SkieCan students use VPN, proxy or DNS changer apps on managed devices?
No. VPN apps, proxy apps and DNS changer apps are on Skie's always-blocked list, whatever an app list says. VPN setup in Android settings is also blocked and the Private DNS setting is locked. Together these remove the usual ways of hiding traffic from the filter.
Students share the names of free VPN and proxy apps quickly. They work by sending traffic through another server, which would carry the student past the filtering DNS. DNS changer apps do the same job one step earlier, by swapping the resolver.
Skie handles the three in different places. The never-allow list blocks these apps by category, and it overrides app lists, so no admin can allow one by accident. At the Android level, VPN setup is blocked as a policy switch, and the Private DNS setting is locked so the filter stays in place. Installing certificates is blocked too, which matters for apps that try to intercept traffic.
Because installs are also controlled, a VPN that arrives from a website cannot run: unknown sources are blocked and developer options and adb are off. The install guard removes any app that is not allowed after enrolment.
You may ask how this squares with legitimate company VPNs. Skie manages devices handed out by a school or organisation to be used only with approved apps. If a business needs a corporate VPN client on its own staff phones, raise it with the team so it can be assessed. Do not expect to enable a consumer VPN for students.
If you want proof for a governor or parent, the effective policy view lists the switches, and the compliance score shows they are applied. Pair it with the network check wizard so you also know what the school network does.