London universities need to help international students foster a sense of belonging when they study in the city, as well as ease cost pressures, according to a new policy note.
The Expressing the international student voice paper, which examines the experiences of overseas students studying at universities in the UK capital, was put together by London Higher and Middlesex University London from answers given at a special student roundtable.
“One cannot underestimate the vital role that international students play in enriching the academic, cultural, and social environment of their host countries and institutions,” said Chris Skidmore, MP and chair of the International Higher Education Commission, writing in the report’s foreword.
“The recommendations outlined in the report are thoughtful and actionable, reflecting a commitment to enhancing the international student experience and ensuring that their voices are heard and valued,” he continued.
The paper found that the prep and administration required to enter the UK can be “both challenging and othering”, which makes some students feel “isolated and unwanted”.
“International students face high costs obtaining visas, insurance and accommodation even before they arrive on British soil.
“On arrival, it can also be difficult for international students to obtain national insurance numbers and bank accounts or understand and arrange NHS care.
“The move towards cashless payments in shops on and off campus following the pandemic has exacerbated the challenge for international students to buy groceries and essentials while they are waiting for their bank accounts to be set up,” the policy note reads.
Another compounding issue of concern, the policy note said, was the high cost of accommodation in London – one of many cities in Europe and across the world facing a rental crisis.
“The search for affordable accommodation is driving international students further and further out of the centre of the city, lengthening commute times and increasing the cost of travel.
“Choosing a place to live in a large city they may have never visited before can be difficult, and can come with significant cost and time pressure.”
Additionally, guarantors on student housing for international students are “provided through outsourced agencies” in most cases – fees needed to secure guarantors can “make students feel they are paying for accommodation twice”, the note adds.
The cost-of-living situation can be “stressful” and even in some cases “impossible to manage”, it suggests.
It did say, however, that London universities “generally live up to” the high expectations international students have in terms of academic experience.
“One cannot underestimate the vital role that international students play”
The note pointed out that, naturally, international students tend to have less of a safety net than domestic students, and often find difficulty getting part-time work due to visa restrictions. That, along with additional visa costs, a soaring NHS surcharge and higher tuition fees, is where London could become less attractive.
Transport is also expensive, with most students travelling at peak times when travel tariffs are more expensive.
Higher tuition fees than their domestic peers makes many international feel “less valued”.
“The idea that their universities want their money more than they want the students themselves persists in some students’ minds in some universities,” the note says.
“The crucial thing is for us to treat international students as people, not numbers, and to make sure we are listening, responding and co-designing with them,” noted Nic Beech, vice-chancellor of Middlesex University, commenting on the policy note.
“London Councils should commit to working with London’s higher education institutions”
It recommended five points to help improve London international students’ experience – easing cost pressures was the first, with a call to work with the Mayor of London and the city’s business groups to work with universities in the city to “demystify the process for employing international students”.
Focusing on arrival, another recommendation was made to ensure cash be an available payment option while international students wait for their bank accounts to be set up. For getting around, it said TfL should “consider dropping” off-peak restrictions on its student travelcard.
Finally, it recommended that the OfS should consider the creation of an international student panel nationwide – in London, it said an international student voice should be represented on the Mayor’s Academic Forum, to “give an additional perspective on issues” regarding the international student experience.
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