Teesside University in the United Kingdom has ordered Nigerian students to leave the institution and return to Nigeria due to unpaid tuition fees, according to a report by the BBC.
The university cited adherence to UK immigration regulations as the reason for this move.
A spokesperson for Teesside University stated, “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.” The spokesperson added that the university had “no choice” but to act, as failure to pay fees constitutes a breach of visa sponsorship rules.
The university claimed it had made significant efforts to assist the affected students, including offering bespoke payment plans. Despite these measures, the students were still required to leave the UK. Many students protested outside the campus on Tuesday, accusing the university of being “heartless” and unfair.
Adenike Ibrahim, one of the affected students, told the BBC she was close to submitting her dissertation when she was removed from her course for failing to make a payment. Although she has since paid her fees in full, she is still required to leave the UK with her young son and cannot re-enrol. “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 Home Office responded by stating that the decision to offer or withdraw visa sponsorship rests with the sponsoring institution. It emphasized that individuals whose visas are shortened or cancelled should take steps to regularize their stay or make arrangements to leave the UK. The Home Office informed the students in a letter that they had no right to appeal the decision.
As of the time of this report, the Nigerian Government under President Bola Tinubu has not responded to the students’ situation. This development occurs amid Nigeria’s ongoing foreign exchange crisis and soaring inflation, which surged to 33.69 per cent in April.
