UK Universities Call for Alternative Quarantine Arrangements for International Students

As more countries are being added to the red list in the UK, universities and private providers are hoping that alternative quarantine arrangements will become available for incoming foreign students. At present, quarantine hotels may not be enough to host all international students flying in to attend their respective academic programmes. 

There is still no final word regarding the arrangements for international students travelling to attend their classes this coming September. Before they arrive in England, the current protocol is to book a managed quarantine hotel within 14 days before arriving in the country. One adult per room for 10 days cost GBP 1,750.

According to Saurabh Arora, the founder of University Living, a purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), their organisation is willing to take in international students from the red-list countries. They will follow the health and safety protocols set by the government. As 50,000 of the students will come from India, a red-listed country in the UK, there may not be enough quarantine hotels to accommodate them, and the cost is also a negative factor.

However, a Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson assures that the government has enough hotel rooms to meet the rise in demand. Data is closely monitored, and they will act if there are changes along the way.

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