Few UK universities are offering an early winter intake, enabling international students to neglect the impact of visa changes that prevent dependents from accompanying them in 2024. However, some universities that are offering November starts for years. Moreover, other universities are accepting applications in new intake for 2023, keeping in mind the dependent scenario.
This off-track intake is of much help in international student recruitment, especially for students coming from the Southern Hemisphere. Even students failing to secure a visa for the autumn intake can easily get admission now. The University of Law is one such university to introduce a December intake for some of the postgraduate courses in 2023.
Indian students usually prefer studying in the United Kingdom. As per the official reports, the rule of the UK government on bringing dependents is applicable from January 2024 and beyond. Bridging the gap between January intake and course-specific content, students need to complete an additional generic module.
Ravensbourne University London is outsourcing its international recruitment to Oxford International Education Group. It is pointing out that the dates for allowing international students to bring dependents with them. However, deadlines yet to be set and it emphasize, for offering January start dates, as previously.
The new November date is part of a strategy to steadily increase the number of international students. This is done through delaying start dates and that the intakes are open to both undergraduate and graduate students. The former of whom have never been permitted to bring dependents.
The move is already a success in certain cases, specifically for those who are waiting to receive their school certificates. At the time, a number of stakeholders are questioning the legality of such a step. Moreover, it is unclear whether the Office for Students need to approve new admissions.