International student recruitment data

Source: HESA. Higher Education Student Statistics: UK, 2020/21 – Where students come from and go to study. Accessed Online: April 2022 

In 2020-21, there were 605,130 international students studying at UK higher education institutions. 152,905 of these students were from the EU and 452,225 were non-EU students. 

Chinese students made up the largest group of international students with 143,820 studying in the UK in 2020-21. China was followed by 84,555 students from India and 21,305 from Nigeria (up from 13,020 students in 2019-20). 

Italian and French students remain the two largest cohorts from the EU with 14,605 and 14,090 students respectively studying in the UK in 2020-21. 

In 2020-21 the total number of non-EU students grew by 10.6% whilst EU students grew by 3.5%. 

Before 2020-21, a consistent rise in new enrolments from China drove the growth in non-UK student numbers. In 2020-21, new enrolments from China fell for the first time in HESA recorded data (2007-08), dropping by 4.9% to 99,160 students. New enrolments from India totalled 53,015 students in 2020-21 (up 26.8% on 2019-20), reflecting continued growth but at a slower rate than in previous years (42.8% increase in 2018-19, and 128.4% increase in 2019-20). However, students from China and India still represented 37.4% and 18.7% of all new enrolments from outside the EU. 

Within the EU, the highest number of new enrolments came from France (6,630), Italy (6,220), and Romania (6,040). New enrolments from France stagnated between 2019-20 and 2020-21, after declining year-on-year between 2016-17 and 2019-20. New enrolments from Italy grew slightly in 2020-21, after declining year-on-year between 2016-17 and 2018-19. The number of enrolments from Romania have grown year-on-year since 2017-18. New enrolments from Romania totalled 6,040 students in 2020-21 (up 23.6% on 2019-20). 

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, most major sending countries total student population and new enrolments increased in growth from 2019-20 to 2020-21. Nigeria and Pakistan were the fastest growing sending countries. New enrolments from these two countries increased by 88.51% and 81.47%. 

The total student population from the US, a top sender, fell between 2019-20 and 2020-21 after declining over the past 3 years.  Students from Malaysia and Germany have also declined steadily over the past 5 years, dropping by 30.2% and 12.4% respectively since 2016-17. 

According to HESA total enrolment figures for the top 10 sending countries to the UK in 2020-21 were:  

1. China (143,820) 

2. India (84,555) 

3. Nigeria (21,305), up 6 places from 2019-20 

4. United States (19,220) 

5. Hong Kong (SAR) (16,655) 

6. Italy (14,605) 

7. France (14,090) 

8. Pakistan (12,975) 

9. Romania (12,860) 

10. Spain (12,290) 

Source: HESA. Higher Education Student Statistics: UK, 2020/21 – Where students come from and go to study. Accessed Online: April 2022 

According to HESA the number of new enrolments for the top 10 sending countries to the UK in 2020-21 were:  

1. China (99,160) 

2. India (53,015) 

3. Nigeria (14,270), up 6 places from 2019-20 

4. United States (9,870) 

5. Pakistan (8,420) 

6. Hong Kong (SAR) (7,120) 

7. France (6,630) 

8. Italy (6,220) 

9. Romania (6,040) 

10. Spain (5,435) 

First year enrolments:  

In 2020-21, the number of international students (EU and non-EU) enrolling for the first-year of an undergraduate degree decreased by 0.7% from 130,055 to 129,145 students. Non-EU first-year undergraduates decreased by 3.4% from 2019-20 after growing by 20.5% the previous year. In contrast, EU first-year undergraduates increased by 6.0% in 2020-21 after falling by 0.1% the previous year. 

In 2020-21, the number of first-year international postgraduates grew by 6.7% on 2019-20, (down from a growth of 19.5% the previous year) totalling 202,410 students. In contrast to first-year undergraduate students, this reflected a rise in first-year non-EU postgraduate students, which increased by 7.5%. The number of first-year EU postgraduate students also increased by 1.2%. 

Postgraduate taught (PGT) vs postgraduate research (PGR), total enrolments:  

The postgraduate student population totalled 290,295 in 2020-21 (up 15.7% on 2019-20). When we break down this population by PGT and PGR courses, we can see that this growth was driven by non-EU PGT students. The non-EU PGT student population (212,515) increased by 17.7% between 2019-20 and 2020-21, while non-EU PGR students (34,015) and EU PGT students (31,045) increased by just 4.7% and 1.5%. EU PGR students (12,720) decreased by 2.9% for the same period.   

Postgraduate taught (PGT) vs postgraduate research (PGR), first enrolments:  

In 2020-21, first-year postgraduate enrolments grew from both in and outside the EU. This growth was similar among non-EU PGT and PGR enrolments, which increased by 7.6% and 6.9% respectively on 2019-20. EU PGT and PGR enrolments grew by 1.0% and 2.8% respectively on 2019-20.  

Source: The Home Office 

The latest visa figures for the year to March 2022 show:  

• There were 466,611 study visas (including the Child Study Visa) granted. This is the highest annual number of study visas granted on record and represents both a recovery from the lower number of visas granted during the Covid-19 pandemic but also an increase on pre-pandemic levels. It is 52% higher than the previous record of 307,394 which occurred in the year ending June 2010 and 58% higher (increase of 170,368) than the number of study visas granted in the year ending March 2020. 

• Chinese nationals were the most common nationality granted study visas in year ending March 2022 with 116,967 visas granted, accounting for 25% of the total study visas granted. There were 107,978 grants to Indian nationals in the year ending March 2022, almost double (+93%) compared to the previous year, and 122% higher than the year ending March 2020. Taken together, Chinese and Indian nationals together comprise almost half (48%) of all study grants. 

• Looking at where other students came to the UK from, Nigerian nationals saw the largest relative increase in study visas granted compared with year ending in March 2020, increasing by 49,532 (+529%), to a record high of 58,887. This makes Nigeria the third largest nationality group in the year ending March 2022. Pakistani nationals also saw a large increase of 15,701 across this period (+277%). In contrast, United States nationals only saw a modest increase of 1,191 (+8%) on year ending March 2020. 

• Additionally, Bangladeshi nationals increased from just 2,660 to 13,914 (+423%) compared with the year ending March 2020. This made Bangladeshi nationals the sixth largest group. 

The top five nationalities granted study visas in year ending March 2022 were: 

1. China (116,967) 
2. India (107,978) 
3. Nigeria (58,887) 
4. Pakistan (21,372) 
5. United States (15,862) 

Source: The Home Office 

The latest visa figures for the year to March 2022 show:  

• With freedom of movement having ended on 01 January 2021, in the year ending March 2022 there were a total of 23,395 Sponsored study visa grants to EEA and Swiss students. This was 5% of the total number of overseas student visas issued in this period.  

• French students had the highest number of Sponsored study grants (4,247), followed by students from Germany (3,966) and Spain (3,586).  

• Together these three nationalities made up half (50%) of all EEA and Swiss grants to study in this period. 

Source: The Home Office 

The latest visa figures for the year to March 2022 show:  

• As the data released covers the year ending March 2022, it captures most potential applications in year 2021/22, including the main application window for the Graduate route which we understand to have been October-November. 

• The release does show that 33,682 individuals were granted the new Graduate visa. Until March 2022, the Graduate visa has a rejection rate of 0.86%, implying that the vast majority of students are able to access the graduate route that choose to apply. 

• The top three nationalities progressing on to the graduate route are Indian (12,704), Nigerian (3,680) and China (3,085), making up almost 58% of all accepted applications 

Source: UCAS (UCAS end of cycle 2021: strong demand for UK HE amidst a global pandemic | Undergraduate | UCAS) 

Internationally, a total of 142,925 people of all ages applied (-5% on 2020), with 70,005 accepted (+1%). 111,255 people applied from outside the EU (+12%) with 54,030 accepted (+2%); while 31,670 people applied from within the EU (-40%) with 16,025 accepted (-50%).