Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Universities in crisis amid decline in foreign student applications

There has been a 40 per cent decrease in applications for sponsored study visas

Universities in crisis amid decline in foreign student applications

UNIVERSITIES are encountering financial struggle as data from the Home Office revealed a sharp decline in applications from international students for the upcoming academic year.

According to the Guardian, there has been a 40 per cent decrease in applications for sponsored study visas, indicating that previous government-imposed visa restrictions are still hindering recruitment efforts.


In the latest figures, the Home Office received 28,200 applications last month, down from 38,900 in June 2023.

Typically, the bulk of student visa applications arrive over the summer, and many universities are hopeful for an improvement by September. However, new data indicated that the sector may continue to face difficulties.

Enroly, a service that assists international students with university enrolments, reported a 41 per cent decline in deposits and acceptances by international students across 31 UK universities by the end of July.

This drop is most happened in master’s courses, which saw a 55 per cent decrease compared to 2023, while undergraduate numbers fell by 23 per cent.

Since January, international students enrolled in postgraduate courses or undergraduate degrees have been unable to bring family members or dependents on a student visa. Jeff Williams, Enroly’s chief executive, noted that recruitment for September has been in decline since the beginning of the year.

“Our UK university colleagues are working tirelessly to continue to attract international students to their programs. One positive note is that the intake appears to be catching up month-to-month from a very slow start. It remains to be seen where the final year-on-year numbers for September will land,” Williams was quoted as saying.

In the 2021-22 academic year, over 240,000 full-time international students began studying postgraduate courses, and 104,000 started undergraduate programmes. If Enroly’s data is indicative of the broader sector, around 150,000 fewer international students might join UK campuses this autumn.

Many universities depend heavily on the income from international tuition fees, especially with domestic tuition fees in England remaining frozen. Experts warn that this situation poses significant financial risks for the sector.

Mark Corver, chief executive of DataHE, a higher education consultancy, pointed out that the heavy reliance on international student fees is a consequence of the previous government's failure to increase domestic tuition fees from £9,250 over the past eight years.

“That’s caused a huge financial distortion that has driven universities to raise income by other means,” Corver explained.

He stressed that the upcoming A-level results in August will be crucial for the financial stability of universities. Improved exam results could lead to an increase in domestic students, which might help offset the anticipated shortfall from international students, the report added.

More For You

Southport stabbings: Terrorism watchdog rejects definition change

FILE PHOTO: Riot police hold back protesters near a burning police vehicle in Southport, England (Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Southport stabbings: Terrorism watchdog rejects definition change

TERRORISM watchdog has rejected calls to redefine terrorism following last summer's tragic Southport murders, while recommending a new offence to tackle those intent on mass killings without clear ideological motives.

Jonathan Hall KC, the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, published his highly anticipated report on Thursday (13), concluding that the existing definition of terrorism should remain unchanged despite growing concerns about violent attackers with unclear motives.

Keep ReadingShow less
Commonwealth wreath-laying ceremony held in London

A military piper, choir, and the Sikh soldiers of the British Army took part in the ceremony.

Commonwealth wreath-laying ceremony held in London

A WREATH-LAYING ceremony was held at the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill in London on 10 March to honour Commonwealth servicemen and women who fought in the First and Second World Wars.

Lord Boateng, chairman of the Memorial Gates Council, led the event, highlighting the importance of remembering those who served.

Keep ReadingShow less
Student visas

The ongoing negotiations focus specifically on business mobility, addressing only the relevant business visas

iStock

Student visas excluded from UK-India FTA talks, says government

THE government last week clarified that only temporary business mobility visas are part of the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations.

Other types of visas, such as student visas, will not be included in the trade deal, it was revealed during a debate in the House of Lords.

Keep ReadingShow less
India Detains Crypto Administrator Wanted by US for Laundering

Aleksej Besciokov, was charged with money laundering and accused of violating sanctions and operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business, according to the US Justice Department. (Photo: US Secret Service)

India arrests crypto administrator wanted by US for money laundering

INDIAN authorities have arrested a cryptocurrency exchange administrator at the request of the United States on charges of money laundering conspiracy and sanctions violations, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said on Wednesday.

The arrest follows a joint operation by the United States, Germany, and Finland, which dismantled the online infrastructure of Russian cryptocurrency exchange Garantex.

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer-Getty

Starmer said that the change would free up funds for doctors, nurses, and frontline services while reducing red tape to accelerate improvements in the health system. (Photo: Getty Images)

Starmer scraps NHS England, brings health service under ministerial control

PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer has abolished NHS England, bringing the health service under direct ministerial control.

The decision reverses a key reform introduced by former health secretary Andrew Lansley during the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition, The Guardian reported.

Keep ReadingShow less