Teesside University to fund flights home for crisis-hit Nigerian students

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Teesside University has announced it will help fund flights home to Nigeria for students it had previously reported to the Home Office.

These students were removed from their courses and ordered to leave the UK after a currency crisis in Nigeria left them unable to pay their tuition fees.

Following protests and intervention from the Nigerian government, the university informed the BBC that it has re-enrolled some affected students and established a travel fund for those needing to return home.

One student criticized the offer, stating: “The wide-rippling effects of this are unmanageable and piling up.”

The BBC reported that Teesside University, based in Middlesbrough, withdrew sponsorship for several students and reported them to the Home Office due to unpaid tuition fees.

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These students had exhausted their savings due to Nigeria’s severe economic downturn. The situation worsened when the university altered its payment plans from seven installments to three, leading to financial strain.

A local food charity noted that 75% of its clients are now Nigerian students struggling with living costs. As a result, some students missed tuition payments and were subsequently barred from their studies. They soon received letters from the Home Office instructing them to leave the UK.

In May, a university spokesman stated that non-payment breached visa sponsorship requirements, leaving the institution with “no choice” but to notify the Home Office.

Now, a university spokesman has confirmed that some affected students can resume their studies. “We are working with a small group who need to return to their home country and are opening an international relief fund to provide financial support for these unexpected travel costs,” he said. The university has informed some students they can complete their studies from Nigeria or return to the UK later.

The BBC understands that some affected students are filing legal appeals against being told to return to Nigeria. One student, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed distrust in the university’s offer.

“I was asked to return home, pay the remaining balance, and apply to return later, but I don’t trust them now. It seems like a way to evade responsibility, and they may not let me come back. If they do, it would cost me thousands for flights, visa fees, and NHS fees again. I’ve already spent so much coming here, and now they want me to leave without any certification of my achievements. The whole purpose of coming here was to study, and we haven’t committed any crime. There’s been no apology for the stress and trauma the university has caused me.”