London: Amidst renewed calls to the David Cameron government to review recent curbs on student visas, the British universities have reported a significant fall in applications for courses from India for the forthcoming academic year starting September-October.
The actual scale of fall in students from India and other non-EU countries will be clear by September, when students arrive to start their courses, but lesser number of applications received by April-May suggests that international students may be looking elsewhere. Britain faces stiff competition mainly from Canada and Australia to attract high fee-paying international students.
The challenge has increased as changes to the student visa regime in the UK particularly the closure of the post study work visa have been reported widely in countries such as India and Nigeria. According to The Sunday Times, universities are seeing falls of more than 30 per cent in applications from India in the first signs that foreign students are being put off coming to Britain by the government's crackdown on migration.
Universities UK (UUK), the umbrella body representing 134 higher education institutions, has warned the prime minister that universities could lose between 5 to 8 billion pounds every year due to the restrictions put in place as part of plans to curb visa abuse and net immigration.
Prof Eric Thomas, chairman of UUK, says in a letter to Cameron that in China and India, Britain is seen as putting up barriers to entry, and added: The UK seems to be telling the world that it doesn't welcome international students.
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