Stringent Student Visa Rules for UK Now!
New visa rules are more stringent than the previous ones and these new visa norms are to be implemented from April 2012. Despite of strict visa rules, students still want to study in UK to get an ‘exposure to learn new things'. This year in April, the UK government has also declared many changes in the criterion for student visas. But experts said that it will not affect Indian students who want to study in UK. 
In view of that, the Tier 1, or post-study route will be closed from April 2012. It had allowed students to take up low-skilled jobs and they have an access to the job market for two years after completing a course. According to the new rules and regulations, graduates only are applicable for a skilled job, and with a minimum salary of £20,000 a year from a sponsoring employer and on these conditions they would be able to stay on and work. The company should also be registered to accept the overseas workers in the Tier- 2 point system.
There is one more requirement and i.e. a higher level of English language at the B2 level, over that in B1. Now all the UK education institutions who want to be sponsors should have a mandatory accreditation to statutory education inspection bodies.
A UK counselor said that, such changes won't affect the decision of students and else they have two ways through which they can go. First one is to go by the Tier-2 system and another one is the English Test as most of the students fare well in English.
A Mumbai based counselor said that these changes won't impact students' decisions as they look for new avenue and exposure to the newer market and UK was a popular education destination and the situation will remain static followed by the US and Canada.
Some other counselors feel that there might be some fall in demand. There would be a 25%-30% drop in applications but as the outflow of students to UK is more so the fall in demand won't be much. Such stringent norms will only affect the mid-sized universities like Middlesex University and the University of Southampton.
Source: Richha Bhatnagar (Shiksha Team)
More about studying in UK:
- Applying to Higher Education Institutions in UK through UCAS
