Dear Friends/Marafiki
The attached press release has an important announcement about new rules, being announced today in London, for student visas to the UK. From now on Tanzanian students will need to study at an approved UK institution. I hope that you can find space to inform Tanzanian students about this change through your outlets.
More information can be found at: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/studyingintheuk/
With thanks and regards
John Bradshaw
Head of Political, Press & Projects Section
British High Commission
Dar es Salaam
Tel: +255 (0)22 2110101
Mob: +255 (0)754 764276
Fax: +255 (0)22 2110102
Website: ukintanzania@fco.gov.uk
Visit our blogs at blogs.fco.gov.uk
31 March 2009
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Before reaching the United Kingdom, students need to prove they have a place at a licensed education provider, that they can financially support themselves, and must provide their fingerprints to the UK Border Agency.
The Government is determined that the new route benefits talented, legitimate students making the most of Britain's world-leading educational institutions.
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said:
"These new measures make sure people who come here to study - and the people who teach them - play by the rules."This new tier of the points based system allows us to know exactly who is coming to the UK to study and crack down on bogus colleges."I have made it clear that I will not tolerate either the fraudulent applicants trying to abuse Britain's immigration rules, or the dodgy colleges that facilitate them. However Britain will always welcome legitimate students who are coming here to receive a first-rate education."
Professor Mary Ritter, Pro Rector, International Affairs at Imperial College London said:
"International students play a big part in making Imperial the dynamic and exciting place it is, and we feel very fortunate that so many motivated, highly talented people from around the world want to pursue their studies here."It's vital that, while taking appropriate border control measures, we don't make it difficult for these students to come to the UK. For that reason we are very pleased that the Government has decided to extend the maximum length of the Tier 4 visa from the planned four years to cover the complete duration of a student's course. This will be particularly helpful for medical students."We also welcome moves to make the system simpler for institutions and students."
Today also sees a raft of other immigration controls come into force to ensure immigration is managed for the benefit of Britain. Today the UK Border Agency will:
- introduce wider new categories of foreign nationals required to apply for an identity card containing their facial image and fingerprints. Identity cards will securely lock foreign nationals into one identity and help businesses crack down on illegal working;
- be even more selective through the points-based system for foreign workers by ensuring that employers must have advertised skilled jobs for two weeks in a Jobcentre Plus before they can offer it to a foreign worker, and raising the bar for highly skilled migrants through Tier 1. This shows that in these difficult times the bar has been raised for highly skilled migrants; and
- start increasing visa fees to provide a pot of cash which will go towards the Migration Impact Fund. The Government confirmed earlier this month that this fund, worth £70 million over two years, will be implemented to help deal with the impacts of migration on a local level. This money will be made available to local service providers across the country, including police, schools and hospitals.
