UK universities threatened by tougher visa curbs on international students

Universities in the United Kingdom on Thursday called for an increase in tuition fees for domestic students to tackles significant financial deficits after being hit hard on their pockets by tougher visa restrictions on international students.

The president of Universities UK (UUK), which represents 141 British higher education institutions, highlighted that the visa curbs that were implemented last year, impacted all universities.

"There is now a clear choice: we can allow our distinguished, globally competitive higher education system to slide into decline or we can act together," said Sally Mapstone, the principal and vice-chancellor of the University of St Andrews.

According to a House of Commons research paper, the British higher education sector's total income in 2022-23 exceeded £50 billion, primarily derived from tuition fees and grants, AFP reported.

International students usually pay higher tuition fees than domestic students, making them a significant source of income for many institutions.

However, the previous Conservative government, led by ex-prime minister Rishi Sunak, imposed restrictions on overseas student visas, preventing many from bringing their families as part of an immigration crackdown.

In the first four months of 2024, there were 30,000 fewer applications from overseas than in the same period in 2023, according to official statistics, according to AFP.

Universities have been warning for months about the effect on their finances, with fears shortfalls could see them slash courses and force some to the wall.

Mapstone told a UUK conference in Reading, west of London, that the current deficit in the sector was £1.7 billion for teaching and £5 billion for research.

She urged "investment and support" from the government to maintain world-class teaching and research.

Tuition fees paid by domestic students rose from £9,000 to £9,250 a year in 2017 but have been frozen since then, despite inflation.

The head of King's College London, Shitij Kapur, said fees should now be between £12,000 and £13,000.