Tuesday 25-06-2024 - 14:25

Addressing International Student Concerns: Finance Meeting Highlights

At yesterday’s (24th June 2023) International Student Voice Committee meeting, over 35 international students voiced different, but valid, concerns around finances. ULaw’s Finance team and Student Information team attended the meeting, and confirmed they would consider the students’ points for improvements. Overall, students asked for better communication, clearer policies, and enhanced support. Here's a summary of the key points raised and the steps being taken to address them.

Communication Issues
Many students faced difficulties with the new deregistration policy. Students felt this policy was applied without adequate communication, leading to confusion and stress. The Finance and Student Information teams have taken this point on board for the future. 

Students expressed frustration with the significant delays in receiving responses from the finance team. One student mentioned they had not received a response in four months, and another student in over seven months, despite multiple attempts to contact via email and leaving phone calls. On the other hand, students relayed their sense of shock upon realising they had been deregistered because they missed the single warning phone call about missing a payment. Students mentioned that upon deregistration, they had been locked out of accessing their exam preparation materials and could not sit the exams. Students asked for the university to also consider their mental health in these contexts. The Finance Team responded that communication goes both ways, students must be proactive in notifying the university about payment issues, and that they will consider these student concerns. 

Policy and Procedures
Students highlighted the need for clearer information on how deregistration affects post-study work visas and placements. Students wanted acknowledgement that sudden deregistration with swift notification to the Home Office negatively impacts their abilities to resolve the finance issues to complete their studies at ULaw. The Finance team mentioned this is due to strict Home Office regulations, and students must be proactive in dealing with payments to prevent deregistration. 

One student noted she had received an email that she will be deregistered due to an outstanding payment of only £120, despite having already paid thousands in fees. She noted that she received the deregistration email during her assessment period, and as such asked if the university cares about students’ mental health since they sent this during assessment period. The Finance Team responded that they now have a policy where they do not contact students during their assessment period. 

Students in the meeting also wanted to know how deregistration impacts their abilities to continue their studies elsewhere, and to start placements. Students also want to know if, once they have been deregistered, if they make the outstanding payment can they return to the university for final exams to collect their award. Staff are finding out the answers to these questions, and we will keep you posted.

Students pointed out that some international students missed payments due to unavoidable situations in their home countries. The Finance team mentioned they have put students facing severe currency devaluations from their home country on hold from deregistration, whilst they work out what their guidance is. Then, the Finance team will communicate with the students. 

The Finance Team urged students to use the Finance Clinics midweek to address concerns. 

The Finance Team responded positively to the Students’ Union’s suggestion of a dedicated Finance Student Voice Committee to ensure continuous feedback and improvement for students’ financial concerns. 

Student Testimonials
Student O:
"It was like, immediately you had to deregister. You are treated like a criminal, like a condemned criminal. Nobody wants to talk to you. Nobody wants to have any humane conversation with you. Nobody cares about what your mental health says."

Student K:
“I was told that I can’t get a payment plan, which really affected me and my study. Why is (the payment plan) available for some students and some people cannot have access to it?…It has been really difficult changing Naira to Pounds. When we get the deregistration email, it really frustrates us. It’s affecting us personally. It’s affecting my study and everything I intend to achieve at the University of Law.”

Student Y:
“The fact that the new deregistration process has been implemented…applying that to the new students without making sure that they know…I’m sorry if this is a very strong word but it sounds unconscionable. It scares me that I almost faced that myself.”

Student Y:
“...That’s just highly inequitable. The fact that the Finance Team can sit on an email for seven months, but if a student doesn't reply within one month, in a typical examination period it’s reasonable not to expect them to check their emails, that they're out of luck, they’re at risk of deregistration and being done for.”

Student A:
“It’s fair for you to be delayed by over four months to answer me. But if I don’t pick up a missed call, I am dropped. I am dropped so hard you make an example out of me so that the rest of the university learns. When you’re (ignoring) my emails, you tell me ‘go ahead and talk to complaints.’...It’s daylight robbery.”

Student U: 
“There’s a need…to turn out policies (for) international students. Most other universities are cognisant of what is happening in international communities and beginning to turn out policies that reflect this.”

Student O:
“So if revenues are coming from international students, I think there should be some sort of kindness, some kind of empathy to how we are treated. It was not our fault personally, it was just a situation our countries have found themselves to be in. Rather than just treat us like we're not important. I think there should be some sort of good treatment for us, but that’s just my humble appeal.”

The SU Co-Presidents 2023-2024 (Pedram Bani Asadi and Huma Hasan) thanked senior staff like Helen Connies-Laing and Patrick Johnson for their support in helping the Co-Presidents to set up the ISVC platform this year, to hear the international student voice. 

We desparately need clarity on the link between deregistration and when the university informs UKVI/the Home Office. Once that happens there’s often no way back for students. We only need to look at the Teesside students' case where a lack of flexibility on fees means that Nigerian students are facing deportation.

The Students' Union is committed to addressing these concerns and working with the university to ensure that international students receive the support and understanding they need. Stay tuned for updates on our progress.

If you want to join committee meetings, or have any concerns, please reach out. You can email the Students’ Union at StudentsUnion@law.ac.uk.

Kind regards, 
Huma Hasan and Pedram Bani Asadi
Co-Presidents 2023-24