Question: What can I do if I am sponsoring a student who is waiting for a Tier 4 visa?

Answer passage (source: UK):
page_title: Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): advice for Tier 2, 4 and 5 sponsors
section_headers: If you have issued a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) or a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) and the sponsored employee or student has not yet applied for a visa
section_content: The employee or student will still be able to apply for a visa.
The start date for the course or employment stated on the CoS or CAS may have
changed. We will not automatically refuse such cases.
For example, we may accept a CoS or CAS if they have become invalid because
the employee or student was unable to travel as a result of coronavirus. We
will consider this on a case by case basis.
[CoS]: Certificate of Sponsorship
  [CAS]: confirmation of acceptance for studies

Reviewer feedback on this answer:
This answer does not seem completely relevant to the question. A link would be useful.
This information does not answer the question. It does not provide any information on sponsoring a student who is waiting for Tier 4 visa. Instead, this information is about applying visa when CoS or CAS become invalid as a result from inability to travel due to Covid-19.

Reviewer ratings:
Could be Improved
Bad

Answer passage (source: UK):
page_title: Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): advice for Tier 2, 4 and 5 sponsors
section_headers: If you’re sponsoring a student who is distance learning
section_content: You can continue to sponsor existing Tier 4 students who are continuing their
studies through distance learning, whether they are in the UK or another
country.
If a student has permanently withdrawn from their studies or deferred their
studies for reasons unrelated to coronavirus, you must report this as usual.
You do not need to withdraw sponsorship for new students who have been issued
a Tier 4 visa but are distance learning because they have been unable to
travel to the UK.
New international students who have not yet applied for a visa but want to
start a course by distance learning do not require sponsorship under Tier 4.
This is because they do not need to travel to the UK.
You do not need to tell the Home Office when students have moved to distance
learning.
These arrangements will apply until 31 May 2020, when they will be reviewed.

Reviewer feedback on this answer:
This answer is completely relevant and provides a lot of useful information. The answer is thorough.
This does not answer the question. This information is about sponsoring existing Tier 4 students or students who have been issued Tier 4 visa but are distance learning due to Covid-19. It does not provide information on sponsoring a student who is waiting for a Tier 4 visa.

Reviewer ratings:
Excellent
Bad

Answer passage (source: UK):
page_title: Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): advice for Tier 2, 4 and 5 sponsors
section_headers: If you’re sponsoring a student who’s waiting for their Tier 4 visa application to be decided
section_content: You may allow students to start their studies before their visa application
has been decided if:

you are a Tier 4 sponsor (other than Tier 4 Legacy Sponsors)
you have assigned the student a CAS
the student submitted their application before their current visa expired and has shown you evidence of this
the course they start is the same as the one listed on their CAS
the student has a valid Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate if required

Your reporting responsibilities start from the date that you issue the CAS,
not from the date that their application is granted.
If the student’s application is eventually rejected as invalid or refused you
must terminate the student’s studies.
*[CAS]: confirmation of acceptance for studies

Reviewer feedback on this answer:
This does not appear completely relevant to "sponsors" which is what the question was about. It's related but not exact.
This is a direct answer to the question. This answer provides information on sponsoring students who is waiting for their Tier 4 visa decision and what to do if the visa application is eventually rejected.

Reviewer ratings:
Could be Improved
Excellent