The United Kingdom Border Agency circulated the following clarification to media reports (and as reported by the Alliance last Friday) regarding changes to its student visa system, noting that the changes are “limited to applications under Tier 4 and so Student Visitors remain unaffected”:

This week changes to Tier 4, the student tier of the United Kingdom’s Points Based Immigration System (PBS), were announced.

The announcement confirmed the findings of a thorough review of the rules for students wanting to study in the UK.

Whilst the changes announced do represent a tightening of the rules for many applicants, they are limited to applications under Tier 4 and so Student Visitors remain unaffected.

Conducted jointly by the United Kingdom Border Agency and the UK Government’s Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, the review was prompted because of concerns about the sharp rise in student applications from some parts of the world and the perception that this category was being used as a route to illegal migration and a backdoor to low skilled economic migration.

The review investigated the areas of concern; and from the findings key areas for change were developed. The UK Border Agency are confident that the changes will actually have a positive impact on Tier 4 Student Visa applicants from the US and Canada who traditionally study in the UK for undergraduate and graduate degrees as well as study abroad programmes.

In particular, for institutions, a Highly Trusted Sponsor (HTS) programme will be developed and introduced in April. This initiative will provide a more efficient service for US institutions operating in the UK and in partnership with UK institutions.

International students are welcome in the United Kingdom. They make a significant contribution to the academic and cultural life of the universities and colleges where they study.

These changes protect the reputation and quality of UK institutions by ensuring that only legitimate students are able to benefit from the courses they offer.

A comprehensive guide to studying in the UK can be accessed through the UK Border Agency website: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/studyingintheuk/.

In addition, please do not hesitate to contact Nick Jariwalla, the UK Border Agency's International Partnerships Manager based in Washington DC, if you wish to discuss any aspect of these proposals in more detail. Nick's e-mail address is Nick.Jariwalla@fco.gov.uk <:Nick.Jariwalla@fco.gov.uk> .