New immigration policy announced for post graduate students

Harry Craig and Oliver Lamb Deputy Editor and News Editor

CONCERNS have been raised that new immigration rules for postgraduate students could have severe consequences for British universities, including Exeter. Last month, Home Secretary Suella Braverman announced a controversial package of measures aimed at international students, including the removal of the right for international students to bring dependants with them to the UK.

Under current rules, postgraduate students coming to study in the UK are entitled to apply for visas for their partner or children under 18. However, this right will be removed for students not on research programmes, as the government attempts to reduce migration figures.

This followed the announcement by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) that net migration was at 606,000, the highest figure ever recorded, despite government targets to reduce migration to the “tens of thousands.” Students were a considerable contributor, with 485,758 student visas granted in 2022, alongside 135,788 visas issued to dependants of postgraduate students. The latter figure marked a 750 per cent increase since 2019.

The highest number of visas issued to dependants in 2022 were to Nigerian nationals, with 60,923, followed by 38,990 to Indian nationals. Labour has pledged not to oppose these new measures on the grounds that “proper enforcement [is] long overdue.” However, Exeter’s Labour MP Ben Bradshaw was critical of the plans in Parliament, expressing his concern that this policy would discriminate against students from Nigeria and South Asia, whilst making British universities more dependent on Chinese students.

Other measures targeted at international postgraduate students to reduce net migration include a ban on students switching into work before their studies have been completed, and a review on the funds students must have to demonstrate they can look after themselves in the UK.

The University of Exeter itself is home to 7,400 international students as of the 2022-23 academic year, a 62 per cent rise since 2018-19. Many of these students fear they will be affected by the new laws, although the government has been keen to emphasise that these new laws would not be applied retrospectively. An international postgraduate student told Exeposé that their master’s programme “has multiple students with spouses and families, including myself” and that “if my wife wasn’t allowed to live here with me, I would choose a school in a different country, as would many others”

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Editors

Print: Anabel Costa-Ferreira & Livvy Mason-Myhill

Online: Jamie Speka & Amelie Thompson

Print Deputies: Harry Craig, Charlie Gershinson and Joshua Smith

Online Deputies: Ewan Edwards & Megan Haynes editors@exepose.com

Executives

Finance: Willow Cracknell

Social Media: Charlotte Randall

News Editors

Print: Rosie Batsford & Oliver Lamb

Online: Shagnick Bhattacharya & Anna Kane news@exepose.com

Features Editors

Print: Henry Parker & Benedict Thompson

Online: Callum Martin features@exepose.com

International Editors

Print: Josie Sharp

Online: Agata Koralewska

Comment Editors

Print: Lisette Reed & Charlotte Zeyssolff

Online: Amy Rushton comment@exepose.com

Satire Editor

Print: Charlie Gershinson

Lifestyle Editors

Print: Lucy Rawlings

Online: Zoe Sperry lifestyle@exepose.com

Arts + Lit Editors

Print: Maddie Conlan & Lauren Walsh

Online: Gracie Moore artsandlit@exepose.com

Music Editors

Print: Jake Avery & Scarlett Cracknell music@exepose.com

Screen Editors

Print: Annabelle Law & Madison Sohngen screen@exepose.com

Tech Editor Print: Ewan Edwards

Science Editors

Print: Eloise Shewring sciandtech@exepose.com

Sport Editors Print: Joseph Terry

Online: Ceri Vaughan-Jones sport@exepose.com

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IT’S the last issue for this academic year and the time has come to welcome in a new committee. We would like to thank all the editors, executives, contributors and proofers that have helped us out throughout the year . We would also like to give a very special thanks to Megan and Josh for all their support with this handover and it will feel strange not seeing you both in the office. Although the prospect of starting a new academic year is exciting, we are deeply saddened by the loss of our beloved Exeposé office. Yet, it's not all sad news for us as we are relocating offices in September.

The 2023-24 committee has a few familiar faces and some new as well. Be sure to watch out for the new committee and also take a look at the farewell pages (pages 7, 11 & 26) where members of the outgoing committee have shared their experiences of Exeposé.

In News this week, we focus on the Renters Reform Bill, looking at the reaction of both students and estate agents .

We also look at the upcoming refurbishment of Devonshire House and student feelings in response to this.

In Features, writers discuss UK student loan reforms alongside a review of the Turkish election (page 9).

In Comment, there’s an assessment of Schofield’s resignation (page 12) as well as a debate on 'hot girl summer' (page 13) whilst

Satire ranges from moving graduation ceremonies to TP to saying goodbye to our beloved campus cat for summer (page 14).

Lifestyle looks at the best summer activities (page 16) and discusses how to host the student way (page 17) Arts + Lit recommend books on female rage (page 18), and review the joys of jukebox musicals (page 19). Exhibit features a live review from Cavern in Music (page 21) and Screen looks at the upcoming Barbie movie (page 23). Tech analyses the existence of paid propaganda (page 24) and Science provides an astronomy round-up (page 28) and also explores the benefits of a vegan diet (page 29). Sport covers the best Parkrun routes in Exeter (page 30) as well as a year of success for women’s rugby (page 32). We would like to thank everyone involved in putting together this edition whether this was in person or through the struggles of remote desktop (also a special mention to the free pepsi-max from the Guild and the Ram for their curly fries keeping us fuelled through our stress). From achieving best publication in the South-West to the entirety of the UK there is so much to be proud of, and we cannot wait to see what the future of Exeposé holds next year. We hope you enjoy reading this handover edition and have a fantastic summer!

and Anabel

Features

Ukraine-Russia Spring Offensive

PAGE 8

Music

Live Review: Yur Mum at Cavern

PAGE 21

Science

Astronomy end of term round-up

PAGE 28

Sport

PAGE 32