The heads of all UK universities are urging ministers to abandon plans to tighten visa rules for foreign students which they say will threaten university finances and undermine the government's export drive.

In an unusual show of unanimity, 120 vice-chancellors have written to the Financial Times to protest against plans to scrap the right of appeal for international students who have their visa applications rejected. “It is wholly unjust to take away the right of appeal where decision making is subjective and often wrong.”