A Nigerian PhD student studying in the UK, Newcastle University, was deported for not paying her school fees on time. The student, whose name is Sue Agazie, was diagnosed with stage five kidney disease in September 2023 and, because of her disease, was not able to pay her fees on time. She was ordered by the university to leave the UK before the 20th of July or make a new application to stay. Agazie complained that sending her back to Nigeria meant a “death sentence”.
The university stated, “All international students are subject to strict Home Office rules.”.
Agazie is married with a child, and she’s currently one of two students to whom this issue has occurred.
She further stated that her supervisor had promised her some funds when she was recruited, but the promise was not met, which has led to her inability to pay for school fees.
In her words, Agazie said the past year has been “the most difficult of my life”.
She was diagnosed with stage five kidney disease in September 2023, which means her kidneys are close to or have completely failed. She is currently on a waiting list for a kidney transplant.
“I have to check my blood pressure almost every two or three hours,” she said.
Being sent back to Nigeria in her state is like a death sentence, as it will only aggravate her state of health because she does not have money to get high-quality healthcare for her disease in Nigeria.
Because she hasn’t paid her fees, she has been told to leave the UK by 20 July. She, her child, and her husband came in as her dependents.
She complained that the university did not have to report her to the Home Office because her inability was linked to her complaint, but the university insisted that it must “legally follow sponsor immigration guidance, informing United Kingdom Visas and Immigration (UKVI) of certain changes”.
She’s currently relying on food banks, as her current debt to the university amounts to £2,000
She complained that the university had been completely hostile to her and cared less about her health, which was not what they had promised.
“I’ve been really surprised by the way the university has treated me.
“This is not what we were told—it is not the way British universities are sold to us in our country.
“The university is meant to protect and support me.”
The university is currently investigating Agazie’s complaint.
“Throughout the process, we offer additional support to our students through our Student Health and Wellbeing Service,” a university spokesperson said.
Discover more from Infodorm
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.