STUDENTS VISA: UK hikes fee 34.99% for Nigerians, others

The British government has announced a 34.99% increase in the student visa fee for international students, including those from Nigeria. The new fee, which takes effect on October 4, 2023, will be £490 (N409,640.00 equivalent). The Home Office said that the increase was necessary to cover the cost of processing student visas and to ensure that the UK's immigration system is sostenible. The Home Office also said that the increase was in line with the cost of living in the UK and that it would not affect students who have already applied for a visa or who have been accepted to a UK university. The increase in the student visa fee has been met with criticism from some students and education experts. Some students have said that the increase will make it more difficult for them to afford to study in the UK. Education experts have said that the increase will deter international students from studying in the UK and could damage the UK's reputation as a global education hub. The UK government has said that it is committed to attracting international students and that the increase in the student visa fee is necessary to ensure that the UK's immigration system is sostenible. The government has also said that it will continue to offer a range of scholarships and bursaries to international students. It is still unclear what impact the increase in the student visa fee will have on the number of international students studying in the UK. However, it is likely that the increase will make it more difficult for some students to afford to study in the UK.