STORY OF INTEREST: UK introduces tougher rules for foreign students

Foreign students from outside Europe wanting to come to the UK to study will be required to meet stricter entry criteria.  The new regulations will ensure that students studying below degree level have a limited ability to work in the UK and that their dependants cannot work in the UK.

The new measures for students which will affect Vincentian nationals wishing to come to the UK to study include:

* restricting the lowest-level courses (A levels and equivalent) to only the most trusted institutions;

* student studying below first degree level or on a foundation degree course will only be able to work 10 hours during term time;

* a ban on bringing in dependants for anyone studying a course for less than six months; and

* a ban on dependants of anyone studying a course lower than foundation or undergraduate degree level from working- they will face removal from the UK if found doing so.

In addition, the new measures will include:

* a ban on foreign students studying below degree level courses which includes a work placement – unless that course is being provided by a university, college or training provider which has the status of ‘highly trusted sponsor’;

* a requirement for students to demonstrate their English language ability by passing an approved secure test – this will apply to all students studying below (foundation) degree level, including those coming to study English language; and

* the introduction of tougher criteria for defining which course providers count as ‘highly trusted sponsors’ of foreign students. It is expected that all publicly funded universities and colleges will count as highly trusted.

The UK authorities will ensure that there is a rapid but rigorous system for ensuring that private training colleges can also gain that status as soon as possible.

These changes are part of a radical overhaul of the student system which began last year. Since March 2009, the British government has required all foreign students to be sponsored by a college licensed by the UK Border Agency, and to demonstrate that they can support themselves while in the UK before being granted a visa.

Also since March, any college or university wanting to bring in international students must be accredited and licensed.

The Home Secretary’s written ministerial statement about the student changes can be downloaded from – http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/news/wms-tier-4-student

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21 Comments

  1. en ba la
    February 27, 2010

    @ A True Dominican/GrandBayrian in the u.s.a – where are you/ and if not in Dominica why have you not returned? Just throwing all the questions in.

    I worked my skin out in Dominica, took out a loan went to study in US came back during my break – I worked again for the months I was home – put in a scholarship application – saw those who put in applications, those already in the US got money – I am working at the office did not get ONE PENNY.

    Do you know what I was told – I am studying accounting therefore I will not come back. MY TRUE INTENTIONS WERE TO RETURN to Dominica becasue I was in an appointed post.

    Came back to US completed my education got the opportunity to stay here so I did. I am not twisting anybody’s arm but patriotism DOES NOT PAY MY STUDENT LOAN. I had it at first really bad but lost it.

  2. A True Dominican/GrandBayrian in the u.s.a
    February 25, 2010

    Hi Dubiqois,
    I would ike you to know that I am not carrying slavery on my shoulders. Because of my past I am able to venture into the future, teach my child who he is so that he will not get a rude awakening in the future. Why is it that every other race know and appreciate their history except us as black people? The answer my people is due to a lack of information and us wanting to forget the past. My past thrusts me into the future as I continue to change and ajust along the way cautiously and knowledgeably.

    We are all entiltled to our opinions and I don’t expect everyone to agree with the information that I have shared. In anycase there is truth to what I have shared.

    Peace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  3. Dubiqois
    February 24, 2010

    This is just a shift in the paradigm of immigration as a result of globalization and the current political climate. Every country has a sovereign right to create and enforce its rules and regulations as it see fit. This is no different than the U.S. changing its immigration regulations to include e-Verify to monitor who is eligible to work in the U.S, or creating the SEVIS system to monitor foreign students.

    Why are we belly-aching about the rules instituted or enforced by another country? Although I agree with some of the things that Grandbayrian is saying, I totally disagree with the political rhetoric that is being used to further your political idealogy/agenda. Stop carrying the load of slavery on your shoulders, man. It is important to not forget where you came from; but it is also vitally important to lighten your load so that you may carry yourself, children, family, and friends into the future. You cannot live in the past and have a clear mind for the future, because your angst will hinder your future success. It is only important to remember the past so as to strengthen your future. You seem to be somewhat archaic and neolithic in what you a saying. Maintain your history, change the world. you cannot foster change with you approach.

    If you own a home, and you institute a rule that says you do want your neighbor to come into you yard, what right does the neighbor have to tell you that you should dismantle your rule? I am black, and proud to be Dominican, just as you are; however, I believe that my success in this world is contingent on getting the best education and creating a life rich with experiences, and having the blue sky approach towards life.

    I still respect your point of view. I just disagree with it.

  4. G
    February 24, 2010

    I am a masters student at a Uk university, and I did my undegrad degree at UWI, to be completely honest my professors here in the UK are a lot more helpful and approachable than my professors at UWI. There are also more opportunities here for students encountering hardship than at UWI. I agree that we should return to build our own countries and establish world class institutions of higher learning, but some of our regional academics forget that education is a business and that they are providing a service and must provide their ‘customers’- the students, with proper service for their hard earned tuition fees.

    The reason the Uk border agency is taking such stringent measures is to ensure that the scam artists who try to beat the system and enter the Uk under the guise of study only to take up illegal residence are prevented from entering their country. And believe me people have been inventing educational institutions and sponsors just to get into the UK. We really cannot fault them for protecting their borders.

  5. gay and proud
    February 23, 2010

    Stigma-in I am saying after you go UK and make all your money, you telling people to come back home., Well go home by yourself..

  6. Sout Man
    February 23, 2010

    No surprise there. It was always a punishable CRIME to teach a “negro”, or any indigenous people for that matter, how to read and write. This has been the legacy of slavery and colonialism and one of the causes for which Rev. Martin Luther King died. The sixties (60’s) era is recent history folks. Forget the myth of the abolition of slavery in 1834, 1863 or whatever date the British, French, Spanish or Americans wish to adopt.

  7. james
    February 23, 2010

    @true dominican
    the color of your skin has nothing to do with the level of development of your brain.

  8. sigma-1n
    February 23, 2010

    GrandBayrian in the u.s.a thanks for the web sites, they are good.

  9. A True Dominican/GrandBayrian in the u.s.a
    February 23, 2010

    Candid,

    I know the feeling. I have been there. Some of the U.S. students do not deserve the grades that they get but because of skin tone many of them even get a higher grade than othe students who have worked so hard to obtain their grades. The injustice that goes on in these univerdsities is pathetic. Because we as Caribbean people have good study habits and good work ethics we are able to surpass these students and they wonder, ” how do you do so well? They are also quick to say that we have an accent as though we can’t speak English. We as Caribbean people are blessed to be so knowledgeable because we study the world before we travel. That is, Geography is part of what we study as school. There was someone who asked me whether Dominica is in Africa. We just have to continue to fight for what is rightfully ours and unite as a people. We must continue to encourage each other in what ever way we can and develope our islands in unity. There is strength in unity.

    I also want to say to Starseed, that I love people but that does not mean that I am a fool.

  10. A True Dominican/GrandBayrian in the u.s.a
    February 23, 2010

    To you, Starseed, I am proud to be an African because I know my history. I was not taught who I am at any institution but I had to do my own research. One does not have to be a racist or black power to know , speak and tell the truth. I refuse to let another person tell me who I am when there is information out there that tells me about my history. My, our history as black people does not begin after Christopher Columbus visited Dominica. Our history goes back to Africa before the Europeans invaded that great land, the cradle of civilization. It is one thing to read the trurh by another thing to accept and apply it. I am proud of my ancestry and my history and that makes a great difference. Someone said, when you don’t know who you are, you will believe everything. I truly do not believe everything that was said about us as a people. Such as third-world and monority. Everything that has been told about us isa lie and in the reverse. Do you know that there was not even a Europe? That civilization was formed when Africas migrated. There is so much to be known about us as a people that it wii take years to undo the harm that has been done to us as a race of people. Did you know that every other race came from Africa? You need to visit the websites that I shared regardless of your race. I am black and I am proud and that’s the way it is.

    Peace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  11. Anonymous
    February 23, 2010

    this has been indirectly happening for a while now… had to come out sooner or later. Too many people trying to “beat the system”…

  12. sigma-1n
    February 23, 2010

    To Gay and Proud:

    I don’t understand what you are talking about. Can you please make make yourself clear. You seem to be hinting at some gay issue how does that fit into what we are dealing with here?

    I am not interested in any gay problem.

  13. 100% Dominican
    February 23, 2010

    One of the reason why England is taking these measures is because in the past a lot of individuals have been using student visas to gain entry into the country but their main aim was to live and work there.We really need to start building our universities here in the Caribbean or doing things to make UWI more affordable to help with this problem.

  14. gay and proud
    February 23, 2010

    Stigma In ! go back to the misery and stigma associated to those that are different like gay persons . Gay person looking for any door out of Dominica.

  15. gay and proud
    February 23, 2010

    Never liked the uk anyways ! whatever to that !

  16. Dominican lover
    February 23, 2010

    Grandbarian you speak the truth, time for black people to go home and use our intellect, write our books, evelope our educational system, time for us to take pride in our achievements and stop seeing others as better than ourself. Let us rise and shine, with the brand new feeling.Lift up our heads, our redemption draweth nigh.

  17. February 23, 2010

    I think it’s good. Too many caribbean nationals rushing overseas, saying they studying and never come back to develop their country. instead they staying and endure racism, marginalization. ostracism.

    Alot of the times British people are not racist per se, but they are somewhat puzzled. They never understand why we caribbean people would leave our warm shores to endure the freezing cold.

  18. Starseed
    February 23, 2010

    Grandbayrian, not sure you can write ‘I am not a racist, but this is just the truth’ – does that make sense with what you’ve written? Whatever the case you are definately ‘black power’ – which is a bit racist – a bit like ‘white power’ would be racist. And it’s not really helping what’s going on – it’s not about skin tone, it’s about working together to help each other. Those who rise above that nonsense will succeed, and everybody is going to end up ‘coffee coloured’ in the end anyway… best get used to it now!

  19. Candid
    February 23, 2010

    I can identify with your ‘Grandbayrian in the USA. I am also attending a US university and trust me, they don’t like us. I personally can identify with being one of the best students in my class but being looked down on because of where I come from. This is mostly from my fellow students who I believe are jealous but the professors are very encouraging. I have arrived where I am because of hard work and dedication so I don’t know why people act like that!

    I really believe that we should rise about all of that and try to implement our own institutions and forms of study. It is amazing that my present professors are actually more cooperative and encouraging that those I had back home in Dominica, as well as the government in Dominica. As a student who did well all my life I was never given the push or help I needed in my own country and had to work for years, take a loan and do it on my own. It is sad but true! We need to rise above these circumstances!!!

  20. sigma-1n
    February 23, 2010

    GRANBAYRIAN in the usa, that is truly enlightened thoughts you are sharing with us. If all of us think on that level then some serious progress will take place.

    I use to be a student in England. I still live in London now, but I am trying to make my way back home to Dominica. If our aim, as a people, is to develop our own knowledge base then our own land is the best place to do it. I only realized that through living in England.

  21. A True Dominican/GrandBayrian in the u.s.a
    February 23, 2010

    I believe that as Caribbean people we need to join together to build more of of our own educational institutions so that our students can study in our home lands. It is good to broaden our horizons by traveling but sometimes we as foreigners are looked down upon by these so-called developing countries. There is a lot of racism at these universities and we as black people are sometimes a threat to some of these European students. We must realize that as black people we have a more developed brain than any other race that exists on the palnet. We must have, and continue to have our own and stop depending on other people to do things for us. Here are some very important websites that every black person should look up. realhistoryww.com and hyperhistoryonline.com

    The Euro-Gentile era has come to an end and these people are trying very hard to fight that. Can’t we all see what’s happening globally? Every institution that they created is under attack. The forces of nature are even out of control. There is a song that says “signs of the times are everywhere, there’s a brand new feeling in the air.” We must wake up as a people and take our God- given rights from the slave masters who have ruled over us for centuries. I am not a racist but this is just the truth.

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