News - from the College and the Students
April 8th2009 - MP Challenges "Absurd" University Immigration Rules
- Source - politics.co.uk
Through a series of parliamentary questions Winchester MP Mark Oaten is seeking to raise awareness of cumbersome and ill thought out new immigration rules targeting overseas students that are placing an unnecessary burden on the UK's universities and colleges.
After being contacted separately by both Winchester and Southampton universities, and through speaking to representatives of other affected educational institutions, Mark has been made aware of changes to immigration policies concerning the visa requirements for overseas students.
These include requirements that overseas students must now pay their entire tuition fees upfront before arrival and demonstrably prove that they will have no less than £600 spending money in their account for any given month (£800 in London). On top of the obviously huge, for many totally unrealistic, spending requirements, and the Governments dictation on what counts as enough spending money per month, these new requirements also cause difficulty on how such payments can be verified and by whom.
Moreover the UK Border Agency now require attendance lists of each seminar, tutorial or lecture to be sent to them including marks and comments on overseas students progress. If the UK Border Agency is not satisfied that a student is making the necessary progress, although exactly who makes this decision and what qualifies them to do so is unclear, they can revoke that individual's visa.
There are further issues surrounding the length of a student's stay and the disproportionate affect this will have on some of the courses which require longer term study commitments.
The new regulations, under Tier 4 of the new immigration rules, appear over the top, overly bureaucratic serving to place a new financial and administrative burden on educational institutions and act as a barrier to overseas students wishing to study in this country.
For years the number of overseas students arriving in this country has risen as a result of the increase in standards of courses across the UK bringing with them vital funds for universities to grow and further develop and also adding academic value to the institutions they study in.
Mark Oaten stated:
"In an attempt to try and clamp down on illegal immigration the Government have come up with these absurd, ill thought out knee jerk regulations that do far far more harm than good. It's no wonder our local universities have been getting in touch with me about it.
"Paying for university fees and all the rest are hard enough without these added pressures. £600 is a figure just plucked out of the air without any thought it seems given to its impact. And then to suggest that the UK Border Agency should be assessing student's progress is simply absurd.
"I'm trying to take this up in Parliament at the moment, probing the Government on just what these regulations mean. So far we have hit a stubborn brick wall but I'm very keen to make sure people hear about this and hopefully have it reconsidered soon.
For further information on how Fulham and Chelsea can help you study and work in the UK please contact: info@fccollege.co.uk
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