The non-national student dilemma

While much attention around immigrant issues in Ireland has focused on the racist attitudes expressed by the ignorant and the fearful, Irish campuses have been commendable support environments for the sizeable number of non-nationals studying here.

Although there is very little evidence of problems created for non-national students, either by native students or college authorities, serious obstacles must still be overcome by non-national students.
Martin (not his real name) is a student at a third-level college in Ireland. He comes from an African country and his attempts to study here have not been made easy. “I have had many problems with the immigration authorities since I first applied to study in Ireland while I was living in the UK. I was supposed to go back to my home country and apply to the Irish embassy there to get a visa to live in Ireland, but that would have taken too long and I would have missed the start of the college programme.”
Martin came into this state from London through Belfast and continued to negotiate with the college of his choice. “The authorities told me I couldn’t start college as I had no visa, but I went to the lectures anyway. But it was a hell of a time because there was always the possibility that any day they might send me back to the UK or to my home country. I got married to a European woman so they let me continue on the programme while they tried to sort my visa problem out. By the time the year finished they still hadn’t sorted it out!
“They kept telling me to go back home to get the visa, but I know that it would take too long, that’s if I even got one at all. Since I am already in Ireland I don’t see why they want to put me under the stress and the expense of returning home to Africa to get a visa. My wife and me now have a baby, so I don’t want to go back home. I want to study in Ireland and be with my family. But I am more hopeful now that my case will be processed soon and everything will be ok.”
Paul Dillon was president of the Students’ Union in UCD and he sees several problems faced by non-national students. “Non-national students face problems over many matters that Irish students take for granted. For example, a post-graduate student here for two years wanted to bring her daughter from her homeland to visit her in Ireland. She applied to the Irish Department of Justice for a permit for her daughter but they refused her. So this student was effectively cut off from her daughter. Another problem arises regarding the Student Assistance Fund which can help students in financial hardship. But the Department of Education, or people acting on their behalf, does not allow non-national students access to that fund. Similarly, non-nationals may find it impossible to get work, so another source of money is cut off. On the plus side, I like to think that many Irish students are at the forefront of the anti-racism campaign and I don’t think non-nationals face anything like as much racism on campus as they do elsewhere.”
Segun Nelson is a student and an active member of the African Social Forum. According to Segun, it is very difficult for non-national students in Ireland to survive financially through third level education. “The state pays for education through the first level and the second level, but when it gets to the third level non-nationals have no way of finding the money they need, unless they have family back home who can send them some. In some cases it’s possible to get money from good-natured Irish people. But the only real access to money for non-nationals comes when they get refugee status, but if you are an asylum seeker there is no support whatsoever. There are even some situations where a college wants to put people on a course but the government won’t allow it.”
Segun also points out that the Irish government’s policy compares very unfavourably when you look at the attitude of the authorities in Scotland. “There are many non-nationals studying in Scotland and the authorities there actually try to encourage many of them to stay on longer. In Scotland they value the potential contribution non-nationals can make to society there on a number of levels. They have a very enlightened approach, and their policy is more humane and more beneficial to the economy.”

HOW OTHERS SEE US
A selection of non-national students offer their views on studying in Ireland

Ryan Sheridan
(Colorado, USA)
“There is woefully inadequate help and assistance for foreign students upon arrival. Particularly for postgraduates – they couldn’t even receive advice from the students union. So we set up the GSU (graduate students union) which provides assistance and advice by means of a website and regular publications.”
The GSU website address is www.gsu.tcd.ie. It is located at House 6, Second Floor, Trinity College, Dublin

Solene Delorme (France)

“Yes, I also had much difficulty finding affordable student accommodation. There are very few rooms on campus, and they were all full by the time I could apply. Luckily, the place I found to live is within walking distance of the college, because public transport is very expensive here.
“I don’t know how people afford it everyday. Electrical goods and clothes are quite cheap though, compared with France.”

Faheema (Canada)

“I found my college pretty helpful when I came to Ireland. It wasn’t difficult to find accommodation; it was just difficult to find affordable accommodation. There is little in Dublin in the way of student prices. And I came here from London!
“It’s not just accommodation. It stretches right across the board: particularly food. Dublin people are very warm and very helpful but only if you get out there and seek the help. I feel sorry for any student who doesn’t have great English.
“I have also noticed that Dublin has become increasingly xenophobic since about 2000. I used to be a novelty because I am different, now any attention I get is derogatory and racist in nature.

Kingsoon Goh (Malaysia)

“Upon arriving in Ireland, I discovered that there was no on-campus accommodation left. But I found something by means of the Evening Herald.
“Accommodation here is pretty expensive by student standards. But I did find the college very helpful. Luckily, I am studying medicine, so there are a lot of foreign students in the class. My class even has a good few Malaysians, who helped me out when I got here”.

Denazelle Tiehaine (France)
“Unfortunately, I had a lot of problems finding affordable accommodation when I arrived first. There was no service provided by the college to help or co-ordinate accommodation. I found the Irish very welcoming and very friendly, although they do talk very fast!
“The banking services were helpful and I had no problem opening a bank account and a mobile phone account. That is far easier to do here than in France.”

Mathieu Trenchant (Belgium)

“By the time I received my registration number, in August, there was no accommodation left in Trinity Halls. There was no accommodation service provided by the college.
“Accommodation that was available was ridiculously expensive. In Belgium there is a service for foreign students to assist them with finding a place to live and to help them settle in. Unfortunately, there is such service here.
“On a more positive note, the pubs are great.”