British Universities Use Overseas Students as Cash Cows

International students announced that British universities, which annually attract students from other countries to study, are using them as cash cows.

A study by The Telegraph showed that the percentage of non-EU students reached 13.5. This is quite a significant figure, given the fact that in 2004 there were only 9 percent of all students. In addition, in some areas, the number of migrants is even higher. For example, a quarter of all future UK engineers are not EU citizens.

However, this fact in itself is not a problem. A recent report revealed a problem: it turns out that international students pay 20 or even 30 percent more for all programs than “natives”. In addition, many of them do not know English at the proper level.

However, there is a possibility that the influx of international students will decrease significantly. The reason for this will be the immigration barrier, because of which many will choose to study in America, Australia or Canada.

The specialist who prepared the report commented on the situation: “So, foreign students now make up 13 percent of all students in our country. There are a number of factors behind this figure, such as the number of students from India.India has been one of the most important sources of students over the past five years, but the influx of students from this country has decreased by 49 percent compared to 2009-2010. All this raises great concerns among specialists about the UK's ability to attract international students. "

In 2011-2012, non-EU students contributed £ 7.2 billion to the UK economy by paying for their tuition, accommodation and entertainment.

Anyway, this report was received with skepticism by the National Union of Students. The union noted that universities often use foreign students as a way to make money, and the Federal Migration Service, when it comes to reducing the number of migrants, first of all pays attention to them. Students thus face great trouble in a foreign country.

Universities spend a lot of time and energy to attract foreign students, and when they arrive, they suddenly encounter something completely different from what they were promised.

“Many universities and student unions organize various activities to make students from overseas feel welcome. But this does not negate the fact that they pay significantly more than students from the UK, and this fee rises every year. "

Many responded to this statement. Chris McGovern, an activist for the accessibility of higher education, expressed the following opinion: “Monetary gain is the main driving force of universities. They need money, and if the government does not fund them enough, then they have to look for funds in other sources. "

“It’s natural to look for students abroad, since such students can really be charged a lot. But it is impossible to determine whether a student will enter according to his ability to pay. "

Nick Hillman, director of the Institute for Higher Education Policy, said: “Higher education is part of the UK's export. It is very strange to accuse universities of allegedly using foreign students as cash cows.we do not blame Jaguar for selling cars to foreigners. We are glad that they buy these cars. We have a very good education, and the world does not mind buying it. "

In response to the fact that almost a quarter of foreign students study engineering, he stated: “This is because we may not have enough young people from England who are qualified enough toengage in engineering and other technical sciences. "

“We need technicians with good qualifications, and we also need to make learning attractive to both men and women.”

“If international students stayed here, we could use their skills in practical work.However, it shouldn't stay hereto be easy. "

Matthew Robb, an expert on higher education, warned that the total number of international students coming to the UK would drop due to the selection process.And this, in turn, can lead to a jump in the cost of education for students from England.

Mr. Robb also added: “It is very difficult to obtain a student visa in our country. The Ministry of the Interior, for example, often creates problems in the initial process of attracting foreign students, but claims there are no problems at all. "

"We are honored to witness the world's first and only spread of higher education all over the world: the number of students coming to study from abroad is increasing in developed and developing countries."

In addition, he explained: “We have already given a part of the higher education market to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, France. And if other countries start actively accepting foreign students, our universities will definitely suffer. "

He said that the decline in the number of international students would mean that UK students will eventually have to pay very high tuition fees. And now international students are sponsoring their education.

"Prestigious universities can also lose their position in the rankings, because they do not invest in research, as they do all over the world, and thus we will lose some of our power and influence."