Gone International: Mobile students and their outcomes

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This cohort study looks at the academic attainment and employment outcome differences between mobile and non-mobile students who graduated in 2012–13 and responded to the Destination of Leavers in Higher Education survey.

It takes various student identities into consideration, including academic background, socioeconomic background, ethnicity and gender. The report answers the questions 'Who goes abroad?' ; 'Where do they go?' ; 'How do they benefit?' ; 'How much do they earn?' and includes a spotlight on STEM students. The findings from this report are not comparable with the HESA student record.

Key findings include: 

• A lower proportion of graduates who were mobile were unemployed
• A higher proportion of graduates who were mobile were working abroad, if in employment 
• On average, graduates who were mobile earned more across11 out of 17 subject areas
• Graduates who were mobile and earned more if they remained in the UK to work. 
• Graduates who were mobile were earning more in 40 out of 67 subjects (with available data), with disparities as high as £3,000 in some cases.

The Times Higher Education wrote two articles about the report, on earnings and academic results.

The PIE News also wrote an article about the report.