This is a very old story. I did a Master's degree in Sheffield in the early nineties; it was full of Chinese students who could barely speak English. None of them failed to graduate.

The whole university system needs an overhaul

Imagine if this country started taking care of its own citizens 🤯

very disappointing but not surprising.the UK really is fcuked 👎

So Chinese international students are able to pass an English degree course barely able to speak the language as long as they pay.😊

I'm a mature student with duo citizenship. Applied last year for Sheffield CS in clearing. They told me that the places were filled but there were places for international "fees" if I wish to pay for it. Disgraceful! ! !

Full of Chinese student tower blocks in Newcastle, They seem to love Marks and Spencers

Surprisingly, The Times reported it as news. Basically, students who did not achieve the required grades will need to complete a one-year foundation course before being admitted. This course serves as a bridge, similar to a diploma, leading to undergraduate studies. Same in Australia, Canada or the United State. There's no need for an undercover team or investigation; the resources are available online. It's amusing that they added background music as though it's a cover-up story.

£20,000+ per year for 3 years? Man, those parents' pockets are pretty deep.

I went to QMUL, and it was full of indians, russians and chinese students, including teaching staff. I didn't understand anything when teaching staff spoke English. I remember that one English student asked a question during the lecture, and the lecturer didn't understand his question. English students were shocked about that. I withdrew from my studies after ridiculous experience at QMUL. I also can't believe how this university is part of Russell Group University. They were so disorganised, from teaching staff to admission staff. They made sudden changes in course modules, and there were phd students who can't explain or answer questions. How come they do, phd? This is a serious problem but there is more serious problem which is skill misalignment between universities and industries. Uk universities do not prepare you for practical world. Companies do not care about theory, they care about practical skills. Universities in the UK really needs to update its education from scratch.

Why is anybody surprised? Surely our universities have lost all credence after their lobbying to increase fees to £9000 p.a. for courses that are not necessarily the best. Burden poor students with debt for life for a degree that is not what it should be. Vice-chancellors' generous salaries and pensions have to be paid by somebody! It was backed up by an iniquitous rate of interest on the loans. Students had to pay 6% when car buyers paid no interest at all. Some standards: some country!

They're a business first and foremost, why would anyone be surprised by this?

No surprise weve seen a massive increase in foreign students coming in

I'm not sure I see the problem, because they have to complete a year before going onto the degree course, right? So before they go onto the degree course they must need to be at the same standard. There are opportunities for native students in the same situation to do the same, just a different pathway.

Well, it shouldn't really be a surprise If you offer a service and can get more money from a specific group of people, you're going to want more of thst group of people.

The second university started charging fees is the second universities became businesses trying to maximise profits, and the government became loan sharks trying to maximise profits. Fees are too high and teacher salaries are too low, so we know where the money is going…

Government capped the feeds a decade ago. Inflation means that's a huge cut in income. Overseas students are used to subsidise local students, and keep the HE sector in business.

Moreover, what is UK university degree ..its like a distance education a little lecture then all assignments..spending so much money is waste..

I wonder if Sunaks father in law has any investment?

Foundation courses have been running since late 1990's. Doesn't say much that the media has only just cottoned onto this. The real issue is the effective privatisation of the universities, and the under-funding that followed. Capping UK fees is laudable and right but the issue is that this leaves a massive funding shortfall. International students fees make up that short fall ...

Its Because rich foreign students have to pay tuition upfront and there more likely to receive further "donations" from the students family wouldn't surprise me if there's a pay for grades going on with the foreign students that preform badly

That big money game run by foreign entities gives them the power in that country (uk)with their students being the drivers.

I am one of those students and I am struggling a lot in my MSc. If I fail, I lose everything. I can't go back to my home country because it's unsafe for me.

In Glasgow there's foreign student accommodation everywhere..loads of them constructed by Asian financiers ..the students are like human electrical sub stations acting as the currency for the businessmen & their influence over the City.

Compare Foundation year to IB entry requirements for Exeter. And learn first how hard is to get 38 points in IB compared to A levels and "Foundation year".

Degrees are worthless nowadays

Some very ill-informed comments on here. Not going to wheel out the 'r' word but some here are bordering on it. I have taught Chinese students on pre-master's courses at UK universities. Yes, some clearly struggle with English. However, subject knowledge is certainly not lacking and in fact, often exceeds that of home students. By the end of a decent pre-sessional course, most foreign students are pretty capable and by the end of master's courses at top universities such as these, are producing good quality work.

Has it come to this point? Oh dear!

😅I finally realise why the internet says the Brits are so t arrogant. If you think they can't speak English, it's a problem with IELTS. Not every family can afford the fee for international high school about 3Years to study Alevel, AP and iB. They have achieved excellence in their high schools but not a qualification recognised by UK universities, so they have to waste a year in foundation, come on, who wont study Alevel, it is quite easy especially for the Chinese college entrance exam and ib😅

Students still need to pass the foundation course, which align with the university direct entry criteria. ‘Guaranteed progression’ is only guaranteed if they meet the university standard of entry. On the foundation students are essentially studying an A level equivalent, focused on improving their English and relevant academic modules. Slightly misleading journalism.

Don’t see a problem here. Point is it’s a foundation degree, students pay and study a whole year to be the same standard as year 1 students. It’s usually only available to foreign students or uk students with disruptions (medical, disadvantaged backgrounds ect) as it considers that the students aren’t at the same level as a/a* students but have the potential to do well in a degree. Thats it -simple. International students can join the standard degrees but many take foundation due to English language issues or differences in foreign education.

Disgraceful & I hope Paul Golding and the millions of Britain First supporters worldwide protest about this!

Get away! Yet another story of British corruption? Britain is starting to resemble a banana republic. Which is a bit ironic, as we’re usually the first to criticise.

Let me guess, profit driven and now so messed up they can't survive without continuing and all done under the guise of making things fairer for young Brit's?

Im british,wish i could afford to go to university

Sorry but you are late. This is happening from more than 20 years now.

Uk colleges are just as bad... I feel for the teachers expected to be magicians and pass students.

That is why standards of society is collapsing people doing jobs that they are not qualified to do 🤔

Not knew, jus wondering whats bring the buisness accept of brit universities to light, hope torries not upping fees again, thought when we went upto to 9k a yr that would reduce the number.

This is the next scandal to come about. A .ot of the Chinese students level of spoken English is not good at all, in fact,likely good as ESOL.

It's a scam.

Well, I never!

At every level natives are being shafted. Here it is harder for us to get into uni, and then why there are such struggles getting student accommodation. Treacherous!

@erikgood732: Corruption has always been deeply entrenched in the UK. It's one of the most successful exports. How do you think all those amenities that you enjoy are financed? What exactly do you think "the city" does to make money? A country with no viable natural resources has to steal to get by, why do you think the infrastructure is crumbling, including the health service? The country has run out of countries to exploit, welcome to the future of the UK, the Potato republic.

UK sounding like America 😂. Welcome to modern education UK

Most British students are terrible at exams; oh wait, do we even attend lectures or know what will be tested in the exams? It's OK; I learned these while I was in A level. Oh, I'm sorry. I thought the exam was tomorrow!

I noticed some local immigrants, just come to U.K. and straight onto Masters Degrees and when I ask them, they say it has cost £18,000 plus. No idea how they can study either with looking after their kids and tiny babies 24/7, superhuman!

Cash for courses, cash for questions. That's the name of the game here in the UK. One leads by example, and the WEF Quislings in Parliament certainly earn their money.

Meanwhile in the US, international students pay higher fees AND get admitted at a lower rate. At least it's only true for unis comparative to or better than Exeter and Durham such as Buffalo, Delaware, Pittsburg, etc.

I don't see the problem. The government hasn't increased tuition fees in real terms in over a decade and obviously the School's base costs go up. So effectively international students are subsidising domestic students and in turn subsidising the government

We are rich we are boss you take our money then don’t talk . Uk uni can buy anyway hahaha just a rubbish paper

What NEXT!????

As long as the universities dont offend the currently fashionable minorities, they can do what they want.

I one hundred per cent agree with this video! As a person with high grades who got into a master's degree at LSE last year, I couldn't attend due to high fees. 40k pounds a year (dorm and tuition) just doesn't make sense if you are from the third world. HOWEVER I feel that they should do the opposite. Higher merit for international students and the same fee as UK home students. If internationals pay the same as UK students, it doesn't matter who studies there. They can limit the number of international students then and have the same advantage. Like even as a person who due to recent COVID events doesn't have the same amount of money as his peers any more (We were upper-middle-class now near middle) It is sad and depressing seeing dumber kids with richer parents get into places through consultants. Do I blame the students? not at all, if I was still relatively in good income I would have done the same. However, I do blame the system. I have personally changed my mind about attending university in the UK even though I had offers from major Russel groups unis there (other than Oxford and Cambridge). It feels like a waste of money in the current climate when you have places like KU Leuven and the University of Ghent basically being toe to toe with some Russel Group unis (In the middle) Now do I think this happens at the cream of the group unis? (High Russel like top 8?) Not really. Oxford, LSE, Cambridge, Imperial, and UOE still have high standards and still require a high 2:1 at least. Some degrees only want a first. However places like Kings College, UCL, and UOM? very easy to get into if you know consultants for a master's for certain degrees. Though lets be fair here, the conservative government wants those international students too. The international students give nearly 29 billion pounds a year to the UK. So while this government might posture itself as a immigrant/international student hating group, it very much needs them.

Uk is super poor nation . 80% students get students loans with such cheap school fees . No worry most rich won’t come here , they will go US . Uk ‘s 3rd world facilities only attracts middle class international students.