UK promises post-study work visa for foreign students forced to start university course online

• The international students who enrol in online classes initially for university courses in the UK will also be eligible for the post study work-visa.
  
• “International students present in the UK before 6 April 2021 will still be eligible for the two year Graduate route, if you meet the other requirements of the route, even if you begin your course online before travelling to the UK in person,” the UK government said in an open letter.
  
• The government added that the foreign students will be able to apply for a Tier IV visa soon.
  
• The graduate route, granting the post study work visa for two years, applies to all the international students having UK immigration status, who have completed an undergraduate or higher educational degree from any UK university.

While many top universities have turned flexible with student intake, and are lowering the selection criteria to increase the number of falling foreign students, the UK government is making it easier for its foreign students to study and find jobs in the country — amid the COVID crisis.

Now, the international students who enrol in online classes initially for university courses in the UK will also be eligible for the post study work-visa.

In an open letter to international students, the UK Minister of State for Universities, Michelle Donelan MP together with Education Ministers from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as the Minister for Exports at the Department of International Trade, said that “International students present in the UK before 6 April 2021 will still be eligible for the two year Graduate route, if you meet the other requirements of the route, even if you begin your course online before travelling to the UK in person.”

The UK government also addressed the concerns around the study visa. The foreign students will be able to apply for a Tier IV visa soon. “Despite some COVID-19 disruptions to visa processes and exam timetables, you can still get started with the process. For example, you can familiarise yourself with UK visa requirements and talk to your chosen universities about evidence you may need to supply for a visa application,” the letter said.

This comes after many students who were earlier considering universities abroad now cancelled their plans due to coronavirus. Many universities have shifted to online classes for even full-time courses for the current semester. However, the students are preferring to defer to next year to enroll in the January 2021 batch because they are still unsure of the online model.

“The recent changes to post-study work, which will now be available to international graduates for two years, including those who have undertaken part of their studies online due to COVID-19, is a welcome move. These practical changes and this initiative to directly address international students looking to the UK as a study destination will go a long way to reassuring prospective international students that the UK is still the best destination for their studies,” said Emma Lancaster, CEO of Study Group, which prepares foreign students for university degree programmes.

It will also help to ensure the sector remains competitive and help the joint International Education Strategy meet its education export target, Lancaster added.

The graduate route, granting the post study work visa for two years, applies to all the international students having UK immigration status, who have completed an undergraduate or higher educational degree in science and maths or technology and engineering from any UK university. The move was aimed at allowing students to gain more industry-relevant skills and experience in their chosen field of education.

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