Facilitate online education for students residing outside the U.K for the academic year 2020-21 due to the ongoing global pandemic

Given the current circumstances due to Covid-19, and the financial and social disruptions this global pandemic has been causing worldwide, we are asking the University to show some flexibility and be understanding towards its students residing outside of the U.K. It seems unreasonable to have students pay rent, life expenses, and travel expenses in order to attend a one-hour seminar/tutorial maximum 3 times per week. Where lectures are delivered online, thus the majority of the working week will be spent either in the library or in our own accomodation, it should only be fair that students coming from abroad could benefit from having access to these online resources for all types of classes. 

Furthermore, students coming from abroad face the risk of not being able to return to their home country during both Christmas and Easter holidays because of the ever changing government regulations on travel by their country. This would obviously cause immense stress to them and their families. 

Last, we hope to receive some understanding in regards of the health risks that students would need to face. Some of our countries already managed to overcome the peak of the virus spread, and are in a state of remission; thus, having to put ourselves, our families, or our classmates at risk once again seems very unfavourable. 

We kindly ask you to evaluate our request, and be understanding of our situation and our desire to continue our studies at the University. 

Lisa Tregubov    Contact the author of the petition