Press release

MillionPlus welcomes Home Office changes to student immigration rules

15 Jun 2018

MillionPlus, the Association for Modern Universities, has today (15 June) welcomed the Home Office decision to expand the list of countries from which students will be able to benefit from a streamlined application process.

Dr Greg Walker, Chief Executive of MillionPlus, said:

“MillionPlus has consistently pressed for more to be done to make the UK a more attractive place to study for international students and, while today’s announcement is a positive step, there remains ground to make up on our competitor countries. We would urge the government to follow this decision with further reform of Britain’s offer to international students, who are hugely beneficial to the UK and to the regions in which they study.

“Taking international students – a third of whom study at modern universities - out of the migration target would likely boost recruitment of these important and valued students.

“We hope this is the beginning of a move by the government to work with universities to boost this vital export industry, and we are committed to working with the government in this area to meet our shared ambitions.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

  1. MillionPlus is the Association for Modern Universities. More information can be found at www.millionplus.ac.uk
  2. Modern universities: key facts 2018
  3. The Home Office has expanded the list of countries from which students will be able to benefit from a streamlined application process. Students from an additional 11 countries, including China, will be able to provide a reduced level of documentation when applying for their Tier 4 visa
  4. For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact Dan Blows on 020 7717 1658 or email press@millionplus.ac.uk