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Indian students to pay more in UK: The Times of India
London, Aug 06: Indian students planning to extend their stay in Britain - for reasons fair or foul - can now expect controversially to enrich the UK exchequer by at least Rs 11,000 or 150 pounds per head, several leading British universities including Cambridge have complained.
London, Aug 06: Indian students planning to extend their stay in Britain – for reasons fair or foul – can now expect controversially to enrich the UK exchequer by at least Rs 11,000 or 150 pounds per head, several leading British universities including Cambridge have complained.
The spiralling cost of British visa extension fees, newly enforced just days ago, are expected to deter large numbers of Indians from applying to study in the UK.
Several angry Indian science students already here told this paper that the new fees were virtually "a tax" meant to prevent overstaying.
The new "tax" comes barely 16 months after a bright-eyed Tony Blair on a visit to India, told Indian students the UK wanted to see larger numbers of them at British educational institutions.
Till last month, an Indian planning to study at Oxbridge or anywhere else in the UK could expect to pay no more than 3,000 Rs in visa fees.
Amid a brewing storm of protest, the vice-chancellor of Cambridge, Sir Alec Broer has now publicly accused Blair's government of seeking to "exploit" overseas students.
The new fee structure comes within weeks of Britain's planned introduction of new work-permit rules for mature overseas students from Commonwealth countries.
As part of a massive drive to increase the numbers of Indian students in Britain, the British Council in India had earlier said it hoped Indian students enrolment in the UK would touch 10,000 by 2005.
Some 5,000 Indian students are enrolled in British institutions of higher education in 2002, according to estimates.
But now, Cambridge university's Broer said the new, quietly-introduced fees would tarnish the international image of advanced study in Britain.
Several leading British universities and international student help organisations have gone public with their dismay over the steep rise in visa-extension fees, branding them unnecessary, excessive and unconsultative.
The UK Council for International Education or UKCOSA, an independent organisation advising overseas students, told this paper the severely steeped-up visas fees would have a definite impact on applications.
It said that it was not fair to charge students more, over and above the existing tuition fees ranging from 4,000 to 17,000 pounds per year.
The vice-chancellor of Cambridge, meanwhile, criticised the new fee as an "additional levy".
Several angry Indian science students already here told this paper that the new fees were virtually "a tax" meant to prevent overstaying.
The new "tax" comes barely 16 months after a bright-eyed Tony Blair on a visit to India, told Indian students the UK wanted to see larger numbers of them at British educational institutions.
Till last month, an Indian planning to study at Oxbridge or anywhere else in the UK could expect to pay no more than 3,000 Rs in visa fees.
Amid a brewing storm of protest, the vice-chancellor of Cambridge, Sir Alec Broer has now publicly accused Blair's government of seeking to "exploit" overseas students.
The new fee structure comes within weeks of Britain's planned introduction of new work-permit rules for mature overseas students from Commonwealth countries.
As part of a massive drive to increase the numbers of Indian students in Britain, the British Council in India had earlier said it hoped Indian students enrolment in the UK would touch 10,000 by 2005.
Some 5,000 Indian students are enrolled in British institutions of higher education in 2002, according to estimates.
But now, Cambridge university's Broer said the new, quietly-introduced fees would tarnish the international image of advanced study in Britain.
Several leading British universities and international student help organisations have gone public with their dismay over the steep rise in visa-extension fees, branding them unnecessary, excessive and unconsultative.
The UK Council for International Education or UKCOSA, an independent organisation advising overseas students, told this paper the severely steeped-up visas fees would have a definite impact on applications.
It said that it was not fair to charge students more, over and above the existing tuition fees ranging from 4,000 to 17,000 pounds per year.
The vice-chancellor of Cambridge, meanwhile, criticised the new fee as an "additional levy".