International students in the United Kingdom

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International Students in the United Kingdom between 2014/15 to 2022/23 HESA International Students in the United Kingdom.png
International Students in the United Kingdom between 2014/15 to 2022/23

The United Kingdom is among the world's most popular destinations for international students, regularly placing within the top three countries for hosting international students alongside the United States and Australia. [1] [2] Data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency indicates that students from the three countries of India, China, and Nigeria together account for around 53% of all international students enrolled at higher education institutions in the UK. [3]

Contents

In 2019, the UK government's International Education Strategy set a target to recruit 600,000 international students in higher education and to increase the value of higher education exports to £35 billion by 2030. [4] The recruitment target was met in one year and in the 2022/23 academic year, there were 758,855 international students studying at UK higher education institutions, equivalent to 25.8% of all higher education students in the UK – ranging from 18.6% in Wales to 28.7% in Scotland. This represented a 10.4% increase in international students from the previous year (2021/22: 679,790 and 2020/21: 605,130). [3] London Economics, a policy and economics consultancy, have estimated one first-year cohort of international students in 2018/19 to deliver £25.9 billion net benefit to the British economy over the course of their study. [5] They upgraded this figure to a net benefit of £37.4 billion for the 2021/22 academic year. [6] University College London's revenue from international tuition fees alone was worth over half a billion pounds – the equivalent of a third of the annual overseas earnings of the entire UK fishing industry. [7] This figure grew by about 25% to £640 million in the 2022/23 academic year. [8]

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) estimates that the number of international students will continue to increase with international applications to study at British universities expected to increase by 60%, from around 150,000 in 2022 to 240,000 in 2030. [9] [10] As of 2023, 58 current world leaders have been educated at a higher education institution in the United Kingdom, second in the world only to the United States' 65. [11]

Classification

By sending countries and regions

The top 15 countries and regions sending students to the United Kingdom in 2022/23 are listed below. [3]

RankPlace of originNumber of StudentsPercent of Total
1Flag of India.svg  India 173,19022.8%
2Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 154,26020.3%
3Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 72,3559.5%
4Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan 34,6904.6%
5Flag of the United States.svg  United States 22,5403.0%
6Flag of Hong Kong.svg  Hong Kong 17,9052.4%
7Flag of Bangladesh.svg  Bangladesh 14,9452.0%
8Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia 13,0051.7%
9Flag of France.svg  France 10,3051.4%
10Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland 9,4101.2%
11Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 9,2201.2%
12Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg  Saudi Arabia 9,0451.2%
13Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 8,7301.2%
14Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg  United Arab Emirates 8,3501.1%
15Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 8,2401.1%
Others192,66525.4%
Total758,855100%

By number of International Students

The mainstream universities with the highest number of international students for 2022/23 are listed below: [12]

RankInstitutionNumber of International EU StudentsNumber of International non-EU StudentsTotal International Students
1 University College London 4,17523,94028,120
2 University of Manchester 1,92016,60018,515
3 University of Hertfordshire 55516,54017,095
4 University of Edinburgh 2,70513,92016,625
5 Coventry University 1,26015,02516,285
6 King's College London 3,19512,80015,995
7 University of Glasgow 1,99013,21015,200
8 University of the Arts London 1,71511,27512,990
9 University of Leeds 85011,72012,570
10 Imperial College London 2,5308,97511,505

By proportion of International Students

The mainstream universities with the highest proportion of international students for 2022/23 are listed below: [12]

RankInstitutionNumber of International StudentsPercent of Student Body
1 London School of Economics 8,66065.1%
2 University of the Arts London 12,99055.0%
3 University College London 28,12054.3%
4 Imperial College London 11,50551.7%
5 University of Hertfordshire 17,09549.9%
6 University of St Andrews 5,74047.2%
7 University of East London 10,35546.1%
8 Coventry University 16,28546.0%
9 Brunel University London 8,13544.3%
10 University of Bedfordshire 6,41543.7%

Graduate route for international students

On 14 October 2019, the Home Office confirmed that graduates of the country's higher education institutions will be eligible for the two-year Graduate Route visa from summer 2021. [13]

In July 2020, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy revealed that international students who complete a PhD from Summer 2021 can stay in the UK for 3 years after study to live and work with the Graduate Route visa, as opposed to 2 years for undergraduate and postgraduate students. [14] The UK Home Office also confirmed that dependants of postgraduate international students with a Graduate Route post study work visa from 2021 will retain leave to remain and the right to work in the UK provided they were in the country with them during the international student's postgraduate studies. [15]

Economic impact of students

A study published in 2023 by Universities UK International (UUKi), the Higher Education Policy Institute and Kaplan International Pathways in collaboration with London Economics, has found that the economic impact of international students has risen steadily from £31.3 billion in 2018/9 to £41.9 billion in 2021/22. International students were found to make the greatest impact in the cities of Glasgow, London, Sheffield, Nottingham and Newcastle. [6]

According to data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency for the 2021/22 academic year, higher education institutions in the UK received tuition fees and contracts worth £9.99 billion from international students (£1.06 billion from EU students and £8.93 billion from non-EU students). International tuition fees made up the largest proportion of tuition fees income at the following mainstream universities with all ancient universities of Scotland and London members of the Golden triangle featuring: [16]

RankInstitutionTotal non-UK fees (£m)Total tuition fees income (£m)Non-UK fees as % of tuition fees income
1 University of Glasgow 290,304380,71776.3%
2 Imperial College London 301,355423,19571.2%
3 University of St Andrews 96,539137,40770.3%
4 University College London 543,844778,55369.9%
5 University of Edinburgh 341,988496,95568.8%
6 University of Aberdeen 61,80889,92368.7%
7 London School of Economics 180,270265,77267.8%
8 University of the Arts London 206,757326,33763.4%
9 University of Manchester 394,981638,20561.9%
10 King's College London 369,904610,49360.6%

Controversies and concerns

Over reliance on students from China

The United Kingdom remains one of the most desirable countries for Chinese students looking to study abroad, ahead of the USA, Australia, and Canada. [17] This has led to students from mainland China making up significant proportions of international students at some universities: Southampton: 60.5%; RCA: 59.8%; Sheffield: 57.8%; York: 56.2%; Birmingham: 50.3%; and Manchester: 49.9%. [18] In 2021/22, Southampton doubled its income from international students to £170 million in just one year. [19] Research from the centre-right think tank Onward has estimated that the average university makes 7% of their total fee income from China-domiciled students, with 16 universities (mainly Russell Group) receiving more than a fifth of their fee income from China-domiciled students. [20] There are concerns that universities are becoming overly reliant on international students from China for financing and increasing geopolitical shifts between China and the United Kingdom may lead to a sudden drop in recruitment. [21] Adam Habib, Director of SOAS, has argued that the majority of universities in the United Kingdom will be severely impacted financially in this event. [22] In response, the university sector is aiming to diversify its intake and has been targeting emerging markets in India, South Asia and Nigeria. [23] In 2022, for the first time, more study visas were issued to Indian nationals than Chinese nationals. [24]

Net migration and dependants

In 2022, Suella Braverman, then Home Secretary of the United Kingdom, wanted to curb the number of international students and in particular, the number of dependants on student visas. [25] The number of dependants accompanying international students granted visas had increased eight-fold in three years to 135,788 in 2022, with Nigerian and Indian nationals bringing the most dependants. In 2015, dependants from the two countries accounted for 11% of all dependants, at around 1,500 individuals. By 2022, this grew to over 100,000 individuals, representing about 73% of all dependants. Nigerian nationals had a main applicant to dependency ratio exceeding one – 10 times the rate for all other countries except for India. [26] In 2022/23, 60,923 dependants accompanied 59,053 Nigerian students and 38,990 dependants accompanied 139,539 Indian students. [27] In the previous year, 34,031 Nigerian students arrived in the United Kingdom with 31,898 dependant visas issued alongside them, in contrast, 114,837 Chinese students arrived in the same period with only 401 dependant visas issued alongside them. [28] Local reporting in Nigeria has credited the growth in students and dependants to the broader movement of 'Japa', a Yoruba term meaning 'to scarper' Nigeria, with no intention of returning due to the country's problem with corruption and poor governance. [29] [30] Reporting from the BBC suggested that some Nigerians are willing to study for degrees they do not need in order to have a 'stepping stone' into the UK with the prospect of free education for their dependants in the UK preferable to paying for private education in Nigeria. [31] [32]

Braverman faced opposition to these plans from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, the Secretary of State for Education, Gillian Keegan and the Science Minister, George Freeman who were concerned that this may damage the prospects of the country's 'science superpower' ambitions. [33] In May 2023, the Home Office announced plans to restrict the ability to bring dependants to only postgraduate courses designated as research programmes, effective from January 2024. [34] As the new restrictions came into place, exemptions were also extended to courses with government-funded scholarships. [35] In the first quarter of 2024, the number of dependant visas issued for students fell by 80% compared to the previous year. Visas issued for international students also fell by 15%. [36]

Use of agents

The Observer reported in 2023 that UK universities were spending millions of pounds on agents fees, with universities that provided data in response to freedom of information requests typically reporting fees of between £2,000 and £8,000 per student. The University of Greenwich paid more than £28.7 million to recruit almost 3,000 postgraduate and 500 undergraduate students, while De Montfort University paid £17.1 million to recruit almost 4,500 students. [37]

The report also highlighted that there were ethical concerns around agents, with the general secretary of the Indian National Student Association, a representative body for Indian students in the UK, saying that agents had tried to direct students onto certain courses by offering incentives, regardless of whether these were a good choice for the student. Former universities minister Jo Johnson also warned that unethical agents that falsified visa paperwork could put universities' licences at risk. [37]

In order to address ethical concerns, the UK Agent Quality Framework, administered by the British Universities International Liaison Association, was launched in 2022. [38] A formal 'universities pledge' to follow the framework was introduced in 2023 and signed initially by 28 institutions, including Bangor University, Durham University, the University of East Anglia, the University of Edinburgh and the University of Ulster. [39]

Related Research Articles

University College London is a public research university in London, England. It is a member institution of the federal University of London, and is the second-largest university in the United Kingdom by total enrolment and the largest by postgraduate enrolment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Postgraduate education</span> Phase of higher education

Postgraduate education, graduate education, or graduate school consists of academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications usually pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate (bachelor's) degree.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Metropolitan University</span> University in London, England

London Metropolitan University, commonly known as London Met, is a public research university in London, England. The University of North London and London Guildhall University merged in 2002 to create the university. The University's roots go back to 1848.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International student</span> Foreigner temporarily re-located for the purpose of tertiary study

International students or exchange students, also known as foreign students, are students who undertake all or part of their secondary or tertiary education in a country other than their own.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tertiary education fees in Australia</span> Fees charged to students who attend Australian tertiary education institutions

Tertiary education fees in Australia are payable for courses at tertiary education institutions. Responsibility for fees in vocational education and training (VET) rests primarily with the state and territory governments, while fees policy in higher education is largely controlled by the Commonwealth Government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Education in England</span>

Education in England is overseen by the Department for Education. Local government authorities are responsible for implementing policy for public education and state-funded schools at a local level. State-funded schools may be selective grammar schools or non-selective comprehensive schools. All state schools are subject to assessment and inspection by the government department Ofsted. England also has private schools and home education; legally, parents may choose to educate their children by any suitable means.

The University of Nottingham Malaysia is a private university branch campus of the University of Nottingham. The university is situated in Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia. The university is rated ‘Competitive’ in the SETARA 2025 rating system by the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE).

Tuition fees were first introduced across the entire United Kingdom in September 1998 under the Labour government of Tony Blair to help fund tuition for undergraduate and postgraduate certificate students at universities; students were required to pay up to £1,000 a year for tuition. However, only those who reach a certain salary threshold (£21,000) pay this fee through general taxation. In practice, higher education (HE) remains free at the point of entry in England for a high minority of students.

Free education is education funded through government spending or charitable organizations rather than tuition funding. Many models of free higher education have been proposed. Primary school and other comprehensive or compulsory education is free in many countries. Tertiary education is also free in certain countries, including post-graduate studies in the Nordic countries. The Article 13 of International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights ensures the right to free education at primary education and progressive introduction of it at secondary and higher education as the right to education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Public university</span> University funded by public means

A public university or public college is a university or college that is owned by the state or receives significant funding from a government. Whether a national university is considered public varies from one country to another, largely depending on the specific education landscape. In contrast a private university is usually owned and operated by a private corporation. Both types are often regulated, but to varying degrees, by the government.

The golden triangle is the triangle formed by the university cities of Cambridge, London, and Oxford in the south east of England in the United Kingdom. The triangle is occasionally referred to as the Loxbridge triangle, a portmanteau of London and Oxbridge or, when limited to five members, the G5.

The Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) is a register formed under the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000. It maintains a list of institutions, and courses, which have been granted permission by states and territories, to educate overseas students. It is a Federal framework under the authority of state and territory jurisdiction, and providers must register through these agents to legally educate and train international students. CRICOS, in conjunction with other federal and state/territory bodies and legislation, provides strict guidelines for institutions, accepts and/or declines registrations, monitors registered institutions’ compliance and ensures financial capability and stability.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tertiary education in Australia</span>

Tertiary education in Australia is formal education beyond high school in Australia, consisting of both government and private institutions and divided into two sectors; Higher Education and Vocational Education and Training (VET) provided by government-owned TAFEs & private Registered Training Organisations (RTO). Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), the Australian national education policy, classifies tertiary qualification into 10 levels: level 1 to 4 vocational certificates ; level 5 & 6 undergraduate diploma and advanced diploma; level 6 associate degree; level 7 bachelor degree, level 8 bachelor honours degree & graduate certificates and graduate diplomas; level 9 for master's degree; and level 10 PhD. Most universities are government owned and mostly self-regulated. For other institutes there are two national regulators for tertiary education for registration, recognition and quality assurance of both the "provider institutes" as well as the "individual courses" provided by the providers. Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) regulates institutes which provide education from level 5 or above. Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) regulates institutes which provide education from level 1 to level 6.

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Student migration is the movement of students who study outside their country of birth or citizenship for a period of 12 months or more. During the period of globalization, the internationalisation of higher education increased dramatically and it has become a market driven activity. With the rapid rise of international education more and more students are seeking higher education in foreign countries and many international students now consider overseas study a stepping-stone to permanent residency within a country. The contributions that foreign students make to host nation economies, both culturally and financially has encouraged major players to implement further initiatives to facilitate the arrival and integration of overseas students, including substantial amendments to immigration and visa policies and procedures. Institutions are competing hard to attract international students at a time when immigration policies in leading destinations like the US and the UK are not enabling transition to work visas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International students in Australia</span>

Australia ranked third in top study abroad destinations with a total market value of over 5 billion AUD generated by international students in 2018. In 2023, 786,891 international students were enrolled in educational programs in Australia, which was 27% higher than the previous year. In 2024 this is forecasted to increase again by 18%. They come to gain a high-quality education, possibly immigrate, or to experience a different life. Each year, many new international students will enrol in Australian courses and add to the already significant international student body around the country.

Immigration policies of the United Kingdom are the areas of modern British policy concerned with the immigration system of the United Kingdom—primarily, who has the right to visit or stay in the UK. British immigration policy is under the purview of UK Visas and Immigration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lancaster University Leipzig</span> Private university in Leipzig, Germany

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