Nigerian students have been expelled from university courses and ordered to leave the UK after a currency crisis left them unable to pay tuition fees on time.
Students at Teesside University were blocked from their studies and reported to the Home Office after the value of Nigeria’s naira plummeted, depleting their savings.
Some students told the BBC they felt suicidal, accusing the university of taking a “heartless” approach to those who fell into arrears due to the crisis.
A university spokesman stated that failure to pay was a breach of visa sponsorship requirements, leaving them “no choice” but to alert the Home Office.
The Home Office responded that visa sponsorship decisions were the responsibility of the institution.
Nigeria is facing its worst economic crisis in a generation, significantly affecting Nigerian students at some UK universities.
Average inflation is nearly 34%, and the situation worsened when the country’s president attempted to replace old currency with new.
As a result, the currency depreciated by over 100% against the dollar within a year.
Before starting their studies at Teesside, affected students were required to show proof of sufficient funds to cover tuition fees and living expenses.
However, those funds were significantly depleted due to the currency crisis in their home country.
This crisis exacerbated the financial problems students were already facing because the university changed the tuition fee payment plans from seven installments to three.
A group of students, 60 of whom shared their names with the BBC, began pressing the university for support after several individuals who defaulted on payments were locked out of their university accounts and involuntarily withdrawn from their courses.
Some students were also reportedly contacted by debt collection agencies contracted by the university.
Adenike Ibrahim was close to handing in her dissertation at the end of two years of study when she missed one payment and was then kicked off her course and reported to the Home Office.
She subsequently paid the outstanding fees, but said she had not been re-enrolled and was told she must leave the country, along with her young son.
“I did default [on payments], but I’d already paid 90% of my tuition fees and I went to all of my classes,” she said.
“I called them and asked to reach an agreement, but they do not care what happens to their students.”
She said the experience was “horrendous” and she did not know what was happening with her qualification.
“It has been heartbreaking for my son especially, he has been in so much distress since I told him,” Ms Ibrahim added.
No right of appeal
The Home Office told students, including Ms Ibrahim, that their permission to enter the UK had been cancelled because they stopped studying at the university.
The letters, seen by the BBC, offer a date by which the student must leave the country and say they do not have a “right of appeal or administrative review against the decision”.
Since receiving his letter, one masters degree student – who did not want to be named – said he had seriously considered suicide and was not eating or drinking.
The university said it had made “every effort” to support affected students, who had now been offered individual meetings with specialist staff and bespoke payment plans where requested.
Esther Obigwe said she repeatedly tried to speak to the university about her financial struggles but received no response, until she too was blocked from her studies and received notice to leave the country.
“I attended all of my classes and seminars, I’m a hell of an active student,” she said.
“It is disheartening, I am now on antidepressants and being here alone, I have nobody to talk to.
“For over two months, I’ve barely eaten or slept and I don’t understand why this is being meted at us, we didn’t do anything wrong.”
She added that most of the students had “spent a lot of money to be here”.
Jude Salubi, who was studying to be a social worker, was midway through a placement when he was told his access to the university was suspended and he would have to leave the country.
Prior to that, he travelled from Teesside to Liverpool each weekend to work 18 hours in an attempt to pay off the outstanding fees.
“As of now I have paid £14,000 and have a balance of £14,000,” he said.
“I am willing to come to an agreement as to how I will make this payment, but I need guarantees that I will be re enrolled into school and my visa restored.”
Some affected students have managed to pay off outstanding fees, but the university is now unable to intervene in the Home Office process, the BBC understands.
A university spokesman said: “Teesside University is proud to be a global institution with a diverse student population but is also very aware of its obligations regarding visa issuance and compliance.
“These strict external regulations ensure that the university fully supports a robust immigration system and is outside of the university’s control.”
The spokesman added it was “aware of the challenging financial situation faced by some students” and had “actively offered bespoke payment plans where requested”.
“This option has been taken up by many of our international students; however, some students have still defaulted on these revised payment plans,” he said.
The Home Office said a decision to offer or withdraw visa sponsorship rested with the sponsoring institution.
A spokesman said wherever a visa was shortened or cancelled, individuals should “take steps to regularise their stay or make arrangements to leave the UK”.