FRI3 OIL SYSTEM

Exploring students‘ financial issues and its influence on their independent learning experiences in the UK, the questionnaire data suggests that although around 80% of students were confident or very confident of completing their current studies with success; this success depended on the financial situations they faced.

During the interviews, it was revealed that the majority of participants were concerned about financial matters. For example, students felt that the high tuition fees and living costs make it difficult for them to afford UK study without employment. In some student views, they were enticed into these universities with the promise that it would not be difficult to learn/study and find part-time, possibly, full-time work in the UK. For example, students commented that:

―The costs in China are five times less than here. Tuition fee and accommodation costs are too much … I was cheated by agent … [that] getting degree in UK is easy. This is not true ...‖

160 Other students noted:

―It‘s not an issue because I am supported by my parents… I have to show good results to my parents …‖

―… It was an issue. Without part time job, it was very hard to survive … my university … helped me financially ...‖

These comments indicate a mix of views that some students supported by parents or sponsors do not feel the financial strain while others consider it a real problem which ultimately influence their attention to their studies – which are driven by the way IL practices are practiced in the UK. Certain comments from students indicate that financial strains could also precipitate the discontinuation of studies:

―Finance is also a big issue because of which some students couldn‘t complete their studies as they are financially weak.‖

These comments also suggest the overall perceptions of students about fee ratios, accommodation costs, living expenses; and the possible prospect of working in the UK. At the same time, these students realise the value of such a large investment by expressing the fear of failure in exams. They realise that financial issues are affecting their very approach to learning, potentially causing them to abandon it. However, the financial burden is also broadening their minds about whether to learn seriously, which is normally taken as IL and also required in the UK, or face failure:

―The main difficulties … [for the] international student are finance - accommodation and tuition fees … beyond our imagination.‖

―Tuition fee and accommodation costs [are]… too much … [I] feel worried about my result. (What result?) I think that if I fail then I don‘t have [any] choice ….‖

Linking the literature from the impact of part-time work on Chinese students and the burden of huge tuition fees during the course of changes in immigration rules has shaped numerous troubles for students, particularly in the course of IL development. Thus, at this stage I sought to determine student perceptions about the topic of UK immigration and employment to explore the link between the financial constraints and independent learning. Students were encouraged to discuss the financial challenges of their studies and whether finance could influence their IL in the UK. There were many accounts from students regarding part-time employment, particularly the ones who are

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only in the UK to work instead of study; interest in working is what is normally seen as a diversion from studying, jeopardising their learning prospects. Interestingly the phenomenon of economic immigrants came up. One of them commented that:

―Nowadays … very few opportunities of jobs …. searching for [a]job for so many months … as [a]genuine student, it is hard to study full time and [the]majority of employers are offering full-time jobs… colleagues work full time … they are not allowed to work FT, .. [I am] looking for part time work …‖

When students were asked whether financial problems were recent or had been present from the beginning, the following student indicated:

―I am self-funded but my father [who]sent me the full tuition fees ... parents [are]expecting me to work part-time …. [I] was promised part-time work when recruited in my country … [I]was told …[it was] easy to work during the study …[I] will easily find a job …. Things are different here … I intend to finish my studies and return to my country…‖

In this regard, another respondent revealed that:

―There are students who do not study at all but work FT … some students work more than FT hours … have no intention of studying ….[some] looking to settle in UK … some marry European upon lump-sum of money to get permanent stay …‖

So far, the most striking revelation by students is real-time financial difficulties whilst studying; only those students interested in paid employment without paying attention to studies are differently noted from the literature.

From the analysis of the above data, three categories of students emerged in relation to financial difficulties, out of which some are affecting their IL approaches. The first category includes those students who come to the UK with alleged sponsorships from agencies and governments etc. who are affected by their sponsors‘ financial commitments; the second category include those who are normally called economic migrants who have real intentions of working rather than studying; and the third involves financially stable and rich students who take paid employment without needing it. For the latter category, the likely reasons for financial embellishments are boredom with long hours of study or greed for money. The remaining students fall under two broad general categories: genuine students and economic migrants. Genuine students

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are those who focus on their studies from the moment of their arrival in the UK despite the changes in their financial circumstances or financial difficulties; and economic migrants who come on student visas to settle in the UK and work. These economic migrants might typically come from a lower social background. While this opinion might be applicable for some students, there are consistent reports about others taking full time (FT) employment, as confirmed by students in previous comments.

My personal experiences, as a researcher, with colleagues may well suit the current discussion. Many of them were seen as ‗decoy-students‘ (students registered for the purpose of complying with the immigration rules and not for genuine studies) in colleges, particularly in London areas. The majority of such colleges have been discovered by UKBA and disciplined with drastic changes to immigration rules. Previously, students used to pay a nominal sum of money to maintain their student status or to accompany British or European nationals in order to stay in the UK. The purpose was clear: they were simply economic migrants in the name of students. However, there are other students, for example some Pakistani, for whom their‘ circumstances changed upon arrival in the UK; one reason for this change was the prevailing violence in Pakistan, and as a result their economic situations worsened. Hence students may not have been able to rely on their sponsors for funding. The resulting financial troubles have led some students to divert their attention to employment rather than developing the required IL skills in the UK.

Thus, it seems somewhat disingenuous to label a group of students as either economic migrants or genuine students. It is possible that students with fewer financial problems might not seek paid employment and focus on their studies, developing more independent learning skills, to attain better results and secure a brighter future. Some students, even with financial strain, might well be able to secure funding from other agencies, their parents or friends. When one student was asked about his financial difficulties, he/she responded:

―Initially I got funding from a French agency but later I was not getting my allowance [s] … my living costs were getting [to me] too late… my friend helped and I lived with him for some time … but I managed to study so far … [I] tried to take part-time work but study requirements did not allow such… [I]

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got a bursary from my university … every student face[s] it but some manage it while others don‘t.‖

The above comments represent an example of students with funding support from organisations which pledge funding but do not keep their commitment, thus endangering students‘ careers by not providing the promised financial support on time.

Anecdotal evidence about a colleague may be relevant here. A student came to the UK on funding from the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan. Upon completing his first year of study, the HEC suspended funding to students throughout Western countries in 2010. His dilemma meant that he would either need to seek alternative funding or paid employment in the UK. He finally managed to fund his studies through partial parental support and with some paid employment. In such cases where students are determined to complete their studies, they plan ahead without relying on a single source. When one respondent was asked about his/her intentions after studies, the comments were:

―I will go back to my country because I can get good employment … there. This degree will help me a lot … here; I don‘t want to waste my time ….‖

The above comments are reflective of those genuine students who come to Britain for the purpose of enhancing their learning, broadening their employment prospects in their home countries. But the financial strain clearly presents a hurdle or barrier to achieving the desired UK qualifications, which essentially requires the skills to learn independently, as was the case with another student:

―I used to work part-time in university café … then focused on my studies when funding arrived from my agency… [be]cause it was difficult for me to work and study at the same time… other students still do it … some even work more than their study hours.‖

Such comments suggest that if students are provided with timely funding, the majority are likely to focus on their studies and develop IL skills. Anecdotal evidence such as that mentioned above might not suit those students with inclinations toward economic prosperity during study time. Hence, the intentions of economic migrant students regarding studying and working may vary and could possibly be examined in a broader framework. Thus, it is clear from some studies and the majority of comments that

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economic migrants are still a major factor in the UK and that financial difficulty of students from the selected countries are multi-fold in nature, the extent of which is yet to be revealed. However, it is clearer that in the case of financial issues, students divert their attention to working which jeopardises their ability to give enough time to learning independently. As a result, the whole process of learning, which requires more self- directedness, becomes uncertain.