Overseas students are having their UK visa applications needlessly turned down

The British government is under attack after recent changes to its overseas student visa application process has led to many such students having their UK visa applications needlessly rejected.

The situation has arisen after the government introduced a new points-based system for allocating UK visas to all international students. This system came into practice, replacing the old one, in March 2009.

But the new system has confused foreign embassies who have been applying the rules inconsistently and wrongly turning away students. These students have simply taken their skills and money elsewhere.

The knock on effects for the economy and universities are obvious. Economists say that one foreign student is worth eight tourists. Moreover, selling our educational services overseas is part of export-led growth.

For UK universities the impact is even more adverse. Overseas students are worth up to four times more money than national students. British students also lose out as overseas students cross-subsidise British ones.

UK immigration is currently is the second biggest importer of overseas student next to the US.