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An African woman studying in the UK is begging well-wishers to come to her rescue after the European country cancelled her visa and ordered her to vacate immediately for violating immigration rules.
Enyi Onyinye Grace, a Nigerian student at York St John University, was just months away from completing her BSc in Digital Marketing and Data Analytics when her world came crashing down. The Home Office discovered she had worked beyond the legal 20-hour limit for international students during term time.
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What did Enyi Onyinye Grace do wrong?
Onyinye’s troubles began when her father passed away during her studies. As her sponsor, his death left her financially stranded in a foreign country with mounting school fees and living expenses.
“After my dad died, I was feeling guilty. Maybe I was erased by a pencil, and I could only feel happy when I’m around people. And this country, being a very busy country, it was only work,” Grace shared in an emotional TikTok video.
The grief-stricken student found herself working excessive hours just to survive. She admits to working around 50 hours in one particular week, more than double the legal limit.
“I made a mistake. I made a mistake which I overworked unknowingly. My employer messaged me last year to say that the office called them. And I gave them my reasons and they submitted to the office and I thought everything was fine,” she explained through tears.
How did the York St John University respond?
When the Home Office contacted Grace about her violation, she reached out to her university for support. She was honest about her circumstances, explaining the mental health challenges following her father’s death.
But the university withdrew her sponsorship.
“I cried. I begged them. I told them that I was just in a vulnerable state. They didn’t come through for me. They only treated me like a thief. They treated me like a thief,” Grace said.
She asked if she could at least complete her degree online from Nigeria. The answer was no.
What does an expert say about this situation?
Diana Aghedo, a Nigerian lecturer in the UK, shared her perspective on LinkedIn after seeing Grace’s video.
“When you come to the United Kingdom as an international student, you must understand this. The home office is not smiling. Rules are rules, period,” Aghedo stated.
She explained that the Home Office typically flags non-compliance and alerts schools. Universities operate under strict home office guidelines,” she noted.
While sympathetic to Grace’s loss, Aghedo emphasized what should have happened:
“The right thing she should have done was to involve or inform the university and request time off… because universities have systems in place to support students in crisis.”
How social media reacted to Onyinye’s plight?
The story has sparked heated debate online. Reactions range from sympathy to harsh criticism:
Hezron Ochiel, MPRSK commented:
“Nigeria has immense wealth, far greater than the U.K., yet only a few enjoy it. The result is a disenfranchised population, moving from country to country in search of opportunities. As a continent, this is a serious concern; we must take decisive action.”
But Brigadier General Clement Iyere took a different stance:
“You are in a country where the rule of law exists, why the tears? Learn from your mistakes and rebrand; what you have done is dishonest and bemoans integrity. This cry is a form of being entitled!”
Isaac Nkemchor showed more understanding:
“I have seen cases like this on the internet with this same verdict; the UK government is clamping down on this, and many international students are being affected. So tragic.”
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What’s Onyinye’s current situation?
Despite everything, Grace maintained excellent academic performance. She earned a Diploma in Higher Education with Distinction, averaging 71.83%, proof of her capabilities despite personal struggles.
“I’m currently in first class. That was what my dad always wanted for me,” she said. But that achievement means nothing now.
Grace must leave the UK immediately. She has nowhere to go back to in Nigeria and no degree to show for three years of struggle.
“This is a country I’ve stayed in for three years. I’ve established myself for three years. What am I going back to? I have nothing to go back to,” she said.
Onyinye opens GoFundMe account
Grace has opened a GoFundMe account to raise money for legal fees and living expenses while appealing the decision. She’s also offering her skills, website development, data analytics, and Chinese translation, to anyone who can provide work.
As of Monday, September 22, well-wishers had donated Sh 346,658 to her.
“I have skills. I have so many skills that I think, you know, if I can get a job that would, if I can get any, if people can give me work to do, and I can be able to quickly raise up money,” she explained in a follow-up video on TikTok.
The support from strangers has given her hope. “The kind words I’ve been getting from people, it’s, you know, it’s given me hope somehow. And I know that God will come through for me,” she said.
But time is running out. Grace faces deportation from a country where she’s spent three years building a future that now hangs by a thread.
Her story highlights the harsh reality many international students face, caught between impossible financial pressures and tough immigration rules.
