New rules on overseas students 'will cost universities billions'

Universities stand to lose billions of pounds unless the coalition urgently abandons new rules for overseas students, campuses across the UK have warned.

Universities UK, which represents 134 higher education institutions, is writing to the prime minister urging him to rethink recent changes to the student visa system.

The changes – aimed at meeting the Conservatives' election pledge to cut migration by "tens of thousands" by 2015 – place a limit on the number of years non-European Union students can spend studying and restrict the number of hours of paid work they can do during and after their degrees.

In addition, they are no longer allowed to bring their spouses or children with them unless they are enrolled on a postgraduate course that lasts more than a year.                     More Read