Impact of red list rules on Bangladesh’s prospective students’ plans to study in the UK

This report is third in the series of the British Council’s country dipstick survey in the South Asia region to assess the impact of red list travel restrictions on students’ decision to study in the UK in the current academic year (September 2021 - August 2022). 

As per the rules, people travelling from the red listed countries can only enter if they have residential rights.  Although students with a valid full time study visa are included in this category, they would still have to complete a quarantine programme in a managed hotel with tests and other protocols. 

The same survey tool and methodology has been used in all the three countries -Bangladesh, Pakistan and India.  The online survey contained six questions and required only 3 minutes to complete. It was administered to students who have subscribed to the British Council Study UK activity alert and was also shared with our agents’ network in Bangladesh for further distribution to prospective students.

A total of 305 respondents took the survey.  From these, 19 responses were removed as they had not originally intended to study overseas in the current academic year.  This brought down the total number of valid respondents to 286, and these have been the basis of our analysis presented below.   

From the five age-group categories set up for the survey, the 25-30 years was the largest represented group at 30 per cent, followed by almost equal representation of 20-22 years and 23-25 years, 19 per cent for above 30 years and the least representation at 9 per cent for 16-19 years old.

Around 96 per cent of the respondents indicated their initial intent to start an overseas higher education course in the UK in the current academic year.  This is made up of 67 per cent of those respondents who chose UK only and 29 per cent of those who chose both the UK and any other overseas country.  Only 4 per cent considered other country other than the UK. 

In response to the question about knowledge and awareness of Bangladesh being in the UK’s red list due to the Covid-19 caseload, although most students were aware of the red listing, the 14 per cent who said they were not aware of this was higher than the equivalent proportions in India and Pakistan.

 

When asked about how the red list restrictions have affected plans to study in the UK, a clear 42 per cent of respondents have said that they will go ahead with hotel quarantine requirements for a September session start in the UK.  27 per cent of post graduate students want to start in September compared to 15 per cent of under graduate students. 

19 per cent of respondents are originally due to start their course in the UK only in January 2022 or later.   

For those who changed their plans, 12 per cent have switched to other overseas country in place of UK, 14 per cent have postponed to the next academic year and 2 per cent have dropped out to stay back in Bangladesh.

Some respondents have commented the following:

• I want home quarantine not hotel quarantine at least who got vaccine
• I was selected to study in the University of the West of Scotland under a scholarship program by Bangladesh government in 2020. As Bangladesh was red listed, the government could not take further step.
• already got my visa, now I am confused about what should I do. Coz I am planning to come with my spouse. Then Quarantine fees are too much. Feel numb.

It is hoped that the survey findings would assist the UK universities in evaluating their preparation and support towards students’ sentiment in Bangladesh towards red list rules.

Author: Sandeepa Sahay, Coordinator, Education Insight Hub South Asia

             Deepika Baruah, Project Manager, Education, India