Navin Pokharel

Left with two options—either join a new university within the next 60 days or return to their countries—foreign students affected by the UK government’s decision to revoke visa sponsorship programme for international pupils are in a real fix. While students pursuing studies in the London Metropolitan University (LMU) are up in arms against the move, one Nepali student said he is planning to take the UK government to court over the matter.

On Wednesday, the UK Border Agency (UBA) stripped the LMU of its right to sponsor visas for students from outside the EU, saying the varsity lacked the capacity to be a proper sponsor. Surya Prakash Bhatta of the National Union of Students told the Post on Friday that a group of students staged a demonstration outside the residence of British Prime Minister David Cameron at 10 Downing Street on Thursday.

Shreya Poudel, the student union president of Middlesex University, said the move to bar the visa sponsorship was impractical. Poudel said other universities have also supported the protest as the government decision could affect thousands of internationalstudents in the future.

The future of around 3,000 students from non-EU countries, including around 500 from Nepal, hang in the balance after the UBA decided to cancel the LMU programme. Enrollment in a new university in the UK costs at least 10,000 Pound Sterling, which is a huge amount for an international student, said Bibek Pokharel, an MSc computing student.

“Moreover, two months’ time is very little to find a new university. The government generalised the matter by taking the case of a few students. I am thinking about dragging theUK government to court on mental harassment charges,” he said.

Although the LMU has said it will refund the admission fees, an official decision has not been taken. The UBA, meanwhile, has assured support for “genuine students” in finding a new university.

UK Minister of State for Universities and Science, David Willetts, said a taskforce will be formed to help students who have been “affected without having committed any wrong.”

“We are under great stress right now. As the academic session in most universities start from late September, getting admission is going to be very difficult,” said Yuvaraj Baral, a PhD Public Health student. He said he had only five months to complete his studies.

President of the National Union of Students Liam Burns vented his ire on the government and claimed that the international studentswere being made victims of politics.