Tougher UK student visa norms deterring Indians

United Kingdom, 21st July: UK’s recent decision to toughen visa rules for foreign students has a direct impact on the number of Indians wanting to study in the UK.

According to Lord Henley, the UK Home Office Minister of state, the new rules were aimed to cut misuse of UK student visas by growing number of foreigners.

Effect of UK student visa rules—Although the numbers from India has gone down considerably due to stricter requirements for UK student visas, meanwhile, the overall figures are, more or less, the same, admits Lord Henley.

The change has led to a decline in Indians going to the UK for study purposes.

So, it is a source of solace that foreign students coming to study in UK colleges and UK universities have not reduced in the wake of stricter rules for gaining UK student visas.

Changes aimed to cut abuse of UK student visas--Lord Henley did not hesitate to mention the fact that new rules are, indeed, curbing fake or bogus foreign students wanting to abuse the UK student visa process for coming here.

They are no longer able to use the route of UK student visa for gaining entry to the UK, he affirmed.

He welcomed the changes introduced recently by the UK and said they were quite appropriate and long awaited to help get the UK steer clear of fake students. He further hoped that the rules will not render any damage to the colleges or universities in the UK.

Rules likely to be eased?—Meanwhile, speculations are that the UK Prime Minister David Cameron will ease norms for UK student visas keeping in view the fall in the number of foreign students from India and China.

These two nations are a major source of foreign students coming to study in the UK. And the UK cannot afford to endanger its annual revenue of around £8 billion by losing overseas students due to tougher visa rules.

Sources claim that students hailing from non-EU nations are turning to other nations for studying overseas due to recent tougher rules.

So, the sources close to the PM reveal that a change is in the offing at the earliest.