The Stage

Croatian actor’s ‘vocational’ three-year acting diploma denies him crucial visa points

Published Tuesday 24 November 2009 at 14:20 by Lalayn Baluch

The controversial new immigration system has sparked concern within the arts world yet again, after a foreign student was denied crucial points to stay in the UK because his course at a leading drama school was classified as vocational.

Croatian Marko Cindric, who spent more than £45,000 undertaking a three-year national diploma in professional acting at the Oxford School of Drama, had his application to remain in the country rejected because he failed to secure the 75 points needed for a visa.

The UK Border Agency, which regulates entry and settlement in Britain, did not grant Cindric points for his course because it was not classified as a bachelor degree. However, it is classed at Level 6 in the National Qualifications Framework, rendering it equivalent to a degree. As a result, necessary points were not awarded in other visa categories such as English language and institution of study.

Cindric, who started the course before the new points based visa system was established and finished in July this year, said he also lost points because he did not have the necessary funds in his bank for the period of time required by the border agency. He added he was currently on a student visa which limits him to just 20 hours per week paid work.

The actor, who described the situation as “horrendous” is appealing the decision, said: “It is crazy it is not being recognised, even though my diploma is on the same level as a BA honours.”

Pauline Tambling, managing director of the National Skills Academy, criticised the fact that UKBA drew such a distinction between courses. Tambling said: “Surely they [the Home Office] would want our institutions to be benefitting from the opportunity to teach overseas students, and if we believe our courses are the best in the world, which we do, then we would want to encourage take-up of them.”

National Campaign for the Arts director Louise de Winter remarked that courses which were recognised within the industry had “found themselves on the wrong side of the legislation”, and warned it might deter foreign students from coming to the UK.

OSD was praised in its 2008 Ofsted report and by Equity in 2006 for the employment rate among its recent graduates. Its national diploma is validated by Trinity College London, and its courses are also accredited by NCDT. It is one of the few institutions to continue offering diplomas rather than bachelor degrees. OSD executive director Kate Ashcroft declined to comment on the Cindric case.

A spokesman for UKBA said that as OSD was not on the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills’ list of recognised degree awarding institutions, its course would not have been recognised regardless of the new visa system. He added that UKBA assessed courses based on advice from the National Academic and Recognition Information Centre.

He said: “Our new flexible points-based system is giving us greater control on those coming to work or study from outside Europe, ensuring that only those that Britain need can come.”