The Home Office has published new information about changes to the student Visa system, including the news that nearly 500 education providers will no longer be able to sponsor international students.
The measures are part of the government’s continuing drive to tackle abuses of the immigration system by a number of bogus colleges, but they have been challenged by much of the higher education sector.
The news follows a BBC report in October that Tasmac London School of Management was forced to close its doors suddenly, leaving 650 students stranded without a course.
The closure was a consequence of the University of Wales’ decision to withdraw all external degree validation following a BBC investigation into UoW accredited colleges.
Other notable colleges which recently faced closure include London School of Management, London College of Law and Management, Victoria College Nottingham, Fulham and Chelsea College, Gemini College, Boston College of London, London College Wimbledon and Anglian College London.
It is genuine students who are worst affected by the closures, as UKBA regulations mean that students have 60 days to find another UKBA-accredited course provider halfway through their study or face deportation.
