AS A result of pressure from the University and umbrella groups, the government has been forced to backtrack on changes to visa rules that could have caused chaos for overseas students.

Overseas students would have only been granted visas for a maximum of four years under the original proposals, seriously inconveniencing students of subjects such as medicine and architecture.

The Student understands that this measure has now been withdrawn as a result of pressure from the higher education sector.

Students from non-EU countries wishing to study in Britain would also have had to provide evidence of access to funds to pay tuition fees and £8,000-a-year maintenance costs under the new rules. 

This sum has been significantly cut after universities expressed concerns that it would deter overseas students, a vital source of income for many institutions.

Additionally, a 50 per cent increase in visa fees has been announced by the Home Office and UK Border Agency (UKBA), raising the cost from £99 to £145. Universities have complained of 'little or no' consultation before the changes were made, but the Student understands that they have not been able to win any concessions on this issue.

Concerns were raised that the lack of a guarantee of automatic renewal would deter students from applying to Scottish universities in particular, given that the longer length of courses would make universities elsewhere in the UK a lower risk option.

Alan Mackay, Head of the International Office at the University of Edinburgh said “That was absolutely key for us, we felt from the very beginning that there had been an oversight and have pushed through various routes for that to be recognised.”

Efforts in collaboration with Universities Scotland and Universities UK however have paid off, and it has emerged that UKBA will now grant a visa for the entire duration for all courses, following a consultation with universities.

Students will also now only need to provide evidence of access to funds to sustain living costs of £5,400 per year outside and £7,200 per year if they are studying in London, reducing requirements to a more realistic amount and reducing risk of students not being able to meet proposed levels.

Negotiations with the Home Office are ongoing to resolve a number of outstanding issues, including concerns over potentially huge costs of new IT infrastructure and increased administration to provide data required for the visas, and an effective means of communicating to prospective international students the intricacies of visa requirements.

The issue becomes even more significant in light of increased competitiveness within the international student recruitment market, as students become more and more internationally mobile, and non English speaking countries introduce English language programs.

The news was well received by university figures. Alan Mackay told the Student: “If we see ourselves as we’ve been ranked as one of the top 25 universities in the world, that is no small feat.

"If we want to continue to be respected as an international university we need to reflect this in our students and staff, and the UK and university should be seen as welcoming.”

The news was welcomed by overseas students studying at the University. 

Sophie Secaf, a first-year student from Brazil, told the Student “I don’t think that the increased visa fees and bureaucracy would have altered my decision to study in Edinburgh, given that the economic difference would be marginal when considering the total cost of my degree. 

"However, the issue is significant in that such regulations definitely send out an unwelcoming message, especially to those students dependent on sponsorship or scholarships."

Yu Chris Maruyama, a third year student from Hong Kong said: "The main reason I chose to study in the UK was because I took A-levels in school and wanted to continue in the British system, so visa regulations would not really have changed my decision. 

"However if it became exceptionally difficult to obtain a visa, I would have felt as if other countries were slightly more accepting."

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