LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM–Academics and students have presented a petition to Downing Street, urging the government to withdraw new immigration rules for overseas students in the UK. From next March, universities will be expected to monitor whether full story

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM–Universities could be in serious financial trouble if foreign students decide they can no longer afford to study in Britain. Many British universities rely on funds brought in by overseas students. But the British Council, which promotes education overseas, fears the economic downturn may deter international students from coming to the UK. full story

MURRAY, KY–On a campus where international student enrollment is growing steadily, language barriers can seem daunting. However, Murray State University’s English as a Second Language program serves as an important transition program for international students attending the school. The ESL program emphasizes language proficiency in all skill and knowledge areas, full story

BELFAST, IRELAND–International students paid over £29m in course fees to attend Northern Ireland’s two universities over a two year period, it was revealed yesterday. One student paid a staggering £21,830 for one year of a clinical course (medicine and dentistry) at Queen’s University, Belfast, during 2007/08. The figures have been released following a request full story

KALAMAZOO, MI–Western Michigan University saw double-digit growth in international and study abroad enrollment this fall, due in large part to increased scholarship programs. Compared to the last academic year, WMU’s international student enrollment grew by 15.2 percent, raising the total to 1,114 degree-seeking international students on campus in this fall. full story

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND–Overseas student numbers may be up in the past three months, but this is because the export education industry has found new markets – and not because students from traditional markets are flocking back. New Zealand’s “pure” image has also been credited for an influx of international students coming here to study natural therapy. full story

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND–New Zealand’s international student industry has been battered by fierce global competition, losing more than a third of its foreign student population over the past three years. But smart marketing strategies and the lower New Zealand dollar are luring overseas students back. Compared to offshore competititors, New Zealand is a world full story

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND–Colleges fear that terrorist attacks could deter overseas students from coming to Scotland, a new report revealed. The study, by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMIE), also warned college bosses that they should not underestimate the competition from other countries for foreign students. Inspectors visited 10 colleges in Scotland as they full story

VANCOUVER, CANADA–The B.C. Court of Appeal has found that a two-month jail sentence was unfit after it imposed on a foreign student who faked records to stay in Canada. The B.C. Court of Appeal substituted a sentence of 17 days of “time served” for international student Shihao Hupang, now 20. “In my view, the sentencing judge erred in viewing the circumstances of this case full story

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM–The fingerprinting of overseas students for biometric identity cards has begun for those extending their visas. It is the first phase of tighter visa restrictions which will eventually affect more than 300,000 people applying to study in the UK each year. The tougher rules are intended to prevent the abuse of student visas as a way of gaining entry to the UK. full story