Leeds Conservatoire graduation date change prompts visa issues for international students

Leeds Conservatoire has changed its graduation date, prompting visa challenges for some international students.

The famed institution in Quarry Hill, which usually arranges graduation ceremonies to take place in July, recently announced to students that the 2025 ceremonies will now be taking place on October 31st.

International students have told the Yorkshire Evening Post that they were informed without warning, and say the decision would require them to apply for a two year graduate visa. This is because their current visas end in early to mid-October.  

The visa would reportedly cost students £2,000 on top of any travel and accommodation expenses. The principal at the Conservatoire has said students should have been consulted sooner but alternative options for graduating have been offered.  

After backlash from students, as well as the Students’ Union, the university has proposed a separate “International Graduation and End of Year Celebration” to take place on July 23rd.

However, many feel this does not go far enough with one student saying: “The alternative July international only ceremony is nothing more than a segregated event designed to tick a box.”

Another student, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “From the moment I began applying for a visa, it felt like the odds were stacked against me as an international student. I’ve paid £15,000 per year in tuition with no access to funding, all while living on a visa that restricted my ability to earn a liveable income.”

The student continued: “Despite these challenges, I gave a great deal to this institution serving as a student ambassador, founding and running a society supporting the Conservatoire’s emerging electronic music programme, and representing my course as a student Rep.

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“Now, after doing all this and more, I’ve been told I can’t even attend my own graduation unless I apply for a graduate visa which would cost me over £2,000, excluding travel and accommodation.”

They added: “This decision, marked by poor planning, misleading marketing, and a general lack of care for international students, has left me regretting my decision to study in the UK.

“If I had known how mismanaged, unsupported, and extractive this experience would be, I would never have come here.”

The principal of Leeds Conservatoire, professor Joe Wilson, has responded to some of the concerns raised.

“Every year some students cannot graduate with their peers as they may have to complete reassessments or have personal circumstances that might mean they require additional time to complete their exams.

“By moving to October, we hoped to ensure that all students could graduate with their peers. We therefore made the decision to move our graduation from July to October to ensure that this would not be the case. There were also limited venue options across the city due to the number of graduands we have,” he said. 

Professor Wilson added: “October graduations are not unusual in higher education, but we have apologised to students who are unhappy with this decision, acknowledging that we should have consulted with them sooner.

“It is important to us that every graduate has the opportunity to celebrate their achievements, which is why we also gave them the option to attend graduation in July at the University of Hull, which validates our degrees.

“Our 19 international students are eligible for two-year graduate visas and can attend the October ceremony, should they choose to.

“For those who are unable to, we offered to host an international students’ graduation, and an end of year celebration in July. This was not instead of the October graduation, and international students are welcome to attend either.

“We will ensure we continue to engage with our students on future graduation celebrations.”

Featured image via TikTok