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Things have been a bit turbulent in the UK lately.

Since August,The bad news in the UK came one after another. First, it declared "bankruptcy" and then violent riots broke out.

Coupled with the recent wave of university closures, the series of negative news has caused everyone to worry about studying in the UK.

Faced with the current situation in the UK, is it a blessing or a curse for international students?

In the past two weeks, a large-scale riot broke out in the UK.Many British media called this riot "the worst national riot in 13 years."

The direct cause of the riot was a tragic incident.

On July 29, in a small town in western England,A 17-year-old man broke into a primary school dance studio with a knife, killing three children and injuring several children and adults.

Out of protection for minors, the police did not disclose the suspect's identity information.

But news suddenly broke on the Internet that the suspect was a refugee who entered the UK illegally in 2023 and that he was a Muslim.

This statement quickly ignited the Internet, and a large number of far-right elements took quick action, actively inciting public sentiment and calling for demonstrations and protests.Some extreme right-wing celebrities are also fanning the flames and adding fuel to the fire.

Even though the police later announced that the suspect was a Rwandan-born British man in Wales, the hate campaign against refugees and Muslims had already been set off and was out of control.

The protests quickly spread to major cities such as London, Liverpool, and Manchester.The protests turned into riots and continued to escalate.

These thugs attacked police officers, indiscriminately attacked bystanders, threw Molotov cocktails, looted stores, and even set fire to vehicles and stores. Some even attacked Asian passers-by.

On the evening of August 7, the rioters released a "terrorist declaration" that they would riot in 39 cities.

On that day, shops closed early and employees left work early. The police organized more than 6,000 police officers to respond at any time, and it was said that the army was also mobilized.

Fortunately, no further riots occurred that day. Instead, thousands of anti-rioters took to the streets holding signs that read "love", "solidarity" and "good atmosphere".

After a narrow escape, the British riots came to a temporary end and British cities basically returned to calm.

But this riot also reflects that undercurrents are surging beneath the peaceful situation in Britain.Hidden behind this riot are the social contradictions that have long accumulated in British society.

In recent years, with the economic downturn and rising unemployment rates, people's anxiety and panic about the future have continued to spread.

Factors such as immigration issues, religious issues, and the collision of multiple cultures are like hidden mines that may explode at any time.

For international students, coming to study in the UK will inevitably require integrating into a different culture, but they must always remain sober and calm, and never be involved in violent conflicts, let alone actively participate.

If you encounter sudden riots or demonstrations, you must first ensure your own safety, avoid going to dangerous areas, keep an eye on the news, and call the police if necessary.

Speaking of the UK's economic problems, some time ago,A British government spokesman announced that Britain was "bankrupt", and the news attracted global attention.

British Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves released a fiscal review report to the British Parliament, which showed thatThere is currently a "£20 billion hole" in the public finances.

The Labour Party pointed the finger at factors such as inaccurate departmental spending, inflation, and the Russia-Ukraine war of the previous government, which led to the fiscal deficit.

That is to say,This is not "bankruptcy" in the true sense, but a tool for the struggle between the British Conservative and Labour parties.

Many international students do not care about the struggles among British political parties, but they cannot ignore the policy directions released by the British government.

After all, several major cities in the UK have experienced bankruptcy in the past few years, so students studying in the UK have to be prepared.

If the UK were to face serious economic problems or go bankrupt,The most direct impact will be an increase in tuition fees and living expenses, and some scholarships and grants may be cut or cancelled.

Because a large part of British universities' income, in addition to government financial grants, comes from tuition fees from international students.

In order to remedy the financial crisis as soon as possible, tuition fees for international students may increase further in the future.

In addition, the depreciation of the pound will also lead to higher living expenses and tuition fees for international students.International students enrolling in the UK this fall have already suffered a wave of tuition fee shocks.

Economic difficulties can also affect the financial stability of universities.This has led to cuts in university resources and services, including teaching quality, research funding and student support services, affecting the learning experience of international students.

The economic downturn could lead to a shrinking job market, reducing the opportunities for international students to find work after graduation.This is particularly disadvantageous for international students who hope to gain work experience in the UK or stay in the UK to develop their careers.

Economic pressure may prompt the government to adjust its immigration policies, including visa policies for international students.

This could include stricter visa application requirements, restrictions on work visa opportunities or shortening the period of time international students can stay after graduation.

Judging from the current situation, the UK is still far from a real economic crisis.For international students, the potential impact of "bankruptcy" remains unknown.

Think positively.Some universities may lower their admission standards due to financial pressure in order to attract more international students. This may be a new opportunity to study in the UK.

In any case, we should all pay close attention to the UK economic developments and the UK government’s new education policies, keep abreast of the possible impacts, and be prepared for economic fluctuations.

In fact, it was British universities that encountered the economic crisis earlier than the UK.British universities are facing an unprecedented financial crisis.

According to the annual report recently released by the Office of Student Affairs, the UK higher education regulator,40% of UK universities are expected to be in deficit in the 2023-2024 academic year.

Among them, 43 universities have been in deficit for the third consecutive year, and 11 universities are facing the risk of bankruptcy.

According to the details officially released, the reasons for the closure are nothing more than huge financial deficits, closure of multiple courses and large-scale layoffs.

The latest data from King's College London shows that:If 30-40 universities in the UK close due to funding problems,

• 68% of respondents would feel worried;

• 71% of respondents are concerned that this will affect the lives of current students;

• 61% are concerned that this will undermine educational opportunities in the UK, increase unemployment and have a negative impact on the local economy;

• 38% of graduates are concerned that the value of their degree would be affected if their alma mater closed.

The Telegraph reported in July that many British universities are facing financial crises.Some universities may go bankrupt as early as this year.

The report listed the financial data of the two universities. The University of York has a deficit of 24 million pounds, and Coventry University will cut its budget by 95 million pounds in the next two fiscal years.

However, the report did not mention which universities will declare bankruptcy this year.

For international students, there is a real risk that the school will close down while they are studying. If a university really goes bankrupt, all students will transfer to another school.

Of course, before going bankrupt, the university also took self-rescue measures.

The first measure is to merge with other schools.Some time ago, City, University of London and St George's, University of London announced their merger.

The biggest impact on students of the two schools is that their graduation certificates will have the names of two schools at the same time: City St George's and University of London.

The second measure is to recruit more international students.As we all know, it is very difficult for British universities to raise tuition fees for local students.

Not only will British students not bring any revenue to universities, but they will also be a loss.The tuition fees for international students are 3-4 times that of local students.

To some extent, international students have become the lifeline for these universities on the verge of bankruptcy.In order to attract more international students, schools may further lower the threshold for studying abroad.

This year, many students have received emails from York University that it has lowered its IELTS requirements. In January, the school stated that it would adopt a "more flexible" admissions policy to recruit international students.

From this point of view, the "wave of closures" of British universities seems to be a bad thing, but it is a good thing for international students.

But in general, the risk of "school disappearing while you're studying" is too great.It is recommended that prospective international students give more consideration to "university finances" when choosing a school.

After a school goes bankrupt, the instability of being transferred to another school is also a factor that everyone should take into consideration.

As the saying goes, misfortune often brings blessings, and blessings often bring misfortune. Studying in the UK is like seeking wealth and honor through risk.There are risks, but there are also opportunities, as well as some unexpected problems, big and small.

But at least from the perspective of admissions, the finances of the UK and British universities still provide many opportunities for Chinese students.

After all, as the largest source country of students for the UK, Chinese students are the undisputed financial sponsors.