The Department for Education is to investigate allegations of bad practice by agents who recruit international students to study at British universities.
It follows reports over the weekend claiming that overseas students are being admitted to prestigious institutions while subject to lower entry requirements than domestic students.
The higher education minister, Robert Halfon, speaking in the Commons during education questions on Monday, said he was “very disturbed” by reports in the Sunday Times that he said “clearly showed bad practice in the use of agents and that’s not acceptable”.
University leaders, however, said the reporting unfairly compared entry requirements on non-degree courses with those of mainstream undergraduate courses. It also ignored figures showing rising numbers of UK students enrolled at Russell Group universities.
Questioned by MPs, the minister agreed it was important to ensure “we are comparing like with like” on the issue of entry requirements. He added: “While I am a strong supporter of international students, I want a level playing field for all domestic students as well.
“I met with vice-chancellors only yesterday afternoon, as soon as I’d seen the report in the Sunday Times, and I’m absolutely clear I’ve asked the DfE to take out an urgent investigation into bad practice by agents where it occurs.
“I was very disturbed with what I saw, and what we want – as I say – is absolute fairness of entry for domestic students as much as international students.”
The Sunday Times claimed Britain’s top universities were paying agents to recruit overseas students – who pay considerably higher fees than domestic students – on “far lower grades” than those required of UK applicants.
Universities rejected claims that British students were being “squeezed out” by international applicants. Vivienne Stern, the chief executive of Universities UK, which represents 140 universities, said: “International students are a key part of the success story that is UK high education. However, the Sunday Times story fails to distinguish between entry requirements for international foundation years and full degrees.
“International foundation years are designed to prepare students to apply for full degree programmes. They do not guarantee entry to them. They are designed for students who come from different education systems where, in many cases, students might have completed 12 rather than 13 years of secondary education.
“We entirely agree that the entry requirements for international and domestic students to full degree programmes should be equivalent. It is essential that the integrity of entry routes be protected.
“However, it must also be understood that entry routes for international students will reflect the diverse countries and education backgrounds that these students come from, and that some will need bridging courses to enable them to progress to UK degrees.”
