New figures reveal a sharp decline in international student enrollments at UK universities, with some institutions experiencing drops of up to 80%.
Overall, the 2023–2024 academic year saw a 7% decrease in international enrollments, according to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Particularly notable were declines from key source countries—Nigeria saw a 36% drop, India 15%, and China 4%—highlighting shifting global trends and mounting challenges for the UK’s higher education sector.
According to e.vnexpress.net, this decline was driven by significant reductions from key markets such as Nigeria (-36%), India (-15%), and China (-4%), according to international education website ICEF Monitor.
In total, 732,285 international students enrolled in U.K. universities in the 2023-2024 academic year, of whom 656,735 came from non-EU countries.
Post-1992 universities experienced the most severe impact, with a 15% drop in non-EU postgraduate taught enrollments. Visa data indicates this decrease largely resulted from fewer applications from India and Nigeria beginning January 2024.
Staffordshire University saw the most significant fall, with international enrollments collapsing from 1,205 in 2022-23 to just 255 last year, a 79% decline, Times Higher Education reported.
Other universities facing major decreases included the University for the Creative Arts (54%), the University of Worcester (53%), and the University of Central Lancashire (50%).
Several institutions recorded declines of 40% or more, including Coventry University, the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool John Moores University, the University of Dundee, Bishop Grosseteste University, and Southampton Solent University.
Insiders suggest the sharp drop highlights the impact of the government’s ban on student dependents, a key factor behind the current financial difficulties in the sector.
From January 2024, international students enrolled in master’s programs have been barred from bringing family members to the U.K., a restriction previously applied only to undergraduates. Only international students in research-based graduate programs or government-funded scholarships are exempt from this ban.
Mark Ovens, business unit director for Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and U.K. International at Studyportals, told University World News the latest data offers insight into how recent government policies have influenced student migration.
“The period covered, August 2023-July 2024, includes the uncertainty caused by the Migration Advisory Committee review into the Graduate Route [work visa] as well as stopping PGT dependents’ visas, which affected entrants from January 2024 onwards,” Ovens said.
“These were part of a series of measures introduced by the outgoing government to stem migration,” he added.
In late March, the U.K. began reviewing its Graduate Route work visa scheme, eventually announcing in May that post-study work rights would continue. However, the Home Secretary and Education Secretary signaled plans to tighten student visa regulations and oversight of recruitment agents “to ensure the U.K.’s world-leading higher education sector is used for education, not as a gateway to immigration, with options to go further remaining under consideration.”
Proposed measures include raising financial maintenance requirements so that international students must demonstrate financial self-sufficiency, and reviewing English language assessments to standardize independent testing, ensuring international students possess adequate language skills.
Currently, international students must demonstrate they have £1,334 (US$1,700) per month for courses in London, and £1,023 per month for courses outside London, for up to nine months.
Other suggested policies involve stricter institutional compliance in recruiting international students, enhanced oversight of recruitment agents, and potential restrictions on remote learning to prioritize face-to-face education.
The latest HESA figures show that total student enrollments at U.K. higher education institutions fell slightly to 2,904,425 in 2023-24, down 1% from 2,937,155 the previous year.
