LONDON (TIP): King’s College London has come out in open support of re-introducing post study work visa for Indian students in the UK.

Recent data showed that the number of Indian students coming to study in the UK has fallen by 50% since 2010 due to scrapping of the visa. This has caused a major dip in the revenue earned by British universities. Historically, one in five students in a British university population is from overseas — over one in four in London — who pump£3.9 billion annually as tuition fees.

King’s College president and principal professor Edward Byrne told TOI before his maiden trip to India that “bright, motivated Indian students are an indispensable part of the British community and their presence in King’s significantly benefits British society, culture and economy”.

Indians together are the third largest international student (undergraduate and postgraduate) body at King’s with alumni like Sarojini Naidu and Khushwant Singh.

On reintroduction of the post study work visa, Byrne told media, “We are fully supportive of this and remain committed to welcoming Indian students to the UK and King’s.” He added, “We are very much open to receiving students from India, and absolutely value the positive ethos they bring. We are working with the government to improve visa conditions. Students from India interested in applying to King’s shouldn’t be put off by the visa application process. We have a dedicated team to help with visas and deal with any issues arising from UK Border Agency.”