Up to 66 international students at the University of Gloucestershire have disappeared without telling the authorities.

Figures released following an Echo Freedom of Information request revealed students from China, India, Russia and Africa have all abandoned courses at the university and dropped off the official radar since April 2005.

Although university staff said the drop-outs could be for a number of reasons, officials at the UK Borders Agency said educational courses were often used as a backdoor to the UK by illegal immigrants.

Jeremy Oppenheim, national lead for the agency’s new points-based immigration system, said: “Issues like this have been a concern for us for some time, and we are constantly working to correct the problem.

“Anybody who is granted a place at a British university has a right to enter the country, and therefore this is one of the biggest areas open to abuse by those intending to stay in the country illegally.

“It is not just those students leaving without telling the university who are a concern either. It is anybody who starts a course and then fails to finish it.”

In total, up to 700 international students may have withdrawn from courses at the University of Gloucestershire in the last four years, but the vast majority informed the authorities of their plans. The exact figure cannot be revealed under data protection laws.

According to the figures, Chinese students are the most likely to abandon their studies, with up to 50 leaving since April 2005. They are followed by students from India and Zimbabwe.

The exact number of those who absconded without warning cannot be revealed because of data protection laws, but the true figure is between 18 to 66.

Despite the concerns, University of Gloucestershire officials rejected the suggestion that students could be joining courses with the intention of staying in the UK illegally. Paul Drake, director of communications, said: “International students withdraw for a complex range of reasons, as do UK students.

“It would be entirely wrong to assume that students sought acceptance as a means of entry to the UK given the stringent immigration procedures for overseas applicants.”

In March, the UK Borders Agency will implement a new points-based system for assessing the suitability of students who want to enter the country.

Mr Oppenheim said he expected the new rules to tighten up the system considerably.

He said: “Potential students will have to have a sponsor to show they are registering on a legitimate course and will also have to prove they have enough money to support themselves, so they will not be dependent on the state.

“This is not a simple problem, but it is one we are certainly aware of and we are trying to address.”

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