Overseas Students

(asked on 24th February 2015) - View Source

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to attract non-EU students to universities in England and Wales.


Answered by
Greg Clark Portrait
Greg Clark
This question was answered on 19th March 2015

In 2013/14 there were more non-EU international students studying in the UK than ever before (310,200). More recent data from UCAS show a continuing growth trend for undergraduates: in 2014/15 there was an increase on the previous year of 5.7% in the number of overseas accepted applicants; and for 2015/16, February figures show the number of overseas applicants higher than at the same stage last year.

In 2013 Government published its International Education Strategy which includes a range of measures to strengthen the UK’s attractiveness as a study destination. For example, promotion activity through the Education UK brand, which is managed by the British Council, the ‘Britain is GREAT’ marketing campaign, which has an education pillar and ministerial engagement with overseas Governments through international visits. This promotes the breadth of the UK’s higher education offer and long-term education relationships through partnerships between UK and overseas institutions.

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