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UK won't shut the door on UAE students : Experts

Dubai - According to the embassy's spokesperson, over 3,000 students from the UAE are currently studying in the UK

Despite reports of caps on international student visas, the UK will still remain a popular destination of higher education to UAE students, according to experts.

While a recent article in the Guardian highlighted that tougher stance towards overseas students could cost huge loss for UK economy, the British Embassy in the UAE told Khaleej Times in a written statement that "there are no plans to cap the number of international students who can come to study in the UK".

According to the embassy's spokesperson, over 3,000 students from the UAE are currently studying in the UK, and the number is expected to increase.

Gavin Anderson, director of the British Council in the UAE, told Khaleej Times in the statement: "There are no immediate implications for students wanting to study in the UK, including those already studying there. Also there are no immediate changes to their immigration requirements and fee status."
Anderson referred to Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit Speech on Jan. 17 where she mentioned that Britain will continue to attract and be open to the brightest and best talent to study in Britain. The UK has been named as the top destination for UAE students seeking education overseas. According to Unesco Institute for Statistics, 3,267 students were enrolled in British universities in 2014. The British council reported that over 2,369 visa applications were received from the UAE between June and August 2014, compared to 1,511 in the previous year.
Pujan Mittal, the director of IPC Gulf, noted that majority of UAE students who pursue higher studies in the UK have no intentions of staying back as they are either sponsored by the government or self-paid.
"They return to either join family businesses or look for jobs in UAE or other GCC countries," said Mittal, noting that the Britain's easy access to part-time jobs serves as another attraction to students.
He noted better job opportunities await as the UAE is home to multinational companies in health care sectors, media and oil sector.
Navin Chopra, the CEO of The Chopras for Higher Education Consultancy, said the difficulties of getting hired in the UK after graduation has reduced the influx of students coming from lower economic status who aim to make a living abroad.
For example, the number of Indian students in the UK have decreased drastically from about 55,000 students annually to 10,000 students," said Chopra.
He added: "We now find that the UK has become a destination for upper-class students who aren't necessarily looking to pursue careers overseas after graduation."
sherouk@khaleejtimes.com