UK universities, renowned for their prestige, are facing significant financial challenges as international student enrollment declines due to strict visa restrictions.
This situation is exacerbated by the UK's exit from the European Union, which has already strained the higher education sector.
In 2022, nearly 760,000 foreign students were enrolled in British universities, making the UK the second most popular destination for international students after the United States. The largest groups of international students come from India, followed by China and Nigeria.
However, recent data indicates a worrying trend: student visa applications dropped by 5% last year, with a staggering 16% decline observed between July and September compared to the previous year.
The financial implications of this decline are severe, as international students typically pay significantly higher tuition fees than their domestic counterparts. For instance, Leo Xui, a 20-year-old student from China studying at University College London, pays £31,000 annually, while British students face a maximum fee of £9,250.
Recently elected Labour officials announced an increase in this cap to £9,535 for the upcoming academic year, a move welcomed by universities struggling with funding.
Universities UK (UUK), representing 141 higher education institutions, highlighted at a recent conference that funding per student is at its lowest since 2004.
The organization estimates that inflation has effectively reduced the real value of the maximum fee to below £6,000, leading to deficits in teaching and research.
Sally Mapstone, UK president, expressed concern about the financial strain on universities: “We are all feeling the crunch.” Many institutions have increasingly relied on foreign student tuition to fill budget gaps.
