A currency crash of the Nigerian naira left many students with depleted savings accounts and an inability to pay their fees. The university terminated visa sponsorship, withdrew students from their courses, and reported students to the Home Office, who ordered them to leave the country. A spokesperson said that Teesside University had “no choice”.
No right of appeal or administrative review against the decision
Affected students say that the University handled their cases “heartlessly”, with reported responses ranging from arranging debt collectors, to refusing to make payment plan arrangements, to failing to communicate at all.
Problems seem to have begun before the naira crashed, though, as the University changed fee payment plans from seven instalments to three. A petition to reverse the change was opened in August 2023, and claims that “many [students] are already managing multiple financial responsibilities”, and that reinstating the seven instalment plan would “reflect the institution's dedication to supporting the diverse needs of its international student community.”
The Home Office also reportedly told the students that they had no "right of appeal or administrative review against the decision".
After protests and Nigerian government communication, the University enrolled some students back onto their courses, and opened a travel fund for the 21 students who still needed to leave.
However, some students claim that despite paying, they are still being told to leave the UK, as the university failed to communicate updates to the Home Office. Some students are reportedly pursuing legal action regardless of the limited action taken by Teesside University.
With students becoming depressed, feeling humiliated, and being forced to work every one of their days off, Teesside University has been accused of failing in its duty of care by the founder of the Nigerian Students’ Union UK, Yemi Soile. One student told the BBC that there has been no apology for “the stress and trauma” the University exacerbated with their mishandling.
The impact of the crash was not just at university, but in students' day-to-day lives too, as Thornaby-on-Tees’ Sprouts Community Food Charity told BBC Tees that 75% of their clients were students impacted by Nigeria’s currency crash. One student told The Guardian that he was forced to sell his home in Nigeria.
