Finland moves towards higher tuition fees for non-EU students
The coalition confirmed it will move towards full coverage of tuition fees for non-EU students, meaning that universities will no longer receive government funding towards the cost of teaching international students. Currently international fees start from €4,000 but non-EU students may soon have to pay more to cover the full costs of tuition under the new measures . The policy was outlined in a document published by Finland’s new government after a month of negotiations between four parties, including the far-right Finns Party. There is no specified date for the changes to come into effect. The education ministry, which initially proposed…
Indian PhD diaspora leaves universities short of recruits
A spike in the number of Indian students going abroad for PhDs is leaving domestic universities short on recruits, according to researchers. Debate about the country’s doctoral diaspora was sparked last month by Upendra Nongthomba, a professor of genetics at the prestigious Indian Institute of Science, in a LinkedIn post expressing disbelief that his lab had received applications from only four aspiring students this year – five times fewer than in recent years. “Last year my group hosted 12 summer project trainees…I would have been happy hosting any one of these bright students to do a PhD in my laboratory. But all of them wanted a foreign PhD,” he wrote.…
INTO launches Gen Z community platform
The INTO Community platform offers students a “seamless experience” to interact and engage with fellow students and faculty in real time regardless of their location. “INTO Community platform elevates student support and success to a whole new level through the power of technology,” John Sykes, CEO of INTO, said in a statement. Students will be able to access resources, events, job opportunities and mentors, as well as gain “personalised advice and assistance” on visa requirements and housing, among other services. “The innovation combines the dynamism and functionality of social media with INTO’s unrivalled knowledge of students’ needs and expectations. This can transform students’ experience…
Adventus raises $20m, as super-agents attract inquiry’s attention
“Ricky understands the impact that education can have on the world, and on the lives of students,” said Ryan Trainor, co-founder of Adventus. “This fits with our vision that studying abroad is more than just education, it’s the start of a new journey.”A federal inquiry into international education has raised concerns that online aggregation sites might be contributing to problematical behaviours, including some non-genuine students.The Australian Financial Review reported last month that there had been sharp increases in the number of Indian students who either arrive in Australia but never step foot in their institution or abandon their course shortly…
visa applications 25% off pre-Covid figures as recovery continues
The figures, released on June 3, are down from the 83,733 approved in the 2019/20 year, but they show recovery from the big drop during the Covid-19 pandemic when the country’s borders were closed. The 2022/23 figures show an uptick in applications from India that were declined. In total, 7,263 study visa applications were granted, compared with the 2,360 from India that were rejected. China saw 18,369 student visas granted in 2022/23, maintaining it as the biggest cohort of international students. The country saw, compared with India, 642 study visa applications be declined. In total, authorities turned down 6,483 study visa applications meaning that India represented more…
3 fixes needed to restore student visa integrity
The 3 fixes needed to restore student visa integrity In recent weeks Australia’s international education sector has rightly faced scrutiny for its integrity problems. Times Higher Education, The PIE, The Guardian and the Sydney Morning Herald have all run stories showing how the visa system is being misused. There are three issues at play. One is the 408 Temporary Activity visa (the Pandemic Event Work visa) which allows students with less than 90 days left on their visa to apply for a 408 visa allowing them to work in Australia for 12 months. Initially the visa was a targeted response,…
US reports a significant spike in student visa refusals for 2022 – ICEF Monitor
Short on time? Here are the highlights: The US rejected 35% of all F-1 student visa applications in 2022 This represents a significant increase in rejection rates compared to previous years Rejections rates for Indian students are higher than average, suggesting that the surging applicant numbers from India play a part in shaping that overall trend New data indicates that the US Department of State rejected 35% of applications last year for F-1 student visas. This is both a notable increase in the overall refusal rate for F-1 applicants, and also considerably higher than the average rate for other non-immigrant…
Report calls for a more diverse foreign student enrolment in the UK – ICEF Monitor
Short on time? Here are the highlights: A UK commission is recommending a sharper focus on data-driven insights to guide the next International Education Strategy for the United Kingdom The UK’s international enrolment growth should not obscure real vulnerabilities in the resilience of the sector, says the “International Education Strategy 2.0” report Weaknesses include lack of diversity in student source markets for the UK and an increasing concentration of international enrolments in one-year master’s programmes The International Higher Education Commission, supported by Oxford International Education Group, has released a bold report presenting data and context about international education delivered by…
Norway puts nail in the coffin on non-EU tuition fees
After months of debate and opposition from many universities in the country, the Labour Party-run government will introduce fees for non-EU students. Some 97 votes were cast by the Storting regarding the “personal payment for citizens from outside the EEA and Switzerland”. An overwhelming 86 were for the introduction, and just 11 were against. “The free principle is hereby buried. It is a sad day for students and for equal opportunities,” said the National Union of Students in Norway leader Maika Marie Godal Dam. “When it really mattered, neither the Socialist Left Party, the Labour Party nor the Center Party…