London Universities Launch Campaign to Welcome Int’l Students Amid New Policies

Universities in London have launched a campaign to remind international students that they are welcome to study at these institutions.

The ‘Study London’ campaign by London Higher, the organization representing the capital’s higher education institutions, comes amid restrictions on international students imposed by the UK government earlier this year, Erudera.com reports.

Diana Beech, Chief Executive Officer of London Higher, said the campaign aims to bring back the confidence that London is a welcoming and safe city, among other things.

“Study London’ is about using the best tool the UK has – the draw of its capital city and world-leading higher education institutions – to boost its international competitiveness. We will see it as a success not only if this campaign sees more students applying to London, but also to universities right across the UK,” Beech said in a statement.

Former Universities Minister Lord Johnson of Marylebone also commented on the move, saying that studying in London means becoming part of a community that offers opportunities for “growth, innovation and discovery,”

At the beginning of this year, the UK government announced some rules for international students in an attempt to reduce levels of migration in the country. Since January, most international students have been unable to bring family members to the UK.

According to government estimates, tough action on student visas will result in a decline of about 300,000 people entering the UK. In the first quarter of 2024, the number of applications by student dependents decreased by 80 percent, while there were 26,000 fewer student visa applications compared to the same timeframe last year.

Last month, the Home Office announced new proposals aimed at ensuring students come to the UK only for education and do not use their visas as a gateway to immigration. However, the government decided to keep post-study work rights (the Graduate Route) in place but said it will also be “under review.”

“It comes as the latest statistics published by the ONS show net migration has dropped by 10 percent since 2022. These figures do not take into account changes made by the government, which are expected to bring migration down further. The latest figures since the changes came into effect show a 25% drop in visa applications,” the Home Office said while announcing new proposals that will further crackdown on student visas.

The decision to maintain the Graduate Visa came after the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) found no evidence of route abuse. Under the Graduate Route, international students can stay in the UK after graduation for at least two or three years for PhD students.

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