I am an international student and completed a Masters in Clinical Neuropsychology at the University of Sheffield last year.
I saw this achievement as a testament to the inclusivity of global education, and was thrilled to be invited to attend this month’s graduation ceremony.
To my dismay, my visa application to attend was rejected for unclear reasons. To make matters worse, the current system deprives me of the right to appeal.
International students like me invest so much in our education, only to encounter barriers that undermine the principles of equity and accessibility that higher education aspires to uphold. We contribute significantly to the UK’s academic, economic and cultural fabric, but the system risks isolating us at a time when strengthening global links must be a priority.
Free Zone, Kosovo
First, congratulations on your achievement. I was devastated to learn that you were banned from your graduation ceremony, and I suspect others will be in the same predicament if their student visas expire before they graduate.
Rejection letter from Home office It states that you have declared in your application that your father will fund your seven-day trip to the UK, but have failed to provide satisfactory evidence of his personal and financial circumstances.
UK immigration rules require applicants for visitor visas to prove that they have sufficient funds to support their stay. She says bank statements were provided showing your father could cover the costs of food and accommodation for a week, but officials concluded that “on the balance of probabilities” you were applying for a visitor visa under false pretenses and intended to stay illegally once you arrived in the UK.
As you met the requirements when you were accepted onto the 12 month course, this was confusing and I asked the Home Office if they could provide any additional information.
“International students who return to the UK for their graduation ceremonies are always welcome to celebrate their achievements,” she says. However, visitors must still meet requirements under immigration rules and, where necessary, we may require further evidence to support applications.
This seems to be the case. However, hours after I spoke with administrators, and two days before the ceremony, you were called and informed that you could travel after all, and you graduated in style earlier this month.
The Interior Ministry refused to explain this shift. I asked the UK Council for International Students whether your plight was common, but it declined to comment. As did UK universities.
However, Zina Luchoa, a partner at the law firm Laura Devine Immigration, says you are far from alone, and things are getting worse.
“We are seeing a general increase in inquiries from individuals whose visitor visa applications have been rejected,” she says. “Students are likely to face additional challenges if they cannot prove that they have a home, assets, job or family ties and commitments that would convince a Home Office social worker that they are leaving the UK.
“Evidence of a graduation ceremony alone will not usually be convincing enough for a caseworker to approve the request.”
I would be interested to hear from any other students who are prohibited from graduating in person.
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