Just In: UK University Expels Nigerian Students Over Unpaid Fees, Orders-Return To Nigeria

Nigerian students at Teesside University in the United Kingdom have been instructed to leave the school and return to Nigeria due to unpaid fees. This directive aligns with the UK’s immigration regulations, according to BBC reports…CONTINUE READING

Teesside University, known for its diverse international student body, emphasized its compliance with visa issuance and immigration regulations. “Teesside University is proud to be a global institution with a diverse student population but is also very aware of its visa issuance and compliance obligations. These strict external regulations ensure that the university fully supports a robust immigration system and are outside of the university’s control,” stated a university spokesperson.

The university explained it had “no choice” but to take this action as unpaid fees constitute a breach of visa sponsorship rules. Despite efforts to assist affected students, including offering customized payment plans, the situation has reached a critical point.

On Tuesday, many students protested outside the campus, accusing the university of being “heartless” and unfair. Adenike Ibrahim, one of the affected students, told the BBC she was close to completing her dissertation when she was removed from her course due to non-payment. Despite having now paid her fees in full, Ibrahim and her young son must leave the UK and she cannot re-enroll. “I did default [on payments], but I’d already paid 90 per cent of my tuition fees, and I went to all my classes,” she said. “I called them and asked to reach an agreement, but they do not care what happens to their students.”

The UK Home Office stated that the decision to offer or withdraw visa sponsorship is at the discretion of the sponsoring institution. It advised that individuals whose visas are shortened or canceled should “take steps to regularise their stay or make arrangements to leave the UK.” In a letter, the Home Office informed the students they had no right to appeal.

As of the time of filing this report, the Nigerian Government under President Bola Tinubu has not yet responded to the students’ predicament in the UK. This development occurs amid Nigeria’s foreign exchange crisis and soaring inflation, which reached 33.69 percent in April.

Published By: Destiny.Jnr