Investigation into international student admissions sparks controversy
Source: University of Bristol Law School Blog
An undercover investigation has accused fifteen Russell Group university boards of unfair standards, claiming that ‘international classmates can buy their way in through secret routes’. The report was published by The Sunday Times on Saturday 27th January and included clips from private meetings between admissions boards and reporters disguised as parents. The investigators argued that this has damaged admissions rates for domestic students as well as the academic legitimacy of these competitive institutions.
The Times group suggested that foundation courses, specifically designed to prepare international students for British undergraduate education standards, are being offered by several universities to increase economic profit. As international fees are not capped by UK government regulations, universities aim to attract students from overseas through significantly reduced grade requirements, justified by the foundation pathways.
One undercover recording of a Zoom meeting revealed that Durham University entry requirements could be as low as five C grades at GCSE alongside an International Foundation Course. The only other condition disclosed was the tuition fee of £25,000 per year, over 2.5 times higher than the standard £9,250 paid by domestic students. Alan Fu, the Student Enrolment Adviser for Durham Study Group, was filmed saying: ‘Some of the families, they rather prefer to spend some money to have a better chance to go into the good degree’. When questioned about the pass rate for this Foundation Course, he estimated ‘about 100%’.
The report has since sparked controversy, with many of the accused groups rejecting the allegations. The Russell Group released a statement accusing the article of being ‘incorrectly conflated’ and a misrepresentation of the ‘equitable and consistent process for all applicants’. They described foundation courses as necessary to ‘bridge the gap between educational backgrounds’.
Universities UK branded the article’s various claims as ‘false’ and ‘misleading’, clarifying many of the questions raised by the article with a thorough response last week. Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) research also contradicts the suggestion that internal admissions are impacted as a result. Their data showed that the number of domestic undergraduate students enrolled in 2021 increased by over 40,000 compared to the previous year, while the equivalent for international students decreased by 7,365.
However, this is not the first time the Russell Group has come under fire this year. On 11th January, The Financial Times reported that the University of York was secretly lowering grades to less than advertised on their website for overseas applicants due to ‘financial challenges’. Economic instability in the university model is a growing concern, with home students reportedly now causing an average loss of £2,500 per year.
However, looking at our own community, the picture painted may not be so bleak. In the 2021-22 cycle, 54% of UCL undergraduates were international and 31% of all UCL income came from overseas student fees. International students have an undeniably huge impact on the student body, yet UCL was not named or investigated in The Sunday Times article. For many students, UCL’s cultural diversity is even considered one of its best attributes. While the report certainly indicates some problems within the system, UCL has proved how successful the integration of international students into British universities can be.