Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the impact of the Graduate route visa scheme on university finances.

The UK has a world-class higher education (HE) sector, with four universities in the world university rankings top 10, and 15 in the top 100, alongside a wide array of leading institutions which attract international students from around the world. The graduate visa enables international students who have successfully completed an eligible qualification to stay in the UK for two years, or three years for doctoral students.

Data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency shows that international students contributed £12.1 billion in tuition fees to UK HE providers in the 2022/23 academic year.

This government has made clear its approach to international students. We welcome international students who enrich our university campuses, forge lifelong friendships with our domestic students and become global ambassadors for the UK.