Universities UK (UUK) stated that postgraduate enrolments fell by up to 44% last month.
This reduction is not unrelated to new laws established in January that prohibit postgraduate students from bringing family members to the UK, as well as other UK government regulations on international student recruiting.
According to Universities UK (UUK), a London Economics research indicated that the graduate visa system drew an additional 632,000 overseas students over five years, bringing an unexpected £62.6 billion into the UK economy during their studies.
Although the government is reviewing graduate visa policies with the goal of lowering immigration to the UK, Universities UK (UUK) thinks that these visas are critical in supporting UK employment, the economy, and the country’s global aspirations.
UUK believes that further changes to visa requirements are unnecessary. They claim that the government’s concerns are based on old data showing an increase in international student numbers, which has already begun to plateau.
UUK conducted a survey of 73 universities and found a considerable reduction in international student enrollment, particularly in postgraduate programmes. This January showed a 44% fall of such students compared to the previous year, which was larger than expected.
This significant drop in international students, who normally pay higher fees for postgraduate courses, presents a financial challenge to universities.
Furthermore, data from Enroly, which is used by about 60 universities, show a reduction in international students’ interest in studying in the UK, as indicated by a large drop in deposit payments compared to the previous year.
According to reports, almost one-third of the international students surveyed are considering studying in another country since the UK is considering modifying the graduate visa rules.
Vivienne Stern, UUK’s chief executive, said: “There is now a real danger of an over-correction on international student recruitment.
“The UK is extremely fortunate to be a popular destination for international students. The whole country benefits from their decision to spend a few formative years with us.
“I regret the fact the government appears to want to diminish our success in this area. Our new data shows that if they wanted to see a reduction in numbers, they have already achieved that through policy changes introduced earlier this year.
“If they go further, they will damage the economies of towns and cities throughout the UK, as well as many universities.”
John Foster, chief policy and campaigns officer for the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), said: “International students make a big contribution to local economies right across the UK while they are here. When they go home, they are ambassadors for the UK around the world. Selling a British education is an export success story for the UK.
“This analysis shows that speculation comes with a cost, with uncertainty surrounding whether the government will change or withdraw the graduate visa already damaging UK universities’ competitiveness.”