Could Brexit Prevent Overseas Students from Enrolling at UK Unis?

Brexit has been on all of our minds recently, but just how much of a negative impact is it actually going to have on our lives? Well, North East Universities now fear that quitting the European Union could prevent foreign staff and students from enrolling in our universities.

Heads at Newcastle and Sunderland Uni have warned MPs that the UK’s decision to leave the European Unit has given the impression that foreign students are not welcome.

Professor Tony Stevenson, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Newcastle University, said:

“If you look at the immigration policy and the mood music and the perception in markets out there that are receiving all of that, they do not see Britain at the moment as a welcoming place, despite the rhetoric from Government.

“The Government have a narrative of global Britain open for business and we seem to be doing something different in the immigration space for students.”

As well as this, he emphasised the importance of the UK remaining part of the Erasmus+ programme, which helps students afford to study in other countries.

Professor Andrew Wathey, Vice-Chancellor of Northumbria University, also told MPs:

“There are some urgent things still to be resolved and can be quite easily resolved as part of the transition. Those would include confirming the right to reside and work in the UK for EU nationals who currently work here. That would be one.

“Then another would be confirming that EU students starting courses in 2018-19 would continue to be eligible for Student Loans Company funding for the duration of their course, as indeed was confirmed for 2016-17 entrants last year.”

Of course, we don’t know for definite what implication our exit from the European Union will have on education, or in fact any aspect of our everyday lives, but we will soon find out!

What do you think?