THE United Kingdom (UK) government has declared that only international students pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programme will be eligible to bring dependants into the country.

This was disclosed by the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday, May 5, in Abuja.

He noted that earlier this year, there was a change in the educational system which  was aimed to reduce the influx of foreign students bringing dependants into the UK.

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The envoy emphasised that the significant rise in dependents was placing strain on many universities, leading to the implementation of these changes.

“The decision to restrict dependants for students in higher education aims to address the unsustainable pressures placed on universities due to the surge in dependant numbers,” Montgomery explained.

He further highlighted the strains on accommodation, medical services provided by the National Health Service (NHS), and schooling for dependants as key concerns that prompted the change.

According to Montgomery, the policy specifically targets students pursuing short-term degrees, stating that it is a sensible change majorly because of the large higher education sector in the country.

“Those coming to the UK for an undergraduate degree or a short-term master’s degree will find the rules have changed.

“People need to understand why this change was brought in, and it is a sensible change because we have a large higher education sector and most of these universities are in towns across the country”, he said.

Also, he clarified that the policy does not affect all categories of international students, as PhD students were exempted and eligible to bring their dependants.

“Individuals pursuing long-term research degrees, like a PhD, can still bring their dependants. This change was necessary to maintain the sustainability of our large higher education sector, which spans many towns across the country,” he added.