The government has rolled out phase one of its identity cards initiative, further tightening the visa rules for international students coming to study in the UK.

The measures mean that students arriving from outside the EU will be required to have their biometric details recorded before being issued an identity card, for a fee of £30.

According to the UK Borders Agency the scheme will "help keep our borders strong, and will provide additional protection against illegal immigration and against illegal employment."

However, the new rules have been criticised by a host of bodies, including the National Union of Students (NUS). President Wes Streeting warned that foreign students could be alienated by the measures.

“By singling out international students from their peers with biometric identity cards, a group already at risk of stigmatisation will be indelibly marked as different,” he said.

Mr Streeting added: “The attractiveness of UK higher education to students from other countries should not be put at risk by these onerous and costly procedures that implicitly treat them with suspicion."

As of November 25, new students and students renewing an existing visa will have to have their finger print and photographs taken at one of the seven centres throughout the UK – in Glasgow, Croydon, Solihull, Liverpool, Sheffield, Cardiff or Armagh.

Universities UK (UUK) has expressed apprehension over access issues for students. Chief executive Diana Warwick, said: “Universities UK has raised concerns with the UK Borders Agency and the Identity and Passport Service about the locations of these seven centres, as students in some parts of the UK will have to travel considerable distances to provide their details.

“We have also asked whether students will be able to book appointment times to provide their details or whether they will be issued with dates and times.

"Despite repeated requests for information on whether there will be a booking process we have not so far received this information,” Mrs Warwick added.

UUK is advocating that the procedure be simplified for students in the future.

By working with the relevant agencies, they hope to make guidelines clearer and eradicate problems with long-distance travelling.

“Universities UK also wants to discuss the possibility of mobile biometric collection units visiting different towns and cities to provide opportunities for relevant nationals to give their biometric details in more convenient locations,” said Ms Warwick.

The plans could affect up to 300,000 students when they move to phase two, next year, at which point students from within the EU will need an identity card.

The new bill has also served to cause friction between Westminster and Holyrood, where the SNP government has always opposed identity cards.

Speaking to The Journal, a Scottish government spokesperson said: “The scheme won’t achieve its primary stated objective of making people safer or reducing the terrorist threat.

"We believe that it poses an unacceptable threat to citizens’ privacy and civil liberties.”

The Scottish government also expressed "extreme concerns" about the cost of the plan, citing the recession as a reason for more careful spending of public money.

“In the current financial climate the, UK government should have better use for the vast sums of money being spent on the scheme,” said the spokesperson.

An overseas student studying at the University of Edinburgh, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Journal that they were uncomfortable with the new measures: "My visa status is being put at risk because of my refusal to submit biometric and retinal data to the National Identity Register. And if I want to stay on and finish my degree, I will have to stay out of the spotlight."

The student said that the measures did not have the support of the people: "I think it is time for the government to scrap this expensive and intrusive database system. They have not shown how it will prevent illegal immigration, terrorism, identity theft or benefit fraud."

The government can impose immigration sanctions on individuals who do not comply with the application requirements and serve a maximum penalty fine of £250.

The Home Office declined to comment for this article.