Nigerian students have been kicked out of university and told to leave the UK due to a currency crisis that has made it difficult for them to pay tuition fees on time.
Teesside University students were barred from attending classes and reported to the Home Office after the value of Nigeria’s naira fell, wiping out their savings.
Some students said they had suicide thoughts, accusing the university of being “heartless” to those who fell behind on their payments as as a consequence.
A university spokesman said failure to pay was a breach of visa sponsorship requirements, and that it had “no choice” but to alert the Home Office. The Home Office stated that the institution was responsible for visa sponsorship decisions.
Nigeria is currently undergoing its worst economic crisis in a generation, which is having a severe impact on Nigerian students at UK universities.
The average inflation rate is about 34%, and the issue worsened when the country’s president tried to replace old currency with new.
The currency subsequently depreciated by over 100% against the dollar in a year.
Before beginning their studies at Teesside, affected students were advised they needed to produce proof of enough funds to cover tuition and living expenses.
However, the crisis in their home country caused a major depletion of those funds.
This worsened the financial challenges that students were already experiencing as a result of the university’s change in tuition fee payment arrangements from seven to three installments.
After a number of persons who failed on payments were frozen out of university accounts and involuntarily pulled from their courses, a group of students, 60 of whom revealed their names, began pleading with the institution for support.
Some individuals were apparently contacted by debt collection agencies hired by the institution.
Adenike Ibrahim was close to handing in her dissertation at the end of two years of study when she missed one payment and was then kicked off her course and reported to the Home Office.
She subsequently paid the outstanding fees, but said she had not been re-enrolled and was told she must leave the country, along with her young son.
“I did default [on payments], but I’d already paid 90% of my tuition fees and I went to all of my classes,” she said.
“I called them and asked to reach an agreement, but they do not care what happens to their students.”
She said the experience was “horrendous” and she did not know what was happening with her qualification.
“It has been heartbreaking for my son especially, he has been in so much distress since I told him,” Ms Ibrahim added.
No right of appeal
The Home Office informed students, including Ms Ibrahim, that their permits to enter the UK had been revoked because they had stopped attending the university.
The letters offer a date that the student must leave the country and say they do not have a “right of appeal or administrative review against the decision”.
One master’s degree student, who did not want to be identified, stated that since getting his letter, he has seriously considered suicide and has stopped eating and drinking.
The university stated that it had made “every effort” to assist affected students, who had now been offered individual meetings with specialist staff and bespoke payment plans as required.
Esther Obigwe said she repeatedly tried to speak to the university about her financial struggles but received no response, until she too was blocked from her studies and received notice to leave the country.
“I attended all of my classes and seminars, I’m a hell of an active student,” she said.
“It is disheartening, I am now on antidepressants and being here alone, I have nobody to talk to.
“For over two months, I’ve barely eaten or slept and I don’t understand why this is being meted at us, we didn’t do anything wrong.”
She added that most of the students had “spent a lot of money to be here”.
Jude Salubri, who was studying to be a social worker, was midway through a placement when he was told his access to the university was suspended and he would have to leave the country.
Prior to that, he travelled from Teesside to Liverpool each weekend to work 18 hours in an attempt to pay off the outstanding fees.
“As of now I have paid £14,000 and have a balance of £14,000,” he said.
“I am willing to come to an agreement as to how I will make this payment, but I need guarantees that I will be re enrolled into school and my visa restored.”
Some affected students have managed to pay off outstanding fees, but the university is now unable to intervene in the Home Office process, the BBC understands.
A university spokesman said: “Teesside University is proud to be a global institution with a diverse student population but is also very aware of its obligations regarding visa issuance and compliance.
“These strict external regulations ensure that the university fully supports a robust immigration system and is outside of the university’s control.”
The spokesman added it was “aware of the challenging financial situation faced by some students” and had “actively offered bespoke payment plans where requested”.
“This option has been taken up by many of our international students; however, some students have still defaulted on these revised payment plans,” he said.
The Home Office said a decision to offer or withdraw visa sponsorship rested with the sponsoring institution.