, we may reject the request, and no refund will be issued. For this reason, please ensure the authorising officer checks their email, including junk mail regularly.

If your consideration is delayed for other reasons outside of normal caseworking processes (e.g. a technical error), you may be eligible for a refund.

The outcome will be sent via email to the key personnel listed on the licence.

This service does not guarantee your request will be approved.

5. Fee

The charge for the service is £350 per request.

6. Contact

The Study Post Licence priority request inbox is for requests only; sponsor maintenance queries will not be replied to or forwarded

If you have any technical problems with the service, you can contact: studypostlicencepriorityservice@homeoffice.gov.uk

For any other information, on Study Sector Support, please see: Study sector support - GOV.UK