The immigration minister, Damian Green, angered college principals when he said earlier this year that students from outside the EU applying for FE colleges weren't necessarily "the brightest and the best". He wanted to crack down on "bogus colleges". Then came the announcement, at the end of last month, that the government is considering plans to restrict the number of overseas students coming to the UK by around 87,000, and particularly those studying courses "at below degree level", where the home secretary, Theresa May, claims abuse is common.
Some college chiefs have spent months compiling evidence and filling out reams of paperwork in order to achieve Highly Trusted sponsor status from the UK Border Agency (UKBA), which rates education and training providers according to their track record for monitoring overseas students.
The Association of Colleges (AOC) is encouraging all college leaders to respond to the proposals during the eight-week consultation due to be launched this month. We asked a few what they will be saying.
Lynne Sedgemore, executive director of the 157 group of colleges
The situation is outrageous. Publicly funded colleges go to great lengths to ensure they recruit the right kind of students, so lumping them in with bogus colleges is an unjustified slur. The government simply hasn't thought through the implications for bona fide colleges, some of which rely on international students for up to 10% of their income. Not only are they having to contend with funding cuts, and the loss of the education maintenance allowance – which may also have an impact on student numbers – they also stand to lose out on a significant proportion of their income. As a group of colleges, we are usually fairly moderate, but we are determined not to stay quiet on this issue.
Angela O'Donoghue, principal at City of Sunderland College
I can understand why the government wants to restrict bogus entry to the UK, but why punish colleges that have an excellent track record on monitoring overseas students? It's a complete overreaction. If the government wants to restrict the number of students coming into the country, all it needs to do is say it will only grant visas to students at colleges known to the UKBA as trusted sponsors.
The government seems to have this idea that students are flooding into the country to study at FE colleges, then "disappearing" so they can work. Well, none of my students disappear. We monitor our students from the day they enter the country to the day they leave. If we can't get hold of them for a few days, we inform the UKBA. That's why we have Highly Trusted sponsor status.
I have written a letter to immigration ministers outlining my concerns, which is to be sent out on behalf of the 157 group.
John Stone, chief executive, the Learning and Skills Network
On the one hand, you've got ministers such as John Hayes saying the UK has to up its skills game to compete on the world stage; on the other, you have this threat to a significant and potentially lucrative income stream for colleges.
Vocational training is not very well developed overseas. Most colleges would have little trouble making the case for how their international work benefits the UK economy, offering high-quality vocational and English language training that is not available elsewhere.
Catherine Vines, Ealing, Hammersmith & West London College
Our international students pay around £6,000 a year for pre-university courses. Most go on to pay up to £10,000 a year for undergraduate degrees. So if the government makes drastic cuts to visas, that is going to have a significant impact on the economy.
Because colleges are closely monitored by Ofsted and have to meet government targets for the "success rates" of their students, we keep detailed records on attendance. I'm not sure universities could say the same, which is why it is puzzling that FE looks likely to be hit the hardest.
And if they are going to make bigger cuts in visas for "below degree-level" courses, are they just going to pick on FE colleges? Or are they also going to turn away the children of ambassadors and diplomats who send their children to exclusive private schools for A-levels?
John Mountford, international director of the Association of Colleges
The problem is that the word college isn't protected. The colleges and sixth-form centres we represent have an ethical approach to recruiting overseas students, and are highly monitored to achieve government targets, so it's just not accurate to talk about them alongside the "bogus colleges" the government is keen to clamp down on.
Shelagh Legrave, principal of Chichester College
We stand to lose around £5m of our annual income, which would be disastrous. We work in partnership with Bath and Chichester universities providing level 3 courses (equivalent to A-level) and foundation years for international students that help them to acquire the skills they need for higher education. If they didn't come to us, they wouldn't be ready for university.
Steve Caley, vice-principal of Cambridge Regional College
The government's argument seems to be that overseas students are coming over to work, but students at this level rarely have the language skills to find employment. Higher education students do, so why is this group not being hit so hard? The government has also overlooked the economic benefit. In a city like Cambridge, international students pump an awful lot of money into the local economy. While other countries do their best to look attractive to overseas students, the UK seems to be doing its best to put up barriers.
Comments in chronological order (Total 5 comments)
7 December 2010 10:23AM
He is correct this applies to my Country Also Australia, we have had International students primarily from Indian using the Universities pay an outrageous amount to do Cooking Classes I will say this again, WE DO NOT need 200,000 cooks in Australia its a Sham from them to bypass the VISA restrictions we have, thank god they woke up and cut this loophole at the knees.
7 December 2010 10:31AM
How does reducing overseas students significantly reduce net immigration? Apart from those who might stay in Britain after their education (via marriage or work-related visas), they don't contribute to net immigration at all (they come, and then they leave again). Cutting their numbers will give a short term reduction in the "net immigration" figure as people finishing courses leave and aren't replaced, but once the change has worked it's way through the system then the figures would go back to their previous level.
A quick google indicates that home office figure show that only 15% of those who entered as students in 2004 remained in the UK after studying (source: http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/).
So only 15% of the reduction can be seen as "real", the rest is just a short term adjustment.
7 December 2010 5:20PM
I disagree,
some colleges ignore taking responsibility for students especially oversea students, that put them in a very bad situation.
Those students can not even get a VISA but they are still staying in UK to help UKBA and those college together,
student did exactly following UKBA's request to contact college , but college turned down the student , and this student has to contact UKBA by its own , then finally has to ask MP to sort out. because college just avoid the student , even now try to avoid UKBA and MP
so may I ask , who is the final victim , college or students? and why ?
if the system can not be put in practising then it should not never be done . because it is so not fair for student staying in UK wait for their visa to be granted , but due to college 's fault them those students have to stay here with no study no visa ,
who we should blame who we should ask for ?
8 December 2010 5:12PM
Why isn't the use of the term "college" restricted to institutions regulated and licensed by the Association of Colleges or another reputable organisation? In my part of West London so-called "colleges" are often popping up in office blocks, only to disappear within a year or two. Better regulation of the term "college" would help to keep the brand from being damaged by these fly-by-night fraudsters.
9 December 2010 2:38PM
because uk government is not focus one realistic
people who work on their position only care about their own salary , who will care those poor students? will you/
and media , news don 't take this fact seriously.
to be honest , i am an oversea student , and i have been staying in uk for nearly two years with no visa no school, and ukba , college and even MP know about this .
what else i can do?
they can only keep you waiting , by doing those post letters with lots of time involed . even you asked mp to help , useless.
and i want media discover this but no reply .
the only thing i am sure they will pay attention , which is if i kill myself in a public area , then people will wake up