Number of foreign students at British universities falls

Hibapress

The number of international students applying for places at British universities continued to fall during August, plunging some institutions into financial crisis, media reported on Thursday.

Data from Enroly, a web platform for managing international student enrolments at UK universities, shows a 35% drop in enrolments in August compared to the same month in 2023.

The Labour government, which came to power following the general election on 4 July, had expressed its determination to encourage the arrival of foreign students in Britain. However, Labour said on Thursday that it does not intend to change the restrictions imposed by the former Conservative government on the presence of these students in the country, particularly with regard to visa procedures.

Analysts, quoted by media, have warned that the country’s higher education sector is facing increasing financial challenges after being heavily reliant on foreign students.

In addition, the data showed a significant decline in the number of students from Nigeria and India, two of the largest international markets for UK universities. Applications from Nigerian students were down 65% and those from India were down 44% compared to August 2023.