A student has won his battle to stay in the UK and take up his place at Oxford University.
Brian White, an orphan from Zimbabwe, was facing deportation but has been granted indefinite leave to remain.
He spent the first six years of his life at at an orphanage in Zimbabwe, but moved to the UK with his adoptive family at the age of 15.
He received three A stars and an A at A-level at Highfields School in Wolverhampton, and held an offer to study Chemistry at Lady Margaret Hall.
Fears over his immigration status and inability to obtain student finance meant his offer had already been deferred by 12 months.
White’s schoolfriend Luke Wilcox set up a change.org petition which last week gained the support of over 110,000 signatures including the author Phillip Pullman and the comedian Frankie Boyle.
On Monday, White’s lawyer Louis MacWilliams confirmed to him that he would be allowed to stay in the UK.
White told the Wolverhampton Express and Star: “I got the email from Louis and sat down and let it sink in for about five to 10 minutes. Then I started ringing everybody round to say thank you. I owe so many people so much.”
LMH Principal Alan Rusbridger welcomed the news on Twitter.
Great news! Home Office has agreed that Brian White can come to @lmhoxford – @ExpressandStar https://t.co/ezANLRd5y2
— alan rusbridger (@arusbridger) September 4, 2017
