The UK immigration system must keep attracting exchange students

The contribution of international students to the UK is – quite rightly – celebrated and discussed within the higher education sector. However, not as much attention is sometimes given to another important cohort of overseas student visitors: exchange students. These students are those registered at a university overseas who choose to spend a short period of that time studying at a UK university.

We’ve looked at who these students are, how they contribute to the UK, and how the UK’s immigration system can best attract them. In turn, this will set the UK up for success in the Turing Scheme, through positioning us as an attractive partner destination.

Between 2015–2020, an average of 38,800 exchange students came to study in the UK each year. Countries sending the greatest number of students in this period were the USA, France, Germany, China and Spain, with just under half (47%) of all students coming from the EU. 39% were part of the Erasmus+ programme.

The overall number of exchange students coming to the UK stayed roughly the same each year. However, the number of those coming from Asia grew significantly, by 22% in five years. This trend is even more pronounced in certain markets: student numbers from Hong Kong increased by 71%. There were also indications of growth in the number of students coming from India, Thailand, Taiwan and Indonesia, although the total numbers remain small.

The vast majority (91%) of exchange students are undergraduates, and our data suggests that most are in the UK solely to study. However, a smaller proportion also undertake a work placement or internship alongside their studies.

Universities surveyed by UUK International noted that exchange students are often highly engaged academically and valued by their tutors, and are active participants in other campus activities.

We know that international mobility has lots of benefits, and exchange students will gain academically, professionally, and personally from their time spent in the UK. But there are benefits to the UK, too.

Since the introduction of the points-based immigration system on 1 January 2021, all students coming to the UK from overseas require a visa (although EU nationals may be exempt for shorter trips). A comparison of different visa types can be seen below.

Our evidence suggests that fewer immigration requirements are associated with exchange students staying longer in the UK. Over the past five years, almost three quarters (73%) of EU exchange students (at that time, not subject to immigration requirements) came to the UK for between 24 weeks and a year, compared to 55% of non-EU nationals. This suggests that current immigration arrangements may be acting as a barrier to growing exchanges from global partners, especially those outside the EU – who represented 53% of exchange students between 2015-20.

So, reducing immigration requirements for all such students will encourage them to undertake a longer placement in the UK.

To illustrate the potential benefits:

• If five of the top sending countries increased the proportion of exchange students studying in the UK for over 24 weeks to 65% (the 2015–20 average of all exchange students), 2,340 more students would come to the UK for longer each year.
• If the proportion of these students staying for over 24 weeks increased to 73% (ie the average from the EU before immigration restrictions were introduced), this would rise to 3,445 more students.

In addition, as these figures are calculated on the basis that numbers of students remain static, they could easily be higher if key markets, especially in Asia, are encouraged to continue growing.

The introduction of the points-based system also represents a major change in immigration requirements for EU nationals coming to the UK for placements of over six months. It introduces barriers similar to those only previously in place for non-EU nationals. The expense and bureaucracy of applying for the Student visa makes a placement of over six months much less attractive to an EU student than previously.

This is significant, because:

• As outlined above, almost three-quarters (73%) of EU exchange students came to the UK for between 24 weeks and a year.
• A number of universities surveyed by UUK International in summer 2021 stated they are already experiencing a notable shift among EU exchange students from year-long placements, to shorter, single-semester placements.
• Some universities had experienced this group dropping out of coming to the UK altogether.

Our analysis suggests that, on average, 12,900 EU students would now need a Student visa to come on exchange to the UK each year. This group – a third of all exchange students coming to the UK each year – are now at risk of reducing the length of their exchange, or not coming at all.

Maintaining numbers of students and increasing their length of stay in the UK would increase all the benefits outlined above: the ability to send a greater number of UK students overseas, students’ economic contribution, and a longer period of time to develop their deeper, long-lasting connection with the UK.

We’re therefore calling on the UK government to reform the Visitor immigration route by increasing the length of time short-term exchange students are permitted to stay in the UK from six months to one academic year.

The Visitor visa is significantly less expensive and bureaucratic than the Student visa, with fewer evidence requirements. This change would boost the UK’s offer as an attractive exchange destination and would fall in line with the route for academics, who are permitted to come to the UK for up to 12 months under the terms of the Academic Visitor visa.

Conclusion

Exchange students are valued by universities, and bring significant benefits to the UK, including by creating global mobility opportunities for UK students. Under the points-based immigration system, there is a risk that up to 12,900 fewer EU students will come to the UK each year, or will spend less time here. However, with the right immigration conditions, there is potential to limit this expected reduction in EU exchange students, and increase the length of time all incoming exchange students – especially from Asia – spend in the UK. This can only increase the benefits they bring.

The data in this publication has been derived from our analysis of HESA data relating to incoming exchange and visiting students between 2015–20. We also carried out a qualitative survey of 32 UK universities in summer 2021. Thank you to all those who participated.