Asked by: Lewis Atkinson (Labour - Sunderland Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of UK Visas and Immigration decision-making in relation to international students on the financial sustainability of UK universities; and how her Department is liaising with the Home Office to help ensure effective cross-government working in this area.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government has been clear that we welcome international students who meet the requirements to study in the UK and positively impact our higher education (HE) sector.
The Office for Students (OfS), the independent regulator of English HE providers, has statutory duties relating to financial sustainability. The government works closely with the OfS to monitor financial risks across the sector.
Ultimately, HE providers are independent from government and as such must continue to make the necessary and appropriate decisions to ensure their long-term sustainability.
All study visa applicants are required to meet the genuine student requirements set out in the Immigration Rules. UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) considers each application on its individual merits. Department officials regularly engage with the Home Office and UKVI to discuss range of issues pertaining to the study visa route.