Imperial Lobbies Lords For Our International Students
There are two proposals in the Immigration Bill in particular which affect international students...
There are two proposals in the Immigration Bill in particular which affect international students – the first is the introduction of an NHS fee of up to £200 per year of study, paid before entry into the country. For doctoral research students with families, this could add up to £3000 to their costs of studying in the UK. Although there is a persistent stereotype that all international students are rich, 51% of students claimed it would be a financial struggle to pay this levy.
The second proposal is introducing a fine to any private landlord who doesn’t check the immigration status of their tenants, raising fears that landlords would simply refuse to rent to international students to save them the time and bother. With 29% of international students already saying their fee status makes it difficult to rent accommodation, this change may further restrict access to safe, high quality housing.
One of the most shocking findings of the survey was that the proposed changes would have discouraged 60% of international students from applying to Imperial College London. In the face of an increasingly competitive global market for higher education, the changes could be catastrophic to Imperial as we rely on international students and staff to maintain our status as one of the top universities in the world.
The Immigration Bill was announced on October 10, 2013 and is currently moving through Parliament. It is due to have one final reading in the House of Commons before moving on to the House of Lords in the new year. A survey was put to international students earlier this month to canvas opinion on these issues, and the results of this survey were used to form a paper presented to Union Council by Marissa Lewis, Deputy President (Welfare) on November 12. It was passed unanimously, meaning the Union’s stance on this issue is clear: we oppose any policy that would adversely affect our international students.
Since passing through Council, the successful paper has been making its way through College. Marissa Lewis, Deputy President (Welfare) presented the paper to the Vice Provost’s Advisory Group (Education) and, as a result, has gained the support of Professor Denis Wright, Director of Student Support and Sharon Bolton, Head of International Student Support. Professor Debra Humphries, Vice Provost (Education) is also including the text of the paper in her regular report to the Provost Board taking place today.
The Union is joining with the national campaign of students’ unions from across the UK to call on Parliament to allow international students to be exempted from these proposals. The next step being taken is to lobby the House of Lords, where the Bill will next be debated. The Union is calling for students to add their voices to an open letter to the members of the House of Lords (pictured) who have ties with Imperial. Students can also support the National Union of Students’ campaign by signing their petition and writing to their local MP using an online form.
Whether you are an international student or someone who recognises that international students provide our College with a wealth of talent and diversity that we should be protecting, you can find out details of how to get involved with the campaign here:
