London:
Foreign students seeking to enter the UK from countries such as India, Pakistan and China could be singled out for extra scrutiny by border officials if the Conservatives come to power after the next general elections.
Under the immigration policies formulated by the Tories, many overseas students could also be asked to pay cash deposits worth thousands of pounds, to be returned only when they left the country, the Financial Times reported on Saturday.
Shadow home secretary Chris Grayling, who described the present student regime as a "huge loophole in our border controls", has decided not to pursue stricter measures such as shutting the door to courses below degree level or demanding higher standards of English among applicants.
The report said the under the plans, students seeking to enter the UK from countries such as India, Pakistan, Nigeria and China could be singled out for extra scrutiny.
The problems with student visas have risen to the top of the Westminster agenda after a Nigerian man allegedly attempted to blow up a passenger jet headed for Detroit on Christmas day, the paper said. The 23-year-old suspect, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, studied mechanical engineering at the University College, London between 2005 and 2008.
Universities and English language schools have been lobbying politicians not to go too far in blocking overseas students because it would threaten a vital part of their fee-raising capacity, the report said.
Some estimates suggest international students bring US $8.5 billion to the UK economy each year.
"International students do not come automatically to the UK," said Catherine Marston of Universities UK, a representative body. "Our universities work hard to attract them so it's vital we send out the message that we welcome them."
Opposition politicians argue that large-scale abuse of the student visa system is a risk to national security.
The timing of Grayling's policy announcement will rile Home Office ministers, who have also been carrying out a review of study visas, expected soon, following an intervention by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the report said.
About 240,000 such visas were granted last year, up from 70,000 ten years ago.
Phil Woolas, the borders minister, admits that the student visa has become the immigration system's "Achilles' heel", regularly abused as people from south Asia, west Africa and China look to get round the introduction of stricter work permit controls, the Times said.
Tens of thousands of people have also arrived to study at bogus colleges set up to circumvent immigration rules.
Grayling said he would tighten the system so that only universities and colleges registered with Companies House (the official register of British firms) would be able to "fast-track" applicants through the system. Their candidates would also not pay the cash deposits.
Other colleges would face greater oversight by border agency officials.