The number of international graduate students applying to study in the UK has grown steadily, new figures show.
The latest UCAS figures show that the number of applications British universities received from applicants based outside of the EU increased by 8 per cent this year to 65,440 – the highest ever received.
Meanwhile, EU students are not being put off studying in the UK by Brexit. The figures show that UCAS had received 46,040 applications from EU applicants by the 24th March deadline. This was 2 per cent than it had received by the same date in 2017.
However, overall applications to UK universities has fallen this year – mainly due to a sharp decline in the number of older UK-based students applying to study.
According to the UCAS analysis, the overall number of people who have applied to UK higher education courses for 2018 has now reached 590,270 – around 11,000 down on last year.
Chief executive of UCAS Clare Marchant said the figures demonstrate “the desirability of UK higher education to students from around the world.”
“Whilst this is undoubtedly good news, we must not overlook the continuing fall in applications from older UK students, particularly to study nursing,” she added.
Article published 6th April 2018