In late January, the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, made a move which aims to significantly reduce the amount of time foreign students are allowed to live and work in the UK after graduation. The permitted amount of time will go from two years to six months. 

The government’s change in policy is linked to broader Conservative changes to the UK’s immigration system. For example, the governments ‘point based immigration system’, which was introduced in 2020, allocates points to those looking to work, move or study in the UK based on several factors, for example, English proficiency, and having a PhD. 

The student visa plan originated in November 2022, coinciding with evidence being published which showed that net migration to the UK was at an all time high. Braverman has defended her stance in Parliament, citing the fact that it is not in the UK’s economic interest to let students come to the UK to study what she suggests are poorly taught courses. She said: ‘I do think we do get to a point where we have to look at some of the courses that people are doing in this country, some of the institutions, they are not always very good quality,’.

Current education secretary Gillian Keegan  however, has argued differently when at the Education select committee by denying the suggestion that the Department of Education was considering restricting the numbers of international students coming to UK universities. As the government’s plans for immigration evolve and continue it will become more clear whether the department of education will have to restrict the flow of international students. 

The new policy has received significant backlash. The UK Universities in the Russell Group have taken a hard stance against this policy, stating that ‘Proposals that limit or restrict that asset would be a mistake, damaging local economies and contradicting the Government’s own International Education Strategy. It also sends the wrong signal about the UK on the global stage. Worse, it is free marketing for our competitors in Australia, Canada and the US.’ 

Most UK universities receive significant amounts of foreign students, mainly coming from nations like China and India, but also the United States and Canada. A large part of funding for many UK universities comes from foreign students who are subject to higher fees than UK students. Save the student estimates that, on average, foreign students pay between £34,200 and £203,676 for a three-year non-medical degree. 

A study in the UK showed that there are currently over 600,000 foreign students studying in UK universities, with over 140,000 of these coming from China. The economic effects of this policy could pose issues for universities which rely on funding from foreign students as the government may not be  willing or able to fill the funding gap which could open if student visas are cut. It has also been suggested that the policy could damage the UK economy more broadly. This is because, by cutting back the time graduates can stay in the UK, the government will create a situation where some fresh graduates will be unable to seek out work and put money back into the UK economy.

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