ILR Query – Learner with Single Name

We get some students like that most years. Some providers add what the student habitually uses or repeats the name. We cannot do that for most of ours because they're on student visas and our data has to exactly match the passport. I think it can maybe be blank in the ILR, but that would cause chaos internally, so we enter a dash -

I did ask one of the precursors to DfE many years ago, and they were fine with that. It's not ideal, but it's never caused us any issues. It does make ULNs a pain. If it's not a UKVI/student visa issue, I think I'd be inclined to ask the student what they want to do. If they live permanently in the UK, it will be a constant problem for them only having one name, so they probably have a name they use day to day. In law, you can use whatever name you like as long as you're not deliberately misleading anyone. Getting awarding bodies to accept that is another issue.

Generally speaking wouldn't recommend a space as it may interact weirdly with databases. Would suggest using a hyphen over repeating their first name. Slightly less ambiguous.

[trawls through the depths of the archives] I have found a discussion from 2017 (never delete an email is what I say) which suggests, for non-UK passport holders, using a "-" in the surname field as being acceptable but no fully official line from DfE!

Some ideas here:

Further education and training providers community - Students with only one name

We have used a dot, i.e. '.' without any ILR issues (not an apprenticeship learner).

I think - should be entered as the surname for learners with a single name.