By Aysha Sarah
On 25 November, The Times reported that foreign students wishing to study in Britain may be denied admission unless they have secured a spot at an “elite university.”
This comes after the Office of National Statistics revealed on Thursday that net migration to the United Kingdom had reached an all-time high. The surge was partly driven by the record number of 476,000 visas given to international students in the 12 months before September 2022.
The PM’s spokesman said curbs on foreign students taking ‘‘low quality’’ degrees were being considered to reduce the number of international students. Potential plans include limiting the ability of individuals with study visas to bring dependents and cracking down on “low-quality” degrees that do not enhance students’ abilities or future prospects. Officials have reportedly declined to define a “low quality” degree or to “pre-empt” any policy decisions.
The Guardian warned that universities in the UK may go bankrupt if the government reduces the number of foreign students admitted in an effort to reduce net migration.
University leaders and politicians have defended the contributions of overseas students to research and economic growth in the United Kingdom, as the government considers limiting their numbers in the midst of a rising immigration dispute.
Lord Jo Johnson, a former universities minister, stated that student migration was vital to the United Kingdom’s ‘‘competitiveness as a knowledge economy.’’ He added, ‘‘Without an increase in international students, this country can kiss its status as a scientific superpower goodbye.’’ According to him, international students not only provide financing for research in the United Kingdom, but also provide a pipeline of skilled researchers.
