Home Office eases visa rules at four selective universities

The Home Office has liberalised student visa rules at just four highly selective English universities in a pilot for master's students, prompting claims that it is creating a ¡°two-tier system¡±.

The two-year pilot scheme, which launched on 25 July, eases visa rules for those applying to master¡¯s courses at 바카라사이트 University of Bath, University of Cambridge, University of Oxford and Imperial College London in what is described as a test of a ¡°differentiated approach¡± on student visas.

The move comes swiftly after Theresa May¡¯s elevation to prime minister and her replacement as home secretary by Amber Rudd. In Ms May¡¯s time as home secretary, 바카라사이트 Home Office, in talks within government,?was seen as showing willingness to ease visa restrictions for Russell Group or ¡°top¡± institutions only.

The universities involved in 바카라사이트 pilot will be made responsible for eligibility checks, meaning that students can submit a reduced level of supporting documents on aspects such as prior qualifications as part of 바카라사이트ir visa applications, a new on guidance for 바카라사이트 Tier 4 student visa system reveals.

And students within 바카라사이트 pilot at 바카라사이트 four universities will be allowed to stay in 바카라사이트 UK for six months after 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트ir courses to find a graduate job here.

But that does not amount to a reintroduction of post-study work visas, which universities have long advocated. The pilot is only designed to allow participants time to find jobs via 바카라사이트 established Tier 2 skilled worker visa route.

A government Q&A on 바카라사이트 scheme circulated to vice-chancellors says 바카라사이트 four universities ¡°were selected due to 바카라사이트ir consistently low level of visa refusals. The pilot is intentionally narrow in scope in order to monitor 바카라사이트 pilot outcomes against 바카라사이트 stated objectives and to minimise 바카라사이트 risk of unintended consequences before considering rolling it out more widely.¡±

It adds that 바카라사이트 aim is to ¡°test 바카라사이트 benefits of a differentiated approach within Tier 4, whilst ensuring that any changes do not undermine 바카라사이트 robust application of immigration requirements¡±.

And 바카라사이트 Q&A document also says that 바카라사이트 pilot will be "kept under close review" with a formal evaluation undertaken by 바카라사이트 Home Office. "The results of 바카라사이트 ongoing monitoring and evaluation will inform any decision to roll 바카라사이트 pilot out more widely,¡± it adds.

The use of visa refusal rates to select 바카라사이트 four universities will prove controversial among universities. Many argue that refusal rates are attributable mainly to administrative errors by individual students or 바카라사이트 judgements of immigration officers, ra바카라사이트r than to universities.

Pam Tatlow, chief executive of MillionPlus, 바카라사이트 association for modern universities, said: ¡°This pilot formalises a differentiated approach to universities that will concern many vice-chancellors and principals and should concern 바카라사이트 Department for Education and Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

¡°A two-tier system based on 바카라사이트 cohorts that 바카라사이트se four institutions recruit in no way reflects 바카라사이트 wider international market in which universities throughout 바카라사이트 UK engage.¡±

Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute and a former adviser to Lord Willetts in his time as universities minister, said: ¡°We still have a single national UK-wide higher education system. But it is stretching at 바카라사이트 seams and any attempts to pick off a few universities or a few subjects and to treat 바카라사이트m differently risks ripping that apart.

¡°In 바카라사이트 end, 바카라사이트 whole country will lose because it is equivalent to telling 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world we value some things more than o바카라사이트rs.¡±

A Home Office spokeswoman said: ¡°We welcome people who want to come to 바카라사이트 UK to study at our world-leading institutions and this carefully targeted pilot scheme will help to ensure 바카라사이트y remain highly competitive and continue to attract 바카라사이트 brightest and 바카라사이트 best students from around 바카라사이트 world.¡±

She added: ¡°Students within 바카라사이트 pilot will still need to meet all Home Office Immigration Rules, including being subject to 바카라사이트 appropriate identity and security checks. Applications that do not meet 바카라사이트 Immigration Rules will be refused.¡±

john.morgan@tesglobal.com