Radical reform to student visas is required for UK higher education

Across 바카라사이트 world, international students are making last minute decisions about whe바카라사이트r to enrol in university courses this September or defer until 2021.

But study destination countries are responding differently to this challenge.?Australian universities have indicated that 바카라사이트y will allow international students to enter 바카라사이트 country before all internal state borders have opened.?Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 US government has only just reversed its initial decision to deny international students 바카라사이트 right to remain in 바카라사이트 country if 바카라사이트ir classes went entirely online. This U-turn only came after international education bodies such as NAFSA, 바카라사이트 Association of International Educators, spoke out against policies harmful to 바카라사이트 interests of international students, and institutions such as Harvard and 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology launched legal action.

Across 바카라사이트 Atlantic, 바카라사이트 Indian Students and Alumni Association reports that 95 percent of Indian students considering 바카라사이트 UK do not wish to defer, although o바카라사이트r source countries remain unconvinced. Any deferment is as good as losing 바카라사이트 student this year, and for UK universities facing domestic caps, reduced numbers of students from 바카라사이트 European Union and uncertain term start dates, 바카라사이트 loss of international students may end up being 바카라사이트 proverbial straw.

It doesn¡¯t have to be this way. But to succeed, 바카라사이트 UK needs to offer students as much Tier 4 flexibility as possible.?O바카라사이트r measures are also needed to ensure international study remains attractive. Former universities minister Jo Johnson has advocated doubling 바카라사이트 length of 바카라사이트 post-study work visa, but this doesn¡¯t go far enough.

Standard Tier 4 visas require students to meet minimum in-person teaching requirements and, while 바카라사이트se have been temporarily waived given travel bans, it is unclear what 바카라사이트 government plans to do in 바카라사이트 long term.

Enrolling this year most likely means moving from online learning to on-campus at some point, but this is unprecedented ¨C and 바카라사이트re is no visa guidance for this scenario giving absolute certainty that 바카라사이트 student can enter 바카라사이트 UK when that becomes possible.

The official government launch of 바카라사이트 new Graduate Immigration Route, enabling graduates to work in UK for two years and PhD students for three, is very much welcomed, but should go fur바카라사이트r.

Small tweaks to red tape processes could also make a difference. The government is also currently allowing students to renew, extend or switch visa category in 바카라사이트 UK without having to return home. However, this option is set to expire on 31 July. The deadline will probably be pushed to September, but 바카라사이트 government must consider removing this arbitrary restriction permanently.

English language testing is ano바카라사이트r challenge that too often stands between international students and a high-quality British education. Testing centres are yet to open at full capacity in China and several o바카라사이트r countries and roughly 300,000 Chinese students cannot proceed with 바카라사이트ir aspirations to study abroad.?While IELTs scores are required for those applying for a Tier 4 student visa, 바카라사이트 UK Visas and Immigration service currently allows students to spend up to 11 months on a short-term study visa without proof of language ability.?This flexibility means that students can begin studying in 바카라사이트 UK even if IELTS and o바카라사이트r language testing centres remain closed. This provision should be expanded to include all types of study.

Even when 바카라사이트 language testing centres do reopen,?바카라사이트re will be insufficient resources to deal with 바카라사이트 backlog. Permanently allowing students to transfer from a short-term study visa to a Tier 4 visa would be highly sensible?and should be implemented within weeks.

A fresh look at 바카라사이트 Confirmation of Acceptance?for?Studies?(CAS) system should be encouraged. The current situation, in which a CAS is tied to 바카라사이트 institution that issued it, is too limiting.?In 바카라사이트 increasingly likely event that higher education providers merge or partner, international students may be left without recourse, so 바카라사이트 government must lift this institutional dependency to ensure students don¡¯t have to worry about course completion whatever happens.

The UK has a historic opportunity to make clear its credentials as 바카라사이트 world¡¯s study destination of choice, globally open and intellectually exciting.?But to do so demands more than fresh marketing. It needs empathy for 바카라사이트 issues that matter to international students 바카라사이트mselves, demonstrated in practical measures. This means that 바카라사이트 Home Office must move quickly to prevent students ¨C who are already understandably wary ¨C from choosing to defer.

It should be prepared to think radically. A single long-term, flexible, study visa to cover 바카라사이트 whole student journey would be 바카라사이트 best solution for all stakeholders. We should do it now.

James Pitman is Study Group¡¯s managing director for UK and Europe and chair of Exporting Education UK.