The UK government has been urged to avoid “talking up” a tightening of the rules on overseas students’ ability to bring family members into the country or risk “long-term damage” to the nation’s international reputation, after prime minister Rishi Sunak trumpeted the change as “delivering for the British people”.
The changes to the rules on overseas students’ dependants came into effect on 1 January, meaning those on taught master’s courses can no longer bring family members into the UK. Overseas students on postgraduate research courses remain able to do so.
A Conservative government desperate to reduce the level of net migration into the UK has been keen to draw attention to the change, deepening existing concern among universities about the deterrent effect on potential international students – an increasingly vital source of cross-subsidy for UK institutions as domestic teaching funding declines.
Mr Sunak said on X, formerly known as Twitter, on 1 January: “From today, the majority of foreign university students cannot bring family members to the UK. In 2024, we’re already delivering for the British people.”
