UK Attempts to Retain the Best International Students

Under continuing criticism the UK government begins to back-pedal in its attempt to reform the UK’s approach to international students.

Staying to work in the UK after studying as an international student has been a contentious issue in UK domestic politics in the last 12 months. With the UK government panicking about increasing unemployment it was decided early last year that the Tier 1 (Post-study work) visa route would have to be closed in April 2012, this visa allowed students to stay in the country to work for up to 2 years before returning home and was a key part of the attraction to the UK for large numbers of international students worldwide.

The UK higher education sector, a long-standing world leader in attracting and educating international students has been outspokenly unhappy with these measures since they were announced in spring 2011 but only now has the government looked to water-down the legislation.

Alongside the current Tier 2 (Skilled worker) visa route, which allows international students to stay in the country to work if they have been offered a job with a salary above £20,000, the government will also be allowing an additional 1,000 international (non-EU) students to stay in the UK after studying if they are looking to start their own business and have £50,000 to invest.

Competition for international students from Australia would have been a big influence on this as in recent months the Australian government has begun several initiatives to increase their own international student population, one of which – exploring the possibility of student loans for international students- is discussed in another of our articles this month.

For more information about the UK as a study destination please visit our Study in the UK directory.

Answers to 10 common student visa questions can be seen in this article.

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Source: timeshighereducation.co.uk