Education agents are charging Indian students more money to secure spots at UK universities ahead of a government ban, which prohibits dependents from entering the country, beginning Jan 1, 2024.  

A near-eightfold rise in the number of family members joining foreign students led prime minister Rishi Sunak to announce the ban earlier this year for those not studying ‘high-value’ degrees under government plans.

A couple paid £30,000 to secure a student visa and a dependent’s visa to travel to the UK together, according to a local newspaper.

With a rise in the number of students accelerating their visa applications to avoid the ban, some universities have opened up applications in November and December, the report added.

Sunak’s announcement followed a sharp rise in study-related visas for dependents of students, which almost doubled from 80,846 in the year ending June 2022 to 1,54,063 in June 2023, accounting for nearly 24% of all sponsored study related visas.

Visa desperation and flow of money

To avoid the ban, one couple entered into a “contract” marriage, where the man agreed to fund his wife’s university education in the UK in return for her sponsoring his dependent visa so he could work in the UK.

He did not have the required academic or language qualifications to enter the UK as a student and ended up paying £30,000 for her tuition, visa and admission fees on top of her expenses.

Rinku Sharma from Ahmedabad sold his agricultural land to pay the education agent £11,000 for his admission in a masters course as well as a dependent visa for his wife.

“It is a one-time investment. Once we get a degree from the UK and work experience, we have a great future both in the UK and back in India,” Sharma told the daily.

Sahil Bhatia, head of Om Visa, a Punjab-based visa consultancy, said he was receiving between 30 and 40 spouse applications a day.

Bhatia said universities like BPP in London, Birmingham and Bedfordshire were taking students in November and December.

International students in UK

According to estimates, international students add £35 billion a year to the UK economy, and 4,90,763 students were given visas last year.

Foreign students and their dependents contributed to the UK economy not just through fees of £10,000 to £26,000 but also via an NHS surcharge of £400 a year for the student and £600 for a dependent, UK-based New Way Consultancy said.

(Source: IANS)

-Edited for style

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