December 18, 2017, by Liz Cass
Nottingham pilots plan for easier foreign student visas
The University of Nottingham is to take part in a pilot scheme which should make it easier for some foreign students to get visas or find permanent work in Britain.
It is among 23 universities which will join the plan for Masters students with others joining as quickly as possible.
A spokesperson for the University said: “We are delighted to have an opportunity to take part in the extended Tier 4 visa pilot project which will bring benefits for our international applicants and students.
“Our international students boost the UK economy and support jobs. They also increase our cultural diversity and enrich the learning environment for all students at UK universities.”
The pilot will streamline the process for courses of 13 months or less. International students will apply for so-called Tier 4 visas.
Students from countries within the European Union and European Economic Area do not need visas to study in the UK although it is still not clear what position they will be in after Brexit.
However, students from the United States and the Far East could benefit.
The UK government says the pilot also provides greater support for students who wish to switch to a work visa and take up a graduate role as it allows them to remain in the UK for six months after they have finished their course – compared with four at present.
Chief Executive of the Russell Group Dr Tim Bradshaw said: “International students enrich the learning environment on our campuses, enable local businesses to connect globally and bring huge economic benefit to the UK. For every 7 international undergraduate students at a Russell Group university, £1 million is added to the economy.
“The extension of this pilot is good news. It offers students a streamlined visa application and expands our post-study work offer. This will help attract students to study here and enable the UK to benefit from talented international graduates. We hope to see this scheme rolled out more widely as soon as possible to those universities that can demonstrate high levels of compliance with the visa regulations.”
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