London Metropolitan University foreign students Q & A

Why can’t London Metropolitan University (LMU) sponsor non-EU students?

The UK Border Agency has revoked the university’s Highly Trusted Status, which means it can no longer offer places to students outside the EU or continue to teach those already enrolled.

Immigration Minister Damian Green has said a number of failings were found in the way the university dealt with overseas students, including failure to monitor attendance and English language skills.

I’m a non-EU student currently enrolled at LMU, what happens now?

You have 60 days to find another education provider or risk deportation from the country.

You may have to pay tuition fees upfront once again.

London Metropolitan University has said it will assist all current students, will refund all tuition fees paid upfront, and a task force has been set up to help.

I’m a prospective LMU student, not yet in the UK.

If you are applying from outside the EU, you will not be issued a visa to study at London Metropolitan University and will have to apply elsewhere. The university may be able to assist you in this process.

I’m an international student studying elsewhere in the UK, will I be affected?

The UKBA says it has no plans to revoke the highly trusted status of other UK universities.

A register is kept of all institutions which can sponsor international students and it is updated regularly.

LMU is the first university to have its highly trusted status revoked. However, private colleges have been struck off in the past and it is not uncommon for providers to be suspended from time to time while the UKBA investigates certain concerns.

Why is the government targeting international students?

The government believes too many international students come to the UK intending to work rather than study. It says genuine students have nothing to fear.

It has already changed the rules so that overseas students at private colleges can not work during their time in the UK.

Students at universities and publicly funded colleges can work up to a maximum of 20 hours per week during term time.

Is LMU just the tip of the iceberg?

The authorities say it is LMU’s failure to address shortcomings that has led to the revocation of its right to sponsor overseas students.

However, it is an open secret within the higher education sector that overseas students in some institutions have poor English language skills, fail to attend lectures and overstay their visas.

LMU is unlikely to be the only bad apple in a system that has been abused for some time.

Is the government playing politics here?

The government has pledged to reduce net migration by tens of thousands in time for the next election.

Some 280,000 student visas were issued last year, a fall of 21 per cent on 2010. The government said this was evidence of its crackdown on bogus students. However, the figure still represents around 50 per cent of total immigration to the UK.