By Maria Valenstain & Alex Apostolou Kolmaniotis
Travelling home for Christmas from UK universities is set to be an unprecedented challenge this year for international students. In the academic year 2018 / 2019, there were a total of 485,645 of them studying in UK universities, according to a report from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
Out of all the international students attending university in-person, those coming from China, Hong Kong, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Italy, the Canary Islands, Greece and Cyprus will be required to provide evidence of negative Covid-19 test results if they wish to fly home. In 2018 / 19, the number of students coming from these countries amounted to 163,430.
This means that beyond the already extreme costs of airplane tickets, which may be unattainable for some due to the unexpected financial difficulties caused by the pandemic, an expense for Covid testing will now also be added.
The NHS website explicitly states that it will not be providing free tests unless someone has coronavirus symptoms, even if they are planning to leave the country. In addition, the UK government’s foreign travel advice website states that travelers to China, Hong Kong, Italy and the Canary Islands who wish to be tested “should not use the NHS testing service” and “should arrange to take a private test.” International students must therefore seek private companies to provide them with a Covid test, which usually costs between £100-£150 and can even go as high as £300.
According to the latest reports, the UK government is planning to launch a mass Covid-testing period between the 30th of November and the 6th of December to facilitate the return of students. However, international students seem to be excluded from this. In the University of York’s coronavirus advice website for example, when referring to the mass Covid-testing plan, it is specifically stated that “the proposed mass testing for asymptomatic students will not cover [travelers outside the UK] to be declared ‘fit to travel’ … in most situations [they] will need a private test.”
Furthermore, there has been no reference to the antibody tests, costing up to £50 a piece, required by the Chinese government, if Chinese students wish to return to the country. (In 2018 / 19, there were 120,385 Chinese students in UK universities). Up until now, it seems that the government and almost no UK University has rolled out a plan to address the Covid-testing issue for international students. Students were advised to return to the UK for their studies, but if the issue of outrageous travelling costs is left unanswered, a lot of them will have no way of going back.
The coronavirus pandemic has exposed already established social and economic inequalities. However, this is the first time in a while that we have seen such a disproportionate effect on young people. Students are now facing a mental-health crisis, which has caused more than eight suicides in UK universities in the Autumn term alone. Social activities, which are central to the university experience and life, have been put on pause due to social-distancing measures and the lockdown. The Christmas break is not only a break from one’s studies, it is essential to the wellbeing of students, especially right now, when social interaction has been limited for so long. Everything possible must be done, in order to ensure a smooth returning home for both UK and international students.
Image credit: yzn Benz