Students enrolled in the OSAP programme, and tutors teaching for the OSAP programme, are bound by the Attendance Policy detailed below. Students–and especially those sponsored by WISC for a Tier 4 (General) Student Visa–should read the Policy carefully, as failure to abide by it could result in serious consequences for continued enrolment in the programme and leave to remain in the UK.

This agreement is for students enrolled in, and tutors teaching for, courses sponsored by the Washington International Studies Council (WISC) and the Oxford Study Abroad Programme (OSAP), as required by the Quality Assurance Agency, the British Accreditation Council, and UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).

WISC/OSAP’s Responsibilities

OSAP stresses the importance of attendance for the purposes of academic integrity, accreditation, and reputation with educational oversight agencies, sending (home) universities and colleges, and Oxford colleges.

For students subject to particular immigration control, WISC/OSAP has the responsibility to comply with regulations set forth by UKVI. In particular, for those students sponsored by WISC/OSAP for their Tier 4 (General) Student Visa, WISC/OSAP is bound by the sponsor duties related to its Tier 4 Sponsorship Licence. These duties include regular attendance monitoring.

Student’s Responsibilities

Students should note that attendance at all schedule teaching activities (including all sessions, lectures, and activities of the Orientation Programme, all tutorials or teaching activities assigned by your tutor(s) is required.

Although tutorials may be rescheduled with the mutual agreement of the student and tutor, all tutorials arranged as part of the academic programme must be completed, including the submission of an essay of 1,500 to 2,000 words at each tutorial—or the problem set equivalent for science students—before the course end date.

Students are expected to comply with any expectations or responsibilities outlined in this Attendance Policy, including the possible consequences of non-attendance.

Attendance Monitoring

As a Tier 4 Sponsor, WISC is committed to meeting all of its duties under its Tier 4 Licence. As such, WISC/OSAP is required to keep a record of each student’s attendance and engagement and report any consistent unauthorised non-attendance to the UKVI, which, which could jeopardise the student’s Tier 4 Visa.

Attendance is monitored weekly during term-time through a series of confirmed “contact points.” These contact points are established through a combination of:

• A Student Attendance Register maintained in the WISC/OSAP Academic Office, signed by the student at regular intervals;
• Attendance at scheduled meetings with WISC/OSAP staff, as confirmed by WISC/OSAP staff;
• Attendance at the WISC/OSAP Orientation Programme, as confirmed by WISC/OSAP staff;
• Attendance at schedule tutorials, seminars, or lectures, as confirmed in writing by the tutor.

Records of attendance will be kept electronically or in hard-copy form, and will be attached to the student’s permanent WISC/OSAP record, and will be available for the UKVI to review upon request.

Tutor’s Responsibilities

The tutor will understand that while WISC/OSAP naturally relies upon the professional experience of the tutor, some of the requirements outlined in this Attendance Monitoring Policy are mandated by UK Visas & Immigration, the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, and/or the British Accreditation Council. This document is to be used in conjunction with the Teaching Agreement, wherein additional tutor responsibilities are outlined.

The tutor understands that given the responsibilities of WISC as a Tier 4 Sponsor, additional burdens of attendance monitoring and reporting may be placed upon the tutor. These include, but are not limited to:

• Notifying WISC/OSAP promptly (within five working days) of any concerns regarding the student’s behavior and/or academic performance (including, but not limited to, missing more than one tutorial, etc.);
• When requested by WISC/OSAP, submitting a mid-term progress report for any WISC student he or she is teaching;
• When requested by WISC/OSAP, submitting any attendance records for any WISC student he or she is teaching—this is typically requested and done via the online reporting system (maintained by WISC/OSAP) at the conclusion of every tutorial;
• Understanding that reporting the student’s grades in a very timely fashion is often very important to the students (sometimes a grade is essential for graduation or in order to register for a course at home, etc.); therefore, the tutor agrees to submit the grades and report, which include a summary of the overall attendance record, no later than 30 days after the end of the course.

Non-attendance

Failure to attend any tutorial, scheduled meeting, or teaching assignment may result in a loss of recommended credits, suspension or expulsion from the WISC/OSAP programme, and/or the withdrawal of Tier 4 sponsorship.

Students who fail to attend any time-tabled teaching session without prior authorization from WISC/OSAP and/or the tutor must attend a meeting with a WISC/OSAPAcademic Advisor within five working days of the missed session. Students will be contacted by WISC via email to schedule this mandatory meeting.

Failure to attend two time-tabled teaching sessions or meetings without a valid reason (e.g. a medical certificate) will result in the student being referred to his/her home institution for possible disciplinary action including, but not limited to, a loss of recommended credits, suspension or expulsion from the WISC/OSAP programme, or the withdrawal of Tier 4 sponsorship.

All Tier 4 sponsored students must understand that they are under legal obligation to both UKVI and WISC/OSAP to comply with any attendance policies as set forth by UKVI and/or WISC/OSAP. This obligation is a condition of the student’s enrolment in the WISC/OSAP programme and his or her permission to remain in the UK. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure he or she is in compliance with all attendance expectations and guidelines.

Students 1) who fail, without authorisation, to attend two time-tabled teaching sessions or meetings, 2) for whom WISC/OSAP is not able to demonstrate the required, consistent attendance (through one of the methods outlined above), or 3) fail to meet the minimum attendance expectations as outlined by the UKVI, shall be reported to the UKVI as non-compliant.

Continued non-compliance or failure to meet the attendance requirements as set forth by UKVI and/or WISC/OSAP will result in the withdrawal of sponsorship of their Tier 4 visa.

Upon the withdrawal of a student’s Tier 4 visa, which cannot be reversed (as the student failed to meet the conditions of their visa), the student will be withdrawn from the WISC/OSAP programme and he or she must return home, in accordance with the time-frame and guidance prescribed by UKVI.