As a foreign student myself and a passionate representative of Huddersfield University’s international students, I would like to organise a graduation celebration for international students whose visa will expire before the July graduation ceremonies.

This is something that already took place last year in Northampton University, and it is more than achievable if we communicate the initiative to international undergraduate and postgraduate students here in Huddersfield.

Students might not have enough time to apply for visa, as following United Kingdom Visa and Immigration, they have to go back to their home country to apply for a visitor visa to come back, and they will not know how long it will take to get a visa - it is quite a long procedure to apply for the visitor visa, in comparison to the tier 4 student visa.

It is also rather expensive, as by returning to the UK students will have to face visa fees as well as travelling and accommodation fees for their families too.

As some international students, could be leaving the country before the Award Ceremony scheduled between 13-24 July, it may be possible to hold a smaller celebratory event in April 2015 at the Students’ Union.

If we could accommodate such a small reception, students will leave University having had their opportunity to celebrate their educational achievements.

International students’ visas are due to expire at the end of April and/or beginning of May 2015 which, subject to successful completion of their academic course, is prior to their scheduled Award Ceremony which takes place in July 2015.

At this point it has not been formally agreed that such an event will go ahead but in order to enable me to gauge the level of interest and to complete any necessary forward planning, please could any interested students contact me, to let me know if you would be interested in attending such an event should it go ahead.

A decision on the event will be made once student interest has been determined and the practical issues explored.

There will be costs involved in attending such an event and that the celebration could either be on campus or in Huddersfield.  Details of all these things will be made available once student interest has been established via replies to an email that I sent out to all interested students.

If you are an international student, who might be interested in attending such an event, the deadline for responses is Friday 20 March.

Please also note that by confirming an interest in this potential event you are not booking a place, this will need to be done at a later date.

Furthermore if you have friends or classmates in the same position as some international students with VISA expiry, please advise them to contact me by email - su.comms@hud.ac.uk - as soon as possible.

I really look forward to receiving plenty of responses.

Best Wishes,

Coco Toma

Vice President Communications & Democracy