International students attending medical schools in the Caribbean are being saddled with huge loan debts while facing limited chances of securing residency positions needed to become practising doctors, a new study has said.

The students, primarily from the US and Canada, are lured to the for-profit medical schools after failing to gain admission in their home countries. However, many find it hard to come up with the money to pay tuition, which often amounts to $100,000 or more.

Students at the Caribbean schools are not eligible for US government loans, the study by the Student Defense organisation noted. However, it says the medical programs advise the students to secure funding by enrolling in concurrent online study for a master’s degree with a US-based college.

Federal government regulations say these monies can only be used for the specific course designated in the loan agreement. In its report, Student Defense calls on the government to close this loan loophole.

“It’s really putting the students in a challenging spot,” said Student Defense spokeswoman Libby Webster. “They’re the ones who will be held accountable for misusing the funds when the school is encouraging them to do so. It’s the school that should be held accountable.

“It’s really putting the students in a challenging spot”

“These students don’t need these extra degrees because they already have bachelor’s degrees,” Webster continued. “They are in a particularly financially vulnerable situation and don’t want to quit medical school because of finances. They’re easy prey.”

Student Defense, a Washington-based non-profit advocacy group, cites 18 medical schools in the Caribbean that partner with three online US schools to get backdoor loans.

The medical students face two major barriers in achieving their goal of becoming physicians. After completing their second year of study, they must pass step one of the US medical licensing exam. If they fail, the students are left without a medical degree – but still have huge student loans to repay.

Secondly, in order to practice medicine in the US or Canada, medical school graduates must secure residency positions. About 94% of those who complete their studies at a US-based school get spots.

However, almost half of the American students who graduate from an offshore program do not win a position. They have a medical degree but can’t get a license to practice.

Canadians who study at the Caribbean medical schools face an even tougher situation. Just 27% of these graduates are chosen to become residents in Canada, according to data from the Canadian Resident Matching Service.

The report cited the case of one American student who enrolled in a Caribbean school and took out a loan for a US-based online school at the same time. After two years of studying medicine, she felt that she was not ready to take the first stage of the medical licensing exam.

She opted to self-study for a further 18 months. Nevertheless, she did not pass. She decided to drop out but still has $100,000 in loans hanging over her head. The woman is now studying nursing in Illinois.

Abigail Moats, the author of the report for Student Defense, said she did not know how many students from the U.S. and Canada were impacted. The medical schools do not publish enrolment data, she noted.

The PIE News reached out to several of the Caribbean medical schools and their US-based online partner colleges. It did not receive a response from any of them.

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Speed of response, quality control and course availability were all key frustrations voiced by agents in The PIE survey on agent perspectives in South Asia.

Our survey provided a platform for agents to share their experiences and the aim of this article is to simply publish the responses verbatim to ensure these views are heard.

The vast majority of respondents (77.6%) taking part in the survey, considered the UK service to be ‘average’ or worse than average on admissions.

Agents were invited to give suggestions, in their own words, on how UK admissions services could be improved – and they didn’t hold back.

We have listed the responses across three recurring themes – communicating CAS capacity; suggestions on quality control; and the expectation of response times.

All comments were anonymous and came from agents based across the region including India (70.7%), Bangladesh (15.5%), Pakistan (13.8%), Nepal (6.9%) and Sri Lanka (5.2%).

CAS limit and course availability

There have been thousands of students deferred by UK universities this year as the sector CAS limit has reached capacity. This has left many agents dealing with refund requests and heartbreak from disappointed students.

Comments on this issue were very similar and consistently called for greater transparency on the availability of places for international students.

“I suggest universities disclose [the number of] CAS available to students which means student capacity,” one respondent said.

“Maintain seat numbers vs offer letters vs CAS issued publicly,” another suggested.

Others said universities should share the number of applications it will receive for each intake, adding that they must “must provide progress updates [on how many vacancies are open at any time]”.

“Universities are conducting the credibility interviews after receiving the tuition fee initial deposit but it should be before [taking a deposit] because we are facing problems locally after rejection and refund [sometimes related to CAS levels],” one said.

“It’s better to declare how many applications [there have been] or if there is a CAS cap”

Another said that despite meeting entry requirements, including IELTS scores, the university “still failed” one of its students after he paid “more than £8,000”.

“It’s better to declare how many applications [there have been] or if there is a CAS cap, it is better [for us] if you declare this in advance,” another response read.

“Avoid last minute CAS deadlines and the communication through pathway providers needs improvement. Upfront fee must not be greater than £2,000 as refunds are awful.”

Quality control, application fees, support and regulation

South Asia has become the epicentre for international student mobility in recent years and markets like Bangladesh and Pakistan have joined India in experiencing exponential growth in demand.

While interest has boomed, this has created issues for agents on the ground trying to qualify which students are genuine candidates to study in the UK.

Our survey showed a perception that both competition and fraud is increasing, with agents looking to universities to play their part in quality control and regulation of the industry to improve service for agent partners.

“Agencies need to be highly qualified and universities should monitor their practices in this region [South Asia],” one commented.

“Many agencies use private groups [on social media] and other mediums to spread false information and will also use unethical ways to secure a client. For example, they keep the original document hostage so that the client can’t explore other options. There are many such cases and universities in the UK must come together to tackle such unethical issues.”

Another said that in the past few intakes, some mid-ranked universities “targeted South Asia and Africa markets for numbers only [not quality]”.

Others pointed to the possible introduction of application fees.

“I think the university has to start charging application fees, so that most of the students will not apply for more than three universities. The student will at least try to research about the university as he is paying for it [application].

“If you would like to control volume or quality, do what Canadian institutions do and charge an application fee.”

Another suggested that institutions should “take a priority list from tier 1 and tier 2 agents of the students who will 99% make the payment, rather working on all applications received and [consequently] lose out on serious students”.

“Have better career support and orientation for students aiming to study at those universities. Have more diverse student volunteers available for student interactions.”

“Local support should be there and university representatives should have time to talk openly to agents and sub-agents too if required.”

“The UK HE sector will continue to grow rapidly, and demand will outstrip supply – as long as current legislation allows. Our recommendation to our university partners is to ‘professionalise’ their admissions and compliance functions, focus on student outcomes (not just their journey), and finally also to keep modernising their curriculums.”

“UK universities are making huge money from international students and are not putting money back into their admissions and marketing teams [to improve service].”

“We have seen issues with commission payments to the agents after doing all hard work in the past”

“[Regulation] is a must I feel. There should be some regulations in place. A third party independent regulations committee would be more preferable which can work for both agents and universities. We have seen issues with commission payments to the agents after doing all hard work in the past so third party agent regulation committee is preferable according to my opinion.”

Speed of response and offer from universities

Our survey showed average response times ranging between two weeks to two months for UK universities.

This inconsistency across the sector has been a source of deep frustration for both students and agents for a few years now, often resulting in applicants submitting additional speculative applications elsewhere in the hope of getting a faster offer.

A majority 62% of respondents said they would encourage students to apply elsewhere if they felt they were waiting too long for a response.

Comments on this theme included:

“Have a streamlined process, be more proactive on digital processes, reduce TAT of responses and even offer letters.”

“Admissions journey is in need of dire improvement, have a robust and easy to manage mechanism for tracking students recruited via agents.”

“Offers should be decided with computers using AI. This is the most efficient means to decide on applications.”

“Speed up the offer and give a quick ‘no’ when admission is not possible.”

“Make decision-making a bit faster.”

“[Communicate the] status for each student, where the application is at the moment and proper response to emails.”

“Faster services, clear and concise requirements [are needed].”

“To expedite the admission & CAS process [would be beneficial].”

“UK admission processing still needs more technology support to make it swift and speedy.”

Are you an agent working in a South Asian country to support students to apply to a UK university? Have your say in the comments below or by emailing editorial@thepienews.com

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Indonesia is seeking alliances with universities in East Africa, using its existing exchange programs as an entry point to the continent.

The world’s most populous muslim country is actively promoting “educational diplomacy” by establishing partnerships between its universities and their African equivalents and promoting opportunities such as the Ministry of Education and Culture’s Partnership for Developing Countries scholarships initiative. 

Indonesian universities will hold joint collaboration programs including staff and student exchanges and joint research, which will also see teaching staff in Africa advance their studies in Indonesian universities.

“The Indonesian embassy in Nairobi has actively promoted educational diplomacy”

Scholarships will be issued to African students and lecturers to study at Indonesian universities as part of the Asian country’s plan to “expand and enhance” relations between Indonesia and Africa. 

“So far, the Indonesian embassy in Nairobi has actively promoted educational diplomacy, including scholarships managed by Education Ministry under the Partnership for Developing Countries (KNB) scholarships as well as those offered independently by various universities Indonesia,” said Mohamad Hery Saripudin, Indonesian ambassador to the East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The envoy, who recently led a delegation from his country into meetings with universities in the region, said that countries in East Africa were targeted with opportunities for studying in Indonesian universities within the framework of Sister University cooperation.

One of the universities visited by the delegation was Umma University, a university in Kenya that operates under Islamic values and practices.  

While Indonesia also trails its neighbours including Singapore in attracting foreign students, calls for a more aggressive push for African students have been growing since 2015 when reportedly less than 1000 Africans were studying there.

Cultural shock, language barrier and the education system used in the country have been cited as some of the reasons why the Asian country is not a popular destination for Africans.

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There should be an immediate expansion of international scholarships for Afghans, a leading academic rights organisation has said, following the Taliban’s decision to ban women from Afghanistan’s universities. 

Videos were shared on social media of women being turned away from the country’s universities after the Taliban ordered the suspension earlier this week.

The Taliban have used barbed wire and armed guards to prevent Afghan women from entering universities. Yet, despite the intimidation, they protest alongside brave Afghan men, demanding women and girls be given their basic rights pic.twitter.com/cL8vZedI3w

— Yalda Hakim (@BBCYaldaHakim) December 21, 2022

“When this current misogynistic, corrupt, and incompetent Taliban regime ultimately falls, Afghan women will be ready to take its place”

Scholars at Risk, which advocates for academic freedom, said the move was unsurprising and called on the international community to “push back with every diplomatic means available”. It also said there should be an expansion of the international opportunities available to Afghan women. 

“Absent an unimaginable reversal of Taliban policies toward women, the most effective response must be an immediate, massive, worldwide expansion of remote and in-person fellowship, scholarship and study opportunities for Afghan women and girls,” said SAR’s executive director Robert Quinn. 

“All things considered, the way to deny the Taliban their objective of silencing and sentencing Afghan women to a lifetime of home confinement is to support the educational and professional ambitions of the current and future generations of Afghan women and girls, for as long as it takes, so that when this current misogynistic, corrupt, and incompetent Taliban regime ultimately falls, Afghan women will be ready to take its place.”

Some scholarships closed to Afghan nationals following the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021, including the US Fulbright scholarship and the UK Chevening award. Both were later reopened to Afghan participants, although the latter only for those living outside of Afghanistan. 

Other programs have launched since, such as the Qatar Afghan Scholarship Project, which supports refugees from the country to continue their education at US institutions. 

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For students at Brock University in St Catharine’s, Ontario, early December brought a plea to residents of the city for the Christmas period.

As part of its Home for The Holidays program, Ontarians are being asked to host international students over a period when they are often overlooked.

While international students strive for their best to get to places like Canada, the UK, the US and Australia to study, often, it means that a trip home over the holidays is unlikely to be an option.

Therefore, multiple universities, including Brock, initiate programs like Home for the Holidays to make sure international students feel welcome in the country over the period, allowing them to enjoy the festivities despite the inability to get home to their families.

Brian Chan, a Brock international student, told the university that he was unable to travel to see his family during last year’s winter break – and was welcomed into the program.

“The experience made me feel like I was part of a warm community,” Chan said.

Some 1,000 miles south in Houston, Texas, another program of such kind is also being offered.

Rice University closes its residential colleges over the festive period. In turn, an unfortunate cohort of international students find themselves without somewhere to stay over the fortnight – and thus need support from the university.

The institution’s International Holiday Hospitality Help Program assists with finding its overseas students low-to-no cost accommodation, meals, and even gift cards and cash to tide them over, and make them feel welcome.

“When the decision was made for the dorms to close over the break, we started getting inquiries from undergraduate students who couldn’t travel and were not sure what to do,” said Adria Baker, associate VP for international education and executive director of OISS-International Connections – the providers of the program.

“What we came up with was to share the love by seeing if the Rice community would like to participate.

“We started getting inquiries from undergraduate students who couldn’t travel and were not sure what to do”

“Since international students are far away from home, this gives them an opportunity to receive support from Rice community. This also gives the Rice community, who is always so welcoming, generous and hospitable, an opportunity to better interact with our international students. It’s a win-win for everybody,” she declared.

While universities often set up programs like this, it’s not always the case that international students are able to receive that help.

Talking to Warwick’s branch of HER Campus, a UK-wide female-led university publication, a student from Botswana studying at Warwick shared his own views about how much there might be to do; and how not everyone’s experience staying at university over the period is the same.

“Going home is a bit too expensive… in terms of Christmas and Easter, I don’t really feel anything in particular as I need to focus on studying for exams in January and April – but I would usually be at a heap of family events if I were at home,” Howard Adam said.

“Welcoming international students into our home to celebrate made the holiday special”

“The “Warwick Presents” has some events to offer. For example, I remember last year we could watch the new Spider Man at the cinema over Christmas. Maybe I didn’t look into it enough, but I don’t know many other things that they do. Maybe it’s because everyone has to go home at some point!” he mused.

The UK’s Chevening Scholars have even been asked to “look out for each other over the Christmas period”, with Chevening’s website offering resources to safeguard their mental health and activities to do in various parts of the country.

☃️ Chevening Scholars: Don’t forget to look out for each other over the festive period!

Christmas can be a magical time, but for many international students it can also be challenging. If you need support, we’ve compiled a list of resources for you https://t.co/c9v2BSiDbR pic.twitter.com/b0zFK4wV05

— Chevening Awards (@CheveningFCDO) December 14, 2022

Meanwhile, back at Brock, the associate director for student affairs urged people to come onto the program to help international students by sharing his own experience – calling it a “rewarding” opportunity.

“Welcoming international students into our home to celebrate made the holiday special.

“Sharing a meal and a few laughs around our table with a traditional holiday dinner made the students feel a little less distant from family and their home traditions,” he said.

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Scientists in New Zealand will be able to access EU research funding from next year as the country has successfully secured association to ​​Horizon Europe.

This is the first time a “highly industrialised” country outside of Europe has joined the EU’s flagship research and innovation program, the European Commission said following the conclusion of negotiations earlier this week.  

Researchers in New Zealand will be limited to participating in Pillar II of Horizon, which focuses on shared global challenges, including climate, energy and health. 

We have redesigned our approach towards international cooperation in research and innovation”

“We have redesigned our approach towards international cooperation in research and innovation, strengthening even more our ties with countries outside the geographical proximity of the EU that have a robust scientific and research track-record,” said Mariya Gabriel, EU commissioner for innovation, research, culture, education and youth. 

“With a solid scientific base and more than half of New Zealand’s researchers having an active collaboration with a European partner, the country has been a trusted EU partner for many years now.” 

New Zealand’s universities welcomed the news, with Chris Whelan, chief executive of Universities New Zealand, describing it as a “milestone agreement”. 

“It shows the esteem in which our researchers are held internationally and is an opportunity for them to build on the many collaborations they already have with European counterparts,” Whelan added. 

Meanwhile, the UK continues to negotiate its association to Horizon following Brexit. The British government has further extended the safety net for researchers, which ensures that UK Horizon applicants will be guaranteed funding, regardless of the outcome of talks with the EU. 

“We hope the EU will acknowledge that this latest 3-month extension shows the UK government and science community remain committed to full association and the benefits it will unlock for all parties,” said Joanna Burton, policy manager at the Russell Group, which represents the UK’s leading research universities. 

The guarantee will cover all Horizon Europe calls that close on or before 31 March 2023.

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Cape Breton University in Nova Scotia has warned international students to stay home if they don’t have housing arranged before coming to Canada. 

In what’s believed to be a first for the country, CBU announced this month that students planning to come in January 2023 should defer if they don’t have a place to live. Across Canada, both domestic and international students are finding it challenging to secure accommodation in a tight housing market. 

The number of international students at CBU has soared in recent years and they now outnumber Canadian students on campus. The school, located in Sydney, Nova Scotia, has more than 5,000 students in total, two-thirds of them international. 

“With this growth comes new challenges, including providing affordable housing for the community”

“The Cape Breton region is managing growth for the first time in many decades,” said Gordon MacInnis, the university’s interim president and vice-chancellor, in a statement. “With this growth comes new challenges, including providing affordable housing for the community, which students play an integral role in.” 

In another first, the province of Nova Scotia has announced funding for a housing project in Sydney that is likely to benefit international students. It is committing CAN$5 million to build rental units on a former racetrack called Tartan Downs. 

“We have an urgent need for more housing options for students across the province and we continue to listen to our post-secondary partners and take action,” said Brian Wong, minister of advanced education. 

The project is a joint venture between CBU and the non-profit Urban Neighbourhood Development Association. The university has owned the property for the last three years. 

Tartan Downs will see 430 residential units developed. Half of them will be “affordable” accommodation for students and others with modest incomes. CBU hopes construction will begin in 2023, with the first apartment units becoming available in 2024 or 2025. 

“This kind of investment has the potential to positively impact the lives of the community for generations to come,” said McInnis. 

In addition to the project in Sydney, the province announced $3 million for renovations at the Atlantic School of Theology in Halifax. Housing there is used by students at several post-secondary institutions, including St. Mary’s University and Dalhousie University. The building’s plumbing and brickwork will be updated and the number of beds will increase to 97 from 65. 

The apartment vacancy rate in Halifax dropped to just 1 percent in 2021, according to the federal government housing agency, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. A vacancy rate of 3 percent is considered healthy. 

“Rental market conditions tightened in 2021, with increased demand for apartments outpacing supply,” said Chris James, senior economics analyst at the organisation. 

Nova Scotia is specifically addressing the needs of its students through its housing and homelessness strategy, which was released in October 2021.

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