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Servants and some others as British Citizens. It has also been
agreed by HMG that BDTCs from all Dependent Territories should be described as "British Nationals" in their passports, although this does not reflect any change in their immigration status into the UK.
HMG also agreed in August 1983 that the endorsements which were
previously inserted in most BDTC passports, stating that the holder is subject to control under the Immigration Act, 1971, should be
omitted and replaced by 'Holder has right of abode in Hong Kong' (or the relevant Dependent Territory). About 3 million Hong Kong residents are BDTCS: the remaining 2.3 million are holders of Hong
Kong residence permits which give no citizenship status under UK
law.
a)
Overseas Students' Fees at UK Institutions
5.5 HMG's decision in 1979 to remove the subsidy from tuition fees for overseas students aroused considerable feeling in Hong Kong.
This was aggravated by the fact that students from the EC, the
French overseas territories and Gibraltar are classified as home
students. The Hong Kong Government introduced in 1981 a scheme by which means-tested loans are available for Hong Kong students on
first degree or equivalent courses in Britain. After the publication of the Overseas Students' Trust (OST) report on policy towards students from overseas, which recommended that Hong Kong
students should be considered as home students, with the difference in fees being paid by HMG and the Hong Kong Government, it put forward proposals for a joint subsidy scheme involving a means test. On 8 February 1983, HMG announced its response to the OST report. This included an acceptance in principle of the Hong Kong Government's proposals, up to a maximum contribution by HMG of £1.9 million in 1983-4. The Hong Kong Government agreed to match HMG's contribution, and will provide any other funds required in the form of a loan. The scheme was introduced for the academic year 1983-4. There are currently about 1,700 Hong Kong students on first-degree
courses in Britain.
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