Some Nigerian students at Teesside University in the UK have been ordered to leave the country due to their inability to pay their tuition fees. The students, who had initially shown proof of sufficient funds, claimed that the depreciation of the naira had significantly depleted their resources, making it difficult for them to meet their financial obligations.
The university, however, stated that the students’ failure to pay their fees was a breach of visa sponsorship requirements, and they had no choice but to report them to the Home Office. The Home Office subsequently cancelled the students’ permission to enter the UK and ordered them to leave the country by a specified date, with no right of appeal or administrative review.
The affected students, including Adenike Ibrahim and Esther Obigwe, claimed that they had tried to communicate with the university about their financial struggles but received no response until they were blocked from their studies and ordered to leave the country. The university, however, claimed that it had made efforts to support the affected students and offered individual meetings with specialist staff and bespoke payment plans.
The situation highlights the challenges faced by international students, particularly from Nigeria, due to the depreciation of the naira and the strict visa sponsorship requirements in the UK.