Office for Students
Insight brief

Learning more about international students

As well as gaining the benefit of studying with an English university or college, in the UK or overseas, international students make an invaluable contribution to our higher education, culture and economy. Though we have data about these students’ numbers and demographics, too little is known about their unique experiences and needs, and the best ways for universities to support them.

Date:
16 March 2022

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International students benefit greatly from their time at English universities and colleges,1 receiving a world-class higher education, exposure to a new culture and new ideas, and valuable experience of living in an English-speaking country. In turn, the richness and diversity of their experience contributes new viewpoints and knowledge to English higher education.

International collaboration is a major part of research and development at English universities, and many have now expanded their campuses into regions such as the Middle East and East Asia, where students can study for a higher education qualification from an English university or college. Without this movement of students into and out of the UK, the English higher education sector would not be what it is today.

The OfS’s job is to ensure that all students, whatever their background, have a fulfilling experience of higher education, and this includes international students studying at English providers, whether in the UK or abroad. We also support the government’s international student strategy, which aims to promote the breadth and diversity of the UK’s higher education offer.2

At present the information we have about international students’ experiences and needs is incomplete, and we need to improve our understanding of the former to allow us more effectively to ensure that the latter are met. To this end the OfS, in partnership with the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) and the Department for Education, is launching a project to identify effective practice in ensuring that international students can integrate and receive a fulfilling experience in the UK.

Jargon buster

International students: Students from outside the UK who come to study at institutions in England, or who study with English institutions at local campuses or via distance learning while resident abroad.

National Student Survey (NSS): An independent survey that gauges final year undergraduate students' experiences of learning and teaching.

Transnational education (TNE): This refers to education delivered across international borders, with the student based in a different country from the higher education provider. In this brief we use it in connection with higher education students abroad studying with universities and colleges in England, rather than vice versa.

UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA): A charity and membership organisation supporting international students and all who work with them though advice, training and up-to-date guidance about relevant rules and information.

Background

In 2020-21, 22.2 per cent of all students in England were international students – around 501,000 people.3 Around half of them are postgraduates, compared with around a fifth of UK-domiciled students.4 Accordingly, they make up a majority of full-time postgraduate students registered at English universities (56.1 per cent in 2020-21), and a smaller proportion of the undergraduate full-time population (17.9 per cent in 2020-21).5 Meanwhile some 409,000 students are studying for a higher education qualification from an English university or college abroad.6

A number of factors may have affected international recruitment to English higher education in recent years. Since the UK’s exit from the EU, students from Europe are normally now charged full international fees. The pandemic and the resulting lockdowns and border controls have affected the flow of students internationally, though perhaps less than might have been expected. Over the last decade, there have been ebbs and flows in where international students come from.

Figure 1: Higher education student enrolments in England by level of study, mode of study and domicile, academic year 2020-21

Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), Higher education student enrolments by level of study, mode of study and domicile: Academic years 2020-21.7

Figure 1 is a horizontal stacked bar chart showing proportions of students from the UK, the EU and the rest of the world for postgraduate and undergraduate full- and part-time courses, as well as the total number of students. It shows that the highest proportion of non-UK students is among full-time postgraduates, and the lowest among part-time undergraduates.

  • Among postgraduate full-time students, 43.9 per cent were from the UK, 7.2 per cent were from the EU, and 48.9 per cent were from the rest of the world.
  • Among postgraduate part-time students, 90.4 per cent were from the UK, 3.3 per cent were from the EU, and 6.3 per cent were from the rest of the world.
  • Among undergraduate full-time students, 82.1 per cent were from the UK, 6.1 per cent were from the EU, and 11.8 per cent were from the rest of the world.
  • Among undergraduate part-time students, 96.2 per cent were from the UK, 0.9 per cent were from the EU, and 2.9 per cent were from the rest of the world.
  • Among all student enrolments, 77.8 per cent were from the UK, 5.5 per cent were from the EU, and 16.7 per cent were from the rest of the world.

Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), Higher education student enrolments by level of study, mode of study and domicile: Academic years 2020-21.7

Across the UK, while EU students made up the largest number of international students at the beginning of the decade, peaking at 65,470 first year students in 2010-11, by 2020-21 Chinese students were the largest grouping by a considerable margin – 99,000 first year students (a slight reduction from 2019-20’s figure of 104,000). There has also been a growing number of students from India, following a dip during the early 2010s: in 2020-21 53,000 Indian students entered UK higher education, compared with 23,000 in 2009-10.8

Figure 2: First year international students in the UK by origin, 2006-07 to 2020-21

Source: HESA, First year non-UK domiciled students by domicile: Academic years 2006-07 to 2020-21.9

Figure 2 is a line graph with 10 lines, showing the numbers of international students from China, India, the rest of Asia, the EU, Africa, North America, the Middle East, the rest of Europe, South America and Australasia for the academic years from 2006-07 to 2020-21. It shows that the highest numbers are from China, the EU and the rest of Asia, with numbers from China and India rising sharply in recent years.

  • In 2006-07, there were 25,135 international students from China, 14,095 from India, 34,400 from the rest of Asia, 55,410 from the EU in total, 16,240 from Africa, 13,990 from North America, 7,575 from the Middle East, 6,595 from the rest of Europe, 2,220 from South America and 1,255 from Australasia.
  • In 2007-08, there were 24,670 international students from China, 16,190 from India, 34,265 from the rest of Asia, 57,690 from the EU in total, 17,130 from Africa, 13,260 from North America, 8,290 from the Middle East, 6,360 from the rest of Europe, 2,250 from South America and 1,260 from Australasia.
  • In 2008-09, there were 28,905 international students from China, 23,040 from India, 36,915 from the rest of Asia, 60,160 from the EU in total, 19,190 from Africa, 14,065 from North America, 10,700 from the Middle East, 7,440 from the rest of Europe, 2,065 from South America and 1,210 from Australasia.
  • In 2009-10, there were 36,950 international students from China, 23,125 from India, 41,095 from the rest of Asia, 64,390 from the EU in total, 20,310 from Africa, 14,435 from North America, 13,305 from the Middle East, 8,400 from the rest of Europe, 2,185 from South America and 1,580 from Australasia.
  • In 2010-11, there were 44,805 international students from China, 23,970 from India, 43,525 from the rest of Asia, 65,470 from the EU in total, 19,495 from Africa, 15,000 from North America, 14,220 from the Middle East, 9,040 from the rest of Europe, 2,495 from South America and 1,240 from Australasia.
  • In 2011-12, there were 53,525 international students from China, 16,335 from India, 43,275 from the rest of Asia, 64,765 from the EU in total, 18,155 from Africa, 15,500 from North America, 12,925 from the Middle East, 9,565 from the rest of Europe, 2,425 from South America and 1,325 from Australasia.
  • In 2012-13, there were 56,535 international students from China, 12,280 from India, 43,125 from the rest of Asia, 56,195 from the EU in total, 17,815 from Africa, 15,310 from North America, 12,500 from the Middle East, 9,975 from the rest of Europe, 2,755 from South America and 1355 from Australasia.
  • In 2013-14, there were 58,810 international students from China, 11,270 from India, 45,605 from the rest of Asia, 57,200 from the EU in total, 19,025 from Africa, 15,635 from North America, 13,860 from the Middle East, 10,080 from the rest of Europe, 3,575 from South America and 1,390 from Australasia.
  • In 2014-15, there were 58,975 international students from China, 10,160 from India, 42,490 from the rest of Asia, 58,905 from the EU in total, 18,010 from Africa, 15,980 from North America, 14,390 from the Middle East, 10,270 from the rest of Europe, 3,895 from South America and 1,425 from Australasia.
  • In 2015-16, there were 62,290 international students from China, 9,165 from India, 40,790 from the rest of Asia, 60,220 from the EU in total, 16,440 from Africa, 16,610 from North America, 14,065 from the Middle East, 9,525 from the rest of Europe, 3,460 from South America and 1,465 from Australasia.
  • In 2016-17, there were 66,705 international students from China, 9,945 from India, 39,605 from the rest of Asia, 64,485 from the EU in total, 14,305 from Africa, 17,165 from North America, 13,655 from the Middle East, 9,120 from the rest of Europe, 3,090 from South America and 1,495 from Australasia.
  • In 2017-18, there were 76,930 international students from China, 12,820 from India, 39,055 from the rest of Asia, 64,120 from the EU in total, 13,490 from Africa, 18,480 from North America, 14,285 from the Middle East, 9,620 from the rest of Europe, 3,325 from South America and 1,500 from Australasia.
  • In 2018-19, there were 86,895 international students from China, 18,305 from India, 39,820 from the rest of Asia, 65,265 from the EU in total, 14,835 from Africa, 18,690 from North America, 15,215 from the Middle East, 9,325 from the rest of Europe, 3,155 from South America and 1,575 from Australasia.
  • In 2019-20, there were 104,240 international students from China, 41,815 from India, 44,495 from the rest of Asia, 64,115 from the EU in total, 17,825 from Africa, 18,115 from North America, 15,460 from the Middle East, 9,195 from the rest of Europe, 3,090 from South America and 1,475 from Australasia.
  • In 2020-21, there were 99,160 international students from China, 53,015 from India, 43,740 from the rest of Asia, 66,680 from the EU in total, 25,220 from Africa, 15,230 from North America, 16,280 from the Middle East, 8,745 from the rest of Europe, 2,295 from South America and 1,190 from Australasia.

Source: HESA, First year non-UK domiciled students by domicile: Academic years 2006-07 to 2020-21.9

Firm figures for student entry in 2021-22 are not yet available. However, early indications from UCAS admissions data suggest that numbers of applicants from the EU to UK universities in 2021 and 2022 showed a steady fall, while applications from outside the EU, having increased in 2021, may have held steady in 2022 despite the increased difficulty of travel following the pandemic.10 Applications from China and India rose between 2021 and 2022, by 12 and 11 per cent respectively.11 Meanwhile, 18.5 per cent more student visas were issued for non-EU students in 2021 than in 2019 (following a substantial dip in 2020).12

The slowing down of growth in international students

While the numbers of international students in the UK have increased over the past decade, their proportion of the overall student population has not changed markedly. Between 2014 and 2019, their actual numbers increased by 28 per cent, but this was matched by a similar growth in UK students, meaning that the proportion of the student population they represented remained broadly the same.

While other anglophone countries began the same period with lower proportions of international students, some have seen the increase in these proportions grow more considerably. In Australia the proportion of international students among the student population grew from 18.3 per cent, similar to that in the UK, to a much higher 28.4 per cent, although reports suggest a decrease in 2021-22.13

This disparity has been ascribed to a number of factors: tighter visa restrictions (eased more recently), controversies over accusations of cheating in English language tests, and increased fees for EU students.14 Simultaneously, countries such as India and China are embarking on policies to expand their higher education sectors, with some Indian institutions planning to open campuses in the UK. Though potentially beneficial to the economy, this could further affect the UK’s ability to recruit from abroad.15

Changes to visas, fees and funding

To encourage more international students to come to the UK, the government has made changes to the visa system. In September 2019, the UK government introduced the two-year post-study work visa. This allows international students to secure employment in the UK up to two years after graduation. Recent proposals include extending this to three years for PhD students.16

During the coronavirus pandemic, international students faced further complications. For example, students who were taught through distance and blended learning were also eligible to apply for the graduate route, provided they were in the UK by 6 April 2021. UKCISA has called for this flexibility in the visa and immigration system to be maintained and expanded.17

Financial benefits from international students

Changes to international student numbers have a potential impact on the incomes of universities and colleges. Figure 3 compares tuition fee income from international students with the total income received by English universities and colleges between 2010 and 2018, and with these universities’ forecasts of their income to 2023.18 The percentage of income represented by these fees increases throughout this period, from 10 per cent in 2010 to 14 per cent in 2018.

International tuition fee income increased by 167 per cent between 2009-10 and 2019-20, from £2.2 billion to £5.9 billion, while universities’ forecasts in 2020 were that it would reach £9.4 billion by 2024-25. If realised, this would represent an increase of 59 per cent on 2020 levels, and 324 per cent on 2010. This would make up 22 per cent of universities’ total fee income by 2023, compared with 10 per cent in 2010.19

Figure 3: International fees as a percentage of total income for providers in England

Source: HESA financial return, 2010-2018. Office for Students, financial and student number forecasts, 2019 and 2020. Note: The population over this period changed as more higher education providers (including non-traditional institutions) were registered with the OfS. Students from the EU are grouped with UK students up to 2019-20, and with international students from 2020-21.

Figure 3 is a bar chart showing international fee income and total income in billions of pounds, combined with a line graph showing international fees as a percentage of total income, from the academic years 2009-10 to 2019-20 (actual) and from 2020-21 to 2024-25 (forecast). It shows all of these figures steadily rising, except for the total income forecast for 2020-21, which represents a decrease from the previous year.

Actual figures:

  • In 2009-10, international fee income was £2,214 million, total income was £22,221 million, and international fees constituted 9.96 per cent of total income.
  • In 2010-11, international fee income was £2,513 million, total income was £22,933 million, and international fees constituted 10.96 per cent of total income.
  • In 2011-12, international fee income was £2,762 million, total income was £23,277 million, and international fees constituted 11.87 per cent of total income.
  • In 2012-13, international fee income was £2,997 million, total income was £24,320 million, and international fees constituted 12.32 per cent of total income.
  • In 2013-14, international fee income was £3,316 million, total income was £25,591 million, and international fees constituted 12.96 per cent of total income.
  • In 2014-15, international fee income was £3,604 million, total income was £28,030 million, and international fees constituted 12.86 per cent of total income.
  • In 2015-16, international fee income was £3,779 million, total income was £29,080 million, and international fees constituted 12.99 per cent of total income.
  • In 2016-17, international fee income was £3,921 million, total income was £30,031 million, and international fees constituted 13.06 per cent of total income.
  • In 2017-18, international fee income was £4,375 million, total income was £32,286 million, and international fees constituted 13.55 per cent of total income.
  • In 2018-19, international fee income was £5,075 million, total income was £35,149 million, and international fees constituted 14.44 per cent of total income.
  • In 2019-20, international fee income was £5,906 million, total income was £35,545 million, and international fees constituted 16.61 per cent of total income.

Forecast figures:

  • In 2020-21, international fee income is forecast to be £6,819 million, total income to be £35,268 million, and international fees to constitute 19.33 per cent of total income.
  • In 2021-22, international fee income is forecast to be £7,616 million, total income to be £37,396 million, and international fees to constitute 20.37 per cent of total income.
  • In 2022-23, international fee income is forecast to be £8,323 million, total income to be £39,259 million, and international fees to constitute 21.20 per cent of total income.
  • In 2023-24, international fee income is forecast to be £8,887 million, total income to be £40,730 million, and international fees to constitute 21.82 per cent of total income.
  • In 2024-25, international fee income is forecast to be £9,377 million, total income to be £41,752 million, and international fees to constitute 22.46 per cent of total income.

Source: HESA financial return, 2010-2018. Office for Students, financial and student number forecasts, 2019 and 2020.

Note: The population over this period changed as more higher education providers (including non-traditional institutions) were registered with the OfS. Students from the EU are grouped with UK students up to 2019-20, and with international students from 2020-21.

Outside the realm of fees, international students provide substantial income to the communities where they live. A recent report by Universities UK and the Higher Education Policy Institute estimated that taking into account tuition fees, living costs, and visitor income, the 2018-19 cohort of international students benefited the UK economy to the tune of £28.8 billion.20 Those who stay after graduation to work in the UK will also contribute taxes. A recent study estimated that international students in the 2016-17 cohort contributed £3,173 billion in tax.21

Other benefits from international students

International students contribute diversity of experience and culture to campuses, exposing UK higher education students to new ideas and perspectives and preparing them better to compete in the global careers marketplace. Even if they return home after study, international students’ experience of living and learning in England creates connections and bonds that boost the UK’s ‘soft power’ abroad, helping to foster trade and research links.

A 2018 survey by the Migration Advisory Committee found that domestic students generally had a positive view of studying alongside international students, whereas there was limited evidence of any negative impacts on the former’s educational experience. International students’ fees contribute to the sustainability of universities generally, and in particular to that of courses that might be in danger of discontinuation if they could recruit only from the UK.22

A 2017 survey for Universities UK found that 64 per cent of British adults believed international students had a positive impact on the local economies where they study, and 61 per cent that they also had a valuable social and cultural impact on university towns and cities.23

Transnational education

In 2020-21 there were more than 400,000 students studying around the world for qualifications offered by English higher education providers, referred to as transnational education (TNE).24 Higher education providers are continuing to establish new and diverse international partnerships, delivering innovative teaching and research, and supporting student and staff mobility.

The OfS’s role is to protect the interests of any student of a registered English higher education provider, whether they live in the UK or overseas. TNE students are entitled to the same high quality courses and rigorous standards as those in the UK, and we should seek out and improve poor quality courses wherever students are based. In our consultation on a new approach to regulating student outcomes, we are explicit that our proposals would mean that all courses would be subject to the same minimum requirements.

We propose to analyse sector-level data relating to students’ continuation and completion on TNE courses in 2019-20 and 2020-21, and to publish this in spring 2022, along with relevant case studies. We will use this analysis to inform our regulation of quality and standards. In the longer term, while there are still some issues with data collection to be resolved, we will work to create student outcome measures and set minimum requirements for TNE courses in a similar way to courses delivered in the UK, and will consult on these in due course.25

International students’ views of English higher education

Undergraduate international students tend to hold favourable views about the education they receive at English colleges and universities. In the 2021 survey National Student Survey (NSS), non-EU international students’ agreement with the positive statements on every scale was at least equal to, and generally higher than, that of UK and EU students.

In all cases the agreement of all three groups has dropped in 2021 compared with 2020, however. For instance, international students’ rates of agreement with the questions regarding their learning community (scale 7) have fallen noticeably: EU students’ agreement rates fell from 75 per cent in 2020 to 67 per cent in 2021, while non-EU international students’ rates fell from 77 to 70 per cent.26 While UK students saw a comparable drop in agreement (from 76 to 66 per cent), this is especially important for international students, as a sense of belonging has long been highlighted as important for international students to feel part of their university or college.27

Figure 4: Agreement rates 2018 to 2021 by characteristic for NSS Scale 7, Learning community

Source: OfS analysis of NSS responses.28

Figure 4 is a line graph with three lines, showing agreement rates for students from the UK, the EU and the rest of the world for the survey years from 2018 to 2021. It shows all three rates holding more or less steady for the first three years, then falling sharply in the fourth.

  • In 2018, 75.4 per cent of EU students, 76.2 per cent of students from the rest of the world and 76.7 per cent of UK students agreed.
  • In 2019, 75.2 per cent of EU students, 76.6 per cent of students from the rest of the world and 75.9 per cent of UK students agreed.
  • In 2020, 74.6 per cent of EU students, 76.7 per cent of students from the rest of the world and 75.6 per cent of UK students agreed.
  • In 2021, 66.7 per cent of EU students, 70.0 per cent of students from the rest of the world and 66.1 per cent of UK students agreed.

Source: OfS analysis of NSS responses.28

Case study: Leeds University Union International Student Advisory Board

Leeds University Union (LUU), the students’ union at the University of Leeds, has sought to better understand the international student experience at Leeds to shape how it supports its diverse student body. Crucial to this is its International Student Advisory Board.

In 2020-21 the International Student Advisory Board was made up of students from 21 countries, representing undergraduate, postgraduate taught and research and international foundation year students. LUU developed the group as a forum for international students to discuss issues important to them, like their social experience, online learning experience, intercultural and linguistic awareness, wellbeing and mental health support, employability, and housing. The students who form the board are given a range of training as part of their role, to reward them for their work and help them develop skills for the future.

LUU has taken the insight from the group and fed it into the development of its services and its partnership work with the University of Leeds. At the start of the project, staff attended these student discussions, but teams are now asked to come with interactive activities planned. The goal is always to facilitate getting to the heart of what is working for international students and what needs improvement.

Support

The pandemic highlighted a number of issues faced by international students, including not being able to return to home countries because of stringent border controls, having to quarantine on arrival in the UK, and uncertainty about visa conditions. For some international students these will have exacerbated existing pressures of homesickness, culture shock and language barriers. As universities and colleges seek to expand the number of international students they recruit, there will be an increased need to ensure that these students are supported.

International students face other mental health and wellbeing issues common in students, such as loneliness, financial worry and exam stress.29 Students overall have become more likely to report a disability in recent years, with the proportion of UK students doing so rising from 9.5 to 17.7 per cent between 2010-11 and 2019-20 (the most recent year for which comparable figures have been published). During the same period, the numbers of international students doing so doubled from 2.3 to 4.6 per cent. As among UK students, the largest increase was in those reporting a mental health condition, from 0.2 per cent in 2010-11 to 1.5 per cent in 2019-20.30

Different cultures have different attitudes and understandings of mental health, and some nationalities and ethnicities may find it harder to disclose illness than others. It is important that support is clearly signposted, and accordingly some universities produce written documents in students’ native languages.

Work across the sector has identified substantial concerns about harassment and sexual misconduct experienced by international students. According to an Equality and Human Rights Commission report, one in five victims of racial harassment were international students.31 Language and cultural barriers to accessing support, additional vulnerability around reporting (for example regarding visa implications), and an increase in xenophobic attacks since the start of the pandemic all contribute to these challenges.32

Many international students are legally unable to access certain welfare benefits and local authority housing. International students can apply for university and colleges’ hardship funds; nevertheless, media reports suggest that some such students had to use foodbanks during pandemic lockdowns (though without any direct comparison with how often UK students have done so).33

Career support is also important to international students, all the more so because they need post-study visas to continue their careers in the UK. A recent study showed that only 52 per cent of international students thought their institution was doing well at satisfying their careers support needs.34

Case study: Supporting international students' mental health at the University of Nottingham

As part of Globally MindEd, an Office for Students Challenge Competition funded project,35 the University of Nottingham is working with SOAS University of London and the University of Leeds, their respective students’ unions, Student Minds and Campus Life Ltd to support the mental health and wellbeing of international students.

The University of Nottingham has recruited two dedicated posts to support international student mental health. These have played a leading role in proactively responding to the impact coronavirus has had on international students at the university.

For example, mindful of the time difference for international students who have returned home, the university has been able to reserve morning online appointments with a dedicated mental health adviser for international students. Furthermore, to reduce barriers the university introduced the ability for students to self-refer to use this service.

The postholders have also worked closely with the university and students’ union welfare teams during the creation of the institution’s mental health coronavirus webpages to ensure that international students’ needs are addressed.

The university has been able to draw on the experiences of its Malaysia and Ningbo campuses to inform its responses for international students. For example, the UK and Ningbo welfare services have worked closely to ensure an online video call offer is possible in mainland China.

What the OfS is doing

The OfS is committed to ensuring that all students have a high quality experience and this includes international students studying in England and at English universities’ campuses abroad. We are also committed to increasing the breadth and diversity of the UK’s higher education offer.

We seek to ensure that English higher education is delivering positive outcomes for past, present and future students. Our objectives as a regulator reflect the things that matter most to students: high quality courses, successful outcomes, and the ongoing value of their qualifications. We use the tools in our regulatory framework to mitigate the risk that these regulatory outcomes are not delivered in practice for students from all backgrounds, including international students. These include the conditions of registration for higher education providers, including those that relate to quality and standards. To this end we collect data on students and set minimum requirements for their outcomes, including overseas students at English higher education providers.

It is clear, however, that to better support international students, especially in light of their increasing numbers, we need to gather further information on their needs and experiences. As part of this, we are launching a project to work in partnership with the Department for Education and UK Council for International Student Affairs to improve international student integration and their non-academic experience. This includes calling for evidence to identify effective practice in ensuring that international students can integrate and receive a fulfilling experience in the UK.

Themes of the call for evidence

Through this work we are seeking to:

  • identify innovative and sector-leading practice in ensuring international students can integrate and receive a fulfilling experience in the UK
  • disseminate information on this effective practice across the sector
  • identify gaps where further work would benefit the international student experience.

We are seeking submissions from providers and organisations that relate to one of more of the identified themes relating to the international student experience:

  • work to prevent and address harassment and sexual misconduct
  • how responding to the coronavirus pandemic has shaped practice in supporting international students adapt and integrate to UK higher education
  • work to ensure the accessibility and effectiveness of wellbeing and support services (such as student services, mental health provision, etc.).

We are also interested in how submissions may relate to one or more of the following cross-cutting themes:

  • advancing equality of opportunity for students with one or more protected characteristic
  • partnership with international students
  • intervention that may also benefit home (UK-domiciled) students.
Find out more about the call for evidence and how to make a submission.

As we continue to develop our approach to TNE courses, we will work to raise the profile of the OfS’s regulatory activities beyond the UK, and to increase understanding of how our approach to TNE fits within the approach across the UK. This includes targeted engagement with government and regulatory bodies and representative groups.

Conclusion

International student numbers have grown markedly in England since the turn of the century, attracted by the strong reputation enjoyed by UK higher education. Despite the impact of the pandemic on international travel, the sector is anticipating a further increase in international students in the coming years after several years of relatively slow growth.

In addition to the economic benefit they bring, these students’ presence can further enhance the academic culture and the exchange of ideas. They also can bring added skills as graduates to the UK’s economy. But in return for such benefits, it is important that they have a high quality academic experience, with the right support to ensure that they are fully integrated into their university and the wider community, with the sense of belonging that this brings. The importance of such support was highlighted during the pandemic, too.

As the OfS develops our international work, we will build evidence of what works in supporting the integration and wellbeing of international students.

  1. In this brief, for the sake of readability, we have used ‘universities and colleges’, or sometimes simply ‘universities’, to refer to what our regulatory framework and other more formal documents call ‘higher education providers’.
  2. Department for International Trade and Department for Education, 'International Education Strategy: 2021 update’ (available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/international-education-strategy-2021-update).
  3. Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), ‘HE student enrolments by domicile and region of HE provider’ (available at https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/where-from).
  4. HESA, ‘Figure 3 - HE student enrolments by level of study 2016-17 to 2020-21’ (https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/sb262/figure-3).
  5. HESA, ‘HE student enrolments by level of study, mode of study and domicile: Academic years 2020-21’ (available at https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/where-from).
  6. HESA, ‘HE student enrolments based wholly overseas by location and type of provision: Academic years 2016-17 to 2020-21’, (available at https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/where-from).
  7. HESA, ‘HE student enrolments by level of study, mode of study and domicile: Academic years 2020-21’ (available at https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/where-from).
  8. HESA, ‘First year non-UK domiciled students by domicile: Academic years 2006-07 to 2020-21’, (available at https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/where-from).
  9. HESA, ‘First year non-UK domiciled students by domicile: Academic years 2006-07 to 2020-21’, (available at https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/where-from).
  10. UCAS undergraduate releases (https://www.ucas.com/data-and-analysis/ucas-undergraduate-releases).
  11. Pells, Rachael, ‘Mature student numbers continue to decline’, 17 February 2022, (https://www.researchprofessional.com/0/rr/news/uk/universities/2022/2/Mature-student-numbers-continue-to-decline.html).
  12. Prest, Kevin, ‘UK visa issuance and UCAS acceptances suggest a bounce back in non-EU recruitment of international students for the 2021-22 academic year’, 14 December 2021 (https://education-services.britishcouncil.org/insights-blog/uk-visa-issuance-and-ucas-acceptances-suggest-bounce-back-non-eu-recruitment-of).
  13. Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, ‘International student mobility’ (https://data.oecd.org/students/international-student-mobility.htm#indicator-chart)’; Lowry, Tom, and Dalzell, Stephanie, ‘Tens of thousands of international students touch down in Australia, but sector warns it has a lot of catching up to do’, 4 February 2022 (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-04/international-students-touch-down-in-australia/100803656).
  14. Bolton, Paul, and Hubble, Susan, ‘International and EU students in higher education in the UK FAQs’ (available at https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7976/), 2021, pp9-14; Sá, Creso M, and  Sabzalieva, Emma, ‘The politics of the great brain race: Public policy and international student recruitment in Australia, Canada, England and the USA’, 2018, Higher Education 75, pp231–253 (available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-017-0133-1).
  15. Sharma, Madhulika, ‘Narendra Modi and the new education policy: Retrospection, reform and reality’, Journal of Asian Public Policy 9.2, 31 March 2016 (available at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17516234.2016.1165330); Wu, Lingli, Yan, Kun, and Zhang, Yuqi, ‘Higher education expansion and inequality in educational opportunities in China’, Higher Education 80,23 January 2020 (available at https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10734-020-00498-2); Johnson, Jo, ‘Indian universities could boost the British economy’, The Times, 14 February 2022 (https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/4b786ac4-8d05-11ec-87eb-ee84fabc72c9); Woolcock, Nicola, ‘Indian universities plan British outposts’, The Times, 14 February 2022 (https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/2347f8b4-8cf4-11ec-87eb-ee84fabc72c9).
  16. Bolton, Paul, and Hubble, Susan, ‘International and EU students in higher education in the UK FAQs’ (available at https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7976/), 2021, pp9-10.
  17. UKCISA, ‘Delivering a world-class international student experience: How government can create the conditions for success’, 2020 (available at https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/Research--Policy/Resource-bank/resources/201/Delivering-a-world-class-international-student-experience-how-Government-can-create-the-conditions-for-success-A-UKCISA-policy-position-paper).
  18. Based on financial returns and financial forecasts submitted by higher education institutions to the OfS in September 2018. Further education colleges are excluded.
  19. HESA finance record, annual financial returns 2019 and 2020.
  20. Universities UK and the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI), ‘The costs and benefits of international higher education students to the UK economy’, 2021 (available at https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/universities-uk-international/events-and-news/uuki-news/depth-analysis-reveals-huge-contribution), pp34-39.
  21. HEPI, ‘The UK’s tax revenues from international students post-graduation’, 2019 (available at https://www.hepi.ac.uk/2019/03/21/just-one-cohort-of-international-students-who-stay-in-the-uk-to-work-pay-3-2-billion-in-tax-and-they-arent-taking-jobs-from-uk-citizens/) pvi.
  22. Migration Advisory Committee, ‘MAC report: International students in the UK’, 2018 (available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/migration-advisory-committee-mac-report-international-students).
  23. Savanta ComRes, ‘Universities UK international students poll’ , (available at https://comresglobal.com/polls/universities-uk-international-students-poll/).
  24. HESA, ‘Where do HE students come from? Transnational education’ (https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/where-from/transnational).
  25. OfS, ‘A new approach to regulating student outcomes’ (OfS 2022.01, available at www.officeforstudents.org.uk/publications/student-outcomes-and-teaching-excellence-consultations/student-outcomes/).
  26. OfS, ‘NSS data: additional analysis’ (www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/student-information-and-data/national-student-survey-nss/nss-data-additional-analysis/).
  27. UKCISA, ‘Research into the international student experience in the UK 2015-16’ (available at https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/resources_download.aspx?resourceid=135&documentid=237 [PDF]), pp6-13.
  28. OfS, ‘NSS data: additional analysis’ (www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/student-information-and-data/national-student-survey-nss/nss-data-additional-analysis/).
  29. UKCISA, ‘Mental health support in the UK’ (https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/Information--Advice/Studying--living-in-the-UK/Mental-health-support-in-the-UK).
  30. OfS, ‘Equality, diversity and student characteristics data: Official statistics’ (www.officeforstudents.org.uk/data-and-analysis/student-characteristics-data/).
  31. Equality and Human Rights Commission, ‘Tackling racial harassment: Universities challenged’, 2019 (available at https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/publication-download/tackling-racial-harassment-universities-challenged).
  32. Lau, Joyce, ‘Coronavirus sparks a rising tide of xenophobia worldwide’, Times Higher Education, 23 March 2020 (https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/coronavirus-sparks-rising-tide-ofxenophobia-worldwide); McKie, Anna, ‘Chinese students in UK “report increased racism and discrimination”’, Times Higher Education, 7 May 2020 (https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/chinese-students-uk-report-increased-racism-and-discrimination).
  33. Burns, Judith, ‘International students turn to food banks in lockdown’, BBC News, 29 July 2020 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-53552831).
  34. HEPI, ‘International students need more relevant careers support if UK is to remain a destination of choice’, 2021 (available at https://www.hepi.ac.uk/2021/10/14/international-students-need-more-relevant-careers-support-if-uk-is-to-remain-a-destination-of-choice/).
  35. See https://www.thegloballyminded.com/.
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OfS seeks evidence on experiences of international students

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Published 16 March 2022
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