As a person of colour and an international student, you hear cautionary tales about the lack of diversity in Durham, and it is something that can take some adjustment. There are many stereotypes about international students – that we are exceptionally wealthy, careless, and cliquey, that we make no effort to integrate or relate to British students, that we steal places from more deserving, hardworking home students by buying our places in elite institutions. These views are often born out of ignorance and a lack of effort to understand the experiences of those that come from different backgrounds. I would argue that there is a lack of understanding for the value international students bring, not just economically, but in contributing to the cultural fabric of a community.
When considering the issues international students face, I wanted to consider both personal struggles and financial realities, but as I was planning this piece, it became apparent to me just how convoluted the issue of fees is. It requires more background knowledge than I can expand on within this article, which I wanted to be more focused on personal experiences, so I would just like to make it clear how exploitative the system is for all students, international and British alike. I am instead bringing attention to a specific legal change that has already had a significant impact on international intake at unis. Recent changes to visa rules mean students applying to study in the UK can no longer bring dependents with them, a move meant to lower migration. This makes study in the UK for foreign students much less attractive, even when considering the cultural capital that comes with a British degree from a reputable institution. This change has already had a significant impact on intake this year, with 16% fewer student visa applications compared to 2023.
These governmental changes are at odds with public feeling about international students, which is mostly positive. Polling done in 2023 revealed that people did not see reducing legal migration as a priority compared to other, more pressing issues – 64% of respondents believed that the UK should host the same or more international students, and 62% recognised their positive contributions to the economy. This visa change, then, reflects the post-Brexit shift, which meant EU students that had once enjoyed ‘home fee status’ and were able to apply for student loans no longer had these benefits. By making study in the UK a less desirable option to other countries, the financial issues that many universities are facing will worsen, resulting in a further strain on both home and international students.
Beyond the financial, international students must contend with the many challenges that come with being a minority in a foreign environment. It is easy to feel out of place, particularly in Durham, with its ‘rah’ reputation and overwhelmingly white population. This is especially true in the academic sphere – for me, doing a humanities degree means I am often the only person of colour in a room, and although this is to be expected, it does emphasise how detached this ‘elite’ academic institution can be from the rest of the world. The anti-immigration, racist riots across England this summer further proved how unwelcome immigrants are, something that can be felt in the everyday microaggressions directed towards minorities. The experiences of being a racial minority in this atmosphere does not fully cover the specific realities of being an international student, despite the obvious overlap between racial minorities and foreign students.
Culture shocks, ranging from British drinking culture to unfamiliar weather, and language barriers are some of the ways international students feel alienated from their surroundings. Although one myself, I have the privilege of being able to go home to my family in London, whereas many of my friends don’t see their families for months, sometimes a year, because of the distance, effort, and expense. It is not an unusual experience, by any means, to walk into a room and know that you don’t look like anyone else there, that your background is not shared with anyone else, but it can still feel isolating and lonely. There is a particular idea for what an international student looks like in Durham, a template that does not consider the diversity of backgrounds that all have this shared experience of being new to a culture that does not understand us.
As an international student, I feel like there is this constant, subtle requirement to prove that we deserve one of these coveted spots at an elite institution, that we didn’t steal it from a home student. It is clear that the university system in the UK is severely damaged, with the ivory towers of academia built on a foundation of privilege and inequality. It’s important for students, therefore, to not feed into pre-existing divides, but work to overcome them to ensure a beneficial university experience for all.
Image: Brett Denman on Flickr