Vice-chancellors fear billions of pounds could be lost because of new restrictions on international students, the result of internal government battles over immigration policy.
University leaders have been briefed that No 10 may side with the Home Office in supporting restrictions on international students applying to UK universities that could amount to “an act of economic self-harm”, despite strong opposition from ministers and officials from various departments.
It is understood the Department for Education, the Treasury, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Department for International Trade are all opposed to the move.
Vivienne Stern, the chief executive of Universities UK group (UUK), has told vice-chancellors that the government was “revisiting ways to reduce net migration”, with the future of the graduate student work visa in the spotlight.
