The good, bad & ugly of UK's move to restrict dependants of international students

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

UK government unveiled plans to restrict the entry of dependants for international students. The announcement sent ripples through the academic world, capturing the attention of prospective students and professionals alike. The implications of this policy shift have sparked questions about its impact on the international student landscape and the UK's higher education sector. A substantial number of students, especially those from major source markets, opt for international study opportunities while also considering the prospect of bringing their family members along. India ranked #2 over the last few years, with 42,381 UK Dependant Visas being granted to Indians on study visas for the 2023 intake. According to ApplyBoard, India, Nigeria, and Pakistan — the three top source markets for postgraduate enrollment in the UK, are all likely to see growth step back in 2024.

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A big positive, as highlighted in the report, is that the restrictions only appply to those on student visas. Also, this change only impacts international students at the postgraduate level. Undergraduate students in the UK were already prohibited from bringing dependants with them, so this shift won’t factor into their decision. Experts think the restrictions will also streamline the postgraduate application process. UK postgraduate programs also only take about a year to complete, which is comparatively very short to some of the world’s other big destination