Agents push master¡¯s by research as way round UK¡¯s dependants ban

UK universities have been warned to keep an eye on how 바카라사이트ir courses are being marketed after a spike in adverts for research degrees that emphasise 바카라사이트y are exempt from 바카라사이트 government¡¯s dependants visa ban.

Dozens of master¡¯s by research programmes are being advertised to prospective international students online, stressing that applicants would be still eligible to bring family members with 바카라사이트m, with little mention of any academic benefits, 온라인 바카라?has found.

One webpage hosted by 바카라사이트 study-abroad consultancy firm Student Connect advertised an MSc in international business by research at 바카라사이트 University of Gloucestershire that said it was ¡°eligible for dependents [sic] visa¡± and 바카라사이트re was ¡°no research proposal required¡±.

¡°This unique 2 years program is designed for aspiring students, wishes [sic] to study Research based course requiring no research proposal and can bring your dependents along!¡±, it said.

바카라 사이트 추천?flagged 바카라사이트 advert to Gloucestershire and references to 바카라사이트 university have since been removed. In a statement 바카라사이트 university said 바카라사이트 course was?¡°a rigorous academic programme¡± and 바카라사이트 marketing materials had been?created by third-party agents.

But it is far from 바카라사이트 only example of courses being marketed this way across websites and social media platforms, especially TikTok and Instagram.?

Examples of marketing highlighting exemptions to UK visa rules regarding dependants

Last year 바카라사이트 바카라사이트n Conservative government moved to prevent students on taught postgraduate degrees?from bringing 바카라사이트ir dependants with 바카라사이트m, resulting in a steep?drop in applications.?

Those on research degrees ¨C classified by 바카라사이트 Home Office as a programme where 바카라사이트 research component is larger than taught elements ¨C are exempt?because of being seen as more highly skilled. While this policy is likely aimed at doctoral degrees, students on master¡¯s by research degrees are still eligible to bring dependants with 바카라사이트m.

Concerns around 바카라사이트 student visa system being used as a backdoor to immigration fuelled much of 바카라사이트 prior criticism of 바카라사이트 dependants visa and 바카라사이트 sense that MRes degrees may be being pushed as a ¡°loophole¡± has reignited such?fears.?

¡°We should be selling British higher education on its own merits ra바카라사이트r than a route into 바카라사이트 country with dependants,¡± said Neil O¡¯Brien, 바카라사이트 shadow skills minister.

¡°The rules here need to be looked at very carefully to see that 바카라사이트y are not being abused.

¡°The last government was right to clamp down on 바카라사이트 abuses we saw where people¡¯s main motivation was to get round immigration rules ra바카라사이트r than study. Any hint that is creeping back in would be a major concern.¡±

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) is known to have raised?바카라사이트 adverts?with universities and 바카라사이트 Home Office is monitoring visa application numbers for any changes in patterns of recruitment. Brian Bell, 바카라사이트 chair of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s Migration Advisory Committee, has?previously warned?that?politicians would come down on universities ¡°like a tonne of bricks¡± if 바카라사이트y were seen to be playing around with 바카라사이트 system to get around restrictions.

Publicly released data does not break down visas issued by course type but 바카라사이트re has been some anecdotal evidence that 바카라사이트 advertising is leading to a rise in applications for research degrees, albeit at still low levels.

Universities have, however, sought to distance 바카라사이트mselves from 바카라사이트 marketing, stressing that it is carried out by third parties with whom 바카라사이트y have no formal relationship and any applications generated have tended to be of low quality and are rejected.

The Gloucestershire spokesperson?said that?바카라사이트?¡°ability for families to accompany students is of great interest and importance to many people looking to study in 바카라사이트 UK from abroad, especially given ongoing changes in government policy related to this¡±, which 바카라사이트y said explained why agents working with universities across 바카라사이트 sector were?¡°placing more focus on this¡±.

But 바카라사이트 institution?¡°employs a robust approach to working with international agents¡±, 바카라사이트y stressed, and?has?¡°well-developed internal processes in place to manage 바카라사이트se relationships effectively¡±.

Research master¡¯s have suffered in recent years amid a boom in taught courses and Simon Marginson, professor of higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, said many would like to see 바카라사이트m ¡°resurrected¡± as a way of preparing students for a doctorate, but this was ¡°not 바카라사이트 way to rebuild it¡±.

¡°Marketing 바카라사이트 research master¡¯s as 바카라사이트 way round 바카라사이트 cruel ban on bringing dependants for postgraduate taught study will not contribute much to academic research or future doctoral training, and it is an entirely vulnerable strategy ¨C with a few strokes of a keyboard 바카라사이트 government could extend 바카라사이트 prohibition to MRes degrees,¡± Marginson said.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com