Indian nationals account for 42% of all graduate visas issued, as data reveals who is using the Graduate Route, and how they are using it.

On the same day as the Migration Advisory Committee has published the findings of its review into the UK Graduate Route, the Home Office released data analysing the journey of those using it.

The data reveals details of those entering and leaving the route – which was introduced in July 2021 – including where they come from, what they do after their visa expires and early insights into earnings.

However, the Home Office said “it is too early to say whether the behaviours of the early adopters of the scheme will be indicative of the behaviours of later cohorts”.

The proportion of students granted further leave to remain in the UK following their studies more than tripled between 2019 and 2023, from 18% to 56%.

Over half of students – 56% – whose studies concluded in 2023 had further leave to remain in the UK. Most of these students – 32% – used the Graduate Route and 18% went through other work routes.

Some 213,250 main applicants and 45,836 dependants were granted graduate visas between the route’s launch in July 2021 and the end of 2023.

Analysing the origin countries of main applicants, data found that the top five nationalities account for almost three-quarters (74%) of graduate visas issued, with Indian nationals accounting for 42% of graduate visa grants in 2023.

“Indian students were proportionally more likely to switch to the graduate route, accounting for 42% of graduate visa grants but only 23% of Student visa expiries between 2021 and 2023,” the report read.

Meanwhile, Chinese students were proportionally less likely to switch to the route, accounting for only 10% of graduate visa grants – a total of 22,191 – but 30% of student visa expiries.

Nigeria made up 11% of all graduate visas with a total of 23,648 and those from Pakistan made up 7%, with 14,337 graduate visas issued.

Completing the top five, those from the US made up 4%, with 7,493 graduate visa holders.

Painting a picture of those entering the Graduate Route by age, the Home Office said that visa holders of the route tend to be in their mid-to-late 20s with more than half – some 58% – between the ages of 24 and 29.

As for what individuals do once their Graduate Route visa ends, 63% of the 25,469 individuals whose graduate visas had expired by the end of 2023 had switched to another route, the data showed.

Some 46% had switched to a work route, with 33% extending into a Skilled Worker visa, 9% into a Skilled Worker – Health and Care visa, and 4% into other work routes.

Only 7% returned to study, 6% switched to a family visa, and 5% switched to other routes.

An additional 17,080 individuals had switched out of the Graduate Route, despite still holding valid leave at the end of 2023. The majority – 12,549 – switched to work routes, including 8,485 into Skilled Worker visas and 3,245 into Skilled Worker – Health and Care visas.

Brian Bell, chair of MAC, pointed out an expectation of fewer students using the graduate route from 2024 since banning dependents from January 2024 had “mechanically reduced” the number of graduate visa holders, “as around 30,000 dependants joined the route in 2023”.

The Home Office data also provided early insights on earnings and employment by linking Home Office visa records to HMRC earnings data.

“Of all graduate visa holders in scope to earn across the whole financial year ending 2023, who were in employment at some point in the financial year, 62% of graduate visa holders were earning in the first month following their visa being granted,” the report read.

“It is too early to say whether the behaviours of the early adopters of the scheme will be indicative of the behaviours of later cohorts”

Meanwhile, 10% started earning in the second month following their visa being granted. This proportion continues to decrease over subsequent months, the Home Office data highlighted.

Since the Graduate Route’s launch in 2021, the median monthly pay gradually rose from £1,227 to £1,937 in 2023.

Analysing how much graduate visa holders earned in the financial year ending 2023, the median annual earning for the 73% of graduate visa holders who were in employment for at least one month was £17,815.

Notably, for the 27% who were in employment across the entire year, the figure was higher at £26,460. Some 46% of those in employment across the entire year earned between £20,000 and £29,999, the data highlighted.

Meanwhile, 41% who earned in at least one month in financial year ending 2023 earned less than £15,000, and some 9% of those who earned for the full year earned less than £15,000.

At the other side of the spectrum, those from Pakistan had a much lower median annual earning – £14,402 – a figure not far off those from China – £15,762.

The data also analysed which sectors attracted those on the route, with administrative and support services sector being the most popular with 25% of graduate visa holders.

Meanwhile, 16% went in to the health and social work sectors, followed by 14% to scientific and technical activities.

Graduate visa holders were least likely to be employed in real estate, as well as transportation and storage sectors – each field attracted just 1%.

Those working in finance and insurance earned the most, with this being the sector with the highest annual earning for the financial year ending 2023. The median earning in the field sat at £34,846 for those who earned for the entire year and a lower median amount of £27,879 for those who earned in at least one month.

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The Australian budget for 2024-2025 came with no real surprises for the international education sector, after a draft framework announced on May 11 outlined a “soft cap” on international student enrolment.

One key element of the budget, announced on May 14, reiterated the format of the proposed cap, saying the government will “work with the higher education sector to develop regulations that will require universities to increase their supply of student accommodation”.

“The government will require universities to establish new, purpose-built student accommodation should they wish to increase their international student enrolments above their initial allocation,” the budget’s statement on Meeting Australia’s Housing Challenge detailed.

“Any new accommodation built will be available to both local and international students. This reform will build more student housing, reduce pressure on house prices and rents in our cities and ensure universities continue to benefit from the overseas student market,” it continued.

This is not a surprise after the announcement on May 11, that is set to see international student enrolments decided by the education minister and tied to moves to build more housing for students.

“In tackling the housing crisis, we might be undermining the economic contribution international students bring to Australia,” Devarshi Desai, co-founder and CEO of Studynash, told The PIE.

He also mentioned that he has seen a rise in students visas being “rejected for generic reasons”, and the prospect of the cap has also prompted his receipt of many messages from prospective students.

“Because of this, even those students who primarily want to study in Australia are forced to consider other countries. Adding a cap-style legislation might only enhance this issue,” Desai added.

In a bright spot for international students looking to study in Australia, though, there was an absence of bad news on one issue that had the sector in a spin: a visa fee hike.

There was speculation of a meteoric rise for the student visa fee – Ravi Lochan Singh,managing director of Global Reach agency, predicted the rise would be more modest, perhaps taking it to a total of just under AU$1,000. However, it was not mentioned anywhere in the budget.

What the budget did promise, however, is its commitment to further reducing net migration.

“There have been more than enough proposed legislative changes to cut net migration and it has sent out a very negative message to the international student community in India,” noted SIEC Pty managing director, Sonya Singh, speaking to The PIE.

“Students have numerous other options and this will be Australia’s loss… to the Australian economy, its labour market, its cultural diversity and its future plans of growth.

“The Australian market is shrinking rapidly as a proffered destination and the government may not need this legislation to cap numbers,” she added.

Key recommendations were made in the budget in response to the Australian Universities Accord, which offered a lot of help for domestic students including debt relief, and promised to develop a new funding system for Commonwealth supported places to meet student demand.

“In tackling the housing crisis, we might be undermining the economic contribution international students bring”

A new Tertiary Education Commission to act as a “steward” of the education system will also be implemented as part of the budget’s measures, and a full Implementation Advisory Committee has already been formed to engage with the sector on designing the Commission.

However the Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia voiced its “strong concern” regarding the fact no representatives from independent higher education providers were installed on the committee.

“The fact that independent higher education providers [including] the vast majority of dual sector providers are excluded from the Advisory Committee not only undermines the inclusivity of the Australian Universities Accord reform process, but also diminishes the potential for comprehensive sectoral integration,” a statement read.

The VET sector has been under heightened scrutiny after regulators raised concerns regarding course switching quality and other issues.

Also included in the budget was the announcement of Fee-Free Uni Ready courses for domestic students, and Prac payments for teaching, nursing and social work students.

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The leaders of global international schools explored wellbeing, leadership and sustainability as part of the 42nd annual COBIS conference, as the sector celebrates five years of growth.

The Council of British International Schools conference took place from May 11-13 in London, welcoming heads, governors, proprietors and senior and middle leaders from schools around the world, as well as education businesses and suppliers.

The conference was notably popular with newcomers this year, Margaret Garrard, COBIS CCO, shared with The PIE News.

The conference theme was “Louder than words”, an idea chosen with a view of challenging participants to explore and commit to meaningful action and practical steps to move the sector forward on education redesign, wellbeing, sustainability and more.

As part of this, international sustainability organisation Forum for the Future challenged delegates to consider their role as key enablers of transformation, as well as the current goals of the education system in creating a just and regenerative future. 

“One of the bright sparks you have is that there is a generation coming through for which this agenda is critical,” Sally Uren, chief executive at Forum for the Future, addressed the the audience.

“There is a generation coming through for which this agenda is critical”

“Hold on to the positives,” she reminded educators in the room – many of whom were vocal throughout the conference about their ambitions to drive change and shift mindsets of those they teach and lead.

The conference was an opportunity for international school leaders to come together to discuss the challenges they face both professionally and personally, and share solutions with one another.

Work life balance proved the top personal challenge according to recent research shared by the Council of International Schools.

Meanwhile, the pandemic was signalled to be the biggest professional challenge for international school leaders.

Delegates shared pain points not included in the research’s findings, highlighting evolving and increasing demands and expectations of students’ parents, as well as staff retention and recruitment.

On day three of the conference, Leigh Webb, CEO, ISC Research, presented data collected from senior leaders at international schools, giving insight into five years of growth for international schools, as openings and enrolments continue to increase.

In the last five years, the number of international schools has increased by 8.5%, and the number of students enrolments has grown by 10% – equating to a rise in fee income of over $9 billion USD globally.

South East Asia has seen the largest number of new schools open their doors, which could be attributed in large part to many openings in Vietnam.

Webb noted there aren’t many industries that perform like the international school sector, noting its “resilience” and ability to “bounce back”.

“There aren’t many industries that perform like that”

The topic of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice was another prominent theme throughout both the conference’s sessions and informal discussions had by delegates.

In one session, DSB International School presented lessons from a multi-year initiative on sustained DEIJ transformation for the Mumbai school, and invited fellow educators to join its “impactful journey towards meaningful DEIJ integration in education”.

“DEI is not just a buzzword,” said Aanchal Jain, the school’s DEIJ Consultant, who has been working to “move beyond tokenistic actions to embed principles DEIJ across the very fabric of the school’s functioning”.

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Business & Management masters are the most sought-after programs of international students in the US, a new report by Studyportals has revealed. 

India has surpassed China to become the largest source country at US graduate level, according to the Recruiting for Key Disciplines in the US report.

As policies restricting international student inflows take hold in Canada, Australia and the UK, “there is ample room for the international student population to grow” in the US, it said.  

To maximise this capacity for growth, universities “could offer more scholarships and run targeted marketing campaigns in key regions to help with brand awareness of their unique offerings”.  

“They could also enhance hybrid program options to reach a broader audience, especially those unable to travel to the US due to visa challenges,” Studyportals CCO Steve Mulligan told The PIE.  

The data, based on the search behaviour of over 55 million students on Studyportals in the past 12 months, revealed the highest student interest from India, Bangladesh and Nigeria, though Chinese students are not well represented due to internet restrictions in their home country. 

The report measures interest in business & management, computer science and IT, engineering & technology, medicine & health, natural sciences & math, and social sciences – which make up 71% of demand from the top 20 origin countries for US degrees.  

Student interest in MAs is growing across all disciplines, with a notable interest in business & management US masters growing by over 20% in the last 12 months, compared to 2.7% globally. It is the third most popular discipline for those looking at bachelors degrees.  

The US is home to two out of the top three global business schools, with the University of Pennsylvania: Wharton and Columbia Business School ranked first and third in the Financial Times’ 2024 business school rankings.  

“Some of this surge in interest can be attributed to the great work that many business schools in the US do to provide practical experience, industry exposure and networking opportunities for their student body. 

“Whether that be internships and externships, guest lectures, alumni networking or providing a direct pipeline to job opportunities within leading companies across multiple sectors. This can be very attractive to international students wanting to enhance their career prospects,” said Mulligan. 

The highest interest in business management came from Indonesia, closely followed by India, which showed a high interest in all key disciplines apart from social sciences – where Indian students showed the lowest interest of the top 20 source markets for the US.  

India has surpassed China as the largest source country of international students at graduate level, making up 35.5% of graduate enrolments compared to China’s 27% in 2022/23, according to Open Doors data. 

“Some of this surge in interest can be attributed to the great work that many business schools in the US do”

According to Mulligan, STEM and business programs have long attracted Indian students due to the high earning potentials of careers in these industries.  

In the US, STEM graduates have the opportunity to work for up to three years without sponsorship on STEM OPT, compared to one year for most other degrees.

Some non-traditional STEM degrees such as finance and marketing degrees are eligible for this designation, with the full list published by the department of home affairs.

With a few exceptions such as international relations and political science, Indian students showed less interest in social sciences, the report highlighted.  

At undergraduate level, India made up 9% of international student enrolments in 2022/23, with China accounting for 29% of the share.  

By looking at the intersection of source countries and discipline, the report is intended to help US universities diversify source countries to mitigate the risk of relying primarily on students from one study destination.  

“Institutions can partner with digital platforms like Studyportals to reach markets that they are unable to travel to or haven’t already established local representation”, said Mulligan.  

Out of all the key disciplines, the US share of global student interest was the highest for medicine & health (12.5%), with the most coming from Canada, Kenya and Saudi Arabia.  

The report points to well renowned medical schools such as Johns Hopkins, Harvard Medical School, and Mayo Clinic College of Medicine making the US an attractive country for studying medicine, particularly for students from countries with developing healthcare systems.  

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The European Union’s tenth program for research and innovation must take a long-term view beyond current geopolitical challenges and continue to collaborate openly with non-EU partners, the Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities has said. 

As the EU embarks on negotiations about its tenth framework program for R&I to succeed Horizon Europe in 2028, the Guild has warned that FP10, as it’s alternatively known, must secure enough funding (upwards of €200 billion) and must find a balance between policy-driven research and scientific independence.  

“As a result of the present geopolitical context, the European Commission and member states have put a higher emphasis on strategic autonomy, responsible internationalisation and research security.

“We fear that this will severely affect the openness of FP10 to collaborate with non-EU partners,” Guild acting secretary general Ole Petter Ottersen told The PIE.  

Europe accounts of 18% of the world’s innovative output – compared to 25% some 15 years ago, Balázs Hankó, Hungarian minister of education told a conference of European universities in April 2024.  

“Europe has the talent to be world leading in science and technology but is struggling to keep up with its main competitors in research funding, high-quality scientific output, especially in new and emerging fields, and European industry is not specialised in the fastest growing sectors,” the European Research Council warned in January 2024.  

Global competitiveness has gained a renewed impetus since Horizon Europe was drawn up seven years ago.  

“FP10 can benefit from this new overarching policy narrative, unless – and this is our growing concern – competitiveness is narrowly understood and results in a focus of R&I investments in a few technologies deemed presently strategic. 

“It is crucial that the ambition for making Europe more competitive and resilient remains future oriented,” stressed Ottersen. 

The Guild has called for a budget of at least €200 billion for FP10, more than double the €95.5 billion budget allocated to Horizon Europe from 2021-27.  

It has recommended that the funding be ring-fenced to avoid that short term policy goals result in sudden shifts in budget allocations, reiterating that “patient investments in R&I have the highest return in the long run,” according to Ottersen.  

The Guild has advocated for a fine tuning of Horizon Europe, maintaining successful projects such as the European Research Council and the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions.  

Funding should be set aside for bottom-up research instruments that support the “free curiosity and creativity of researchers” that will lay the groundwork for “game-changing innovations”, according to the Guild.  

“It is crucial that the ambition for making Europe more competitive and resilient remains future oriented”

“Trust the researchers, they don’t live in an ivory tower. They already know the challenges we face, and they know how to address the challenges in the most effective way, so we don’t need to tell them what to do,” The Guild’s head of research and innovation policy Julien Chicot told The PIE.  

The Guild has also emphasised the importance of social sciences and arts and humanities being included in the new framework.  

“Of course, these fields are important in their own right, but they’re also important so we can safely introduce new technologies to society and see the societal implications of those technologies,” Ottersen added. 

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A national standardised exam that operates in Korea is being increasingly embraced on an international level – and could help the country boost the number of its students studying abroad.

The College Scholastic Aptitude Test is the country’s standardised test to “evaluate academic prowess and subject-specific expertise” – but not in the same way that the SATs or A-Levels do.

No tests, according to Kyuseok Kim of the UWAY consultancy, exhibit the intensity found in the entrances exams of Korea, as well as Japan and China – the day of the exam, police cars transport students and even airplane take-off and landing times are changed to fit with exam schedules.

“Historically, it has been pivotal within the domestic educational framework but is now gaining traction among US and other international universities seeking to tap into the competitive Korean student market for the last four years,” Kim told The PIE News.

In April, a study abroad fair saw deans and directors of international admissions from various US universities descended on Seoul, including State University New York’s four main campuses, Washington State, Rochester and Miami – due to their involvement of a fledgling initiative to boost the CSAT’s use abroad.

“It started in 2020 for the first time in South Korea, but has rapidly gained momentum and is now endorsed by a growing number of higher education institutions.

“They recognise [the test’s] rigour and see it as a reliable measure of academic preparedness and potential,” Kim explained.

The CSAT Study Abroad Initiative, spearheaded by UWAY, is continuing to expand in the US and is now close to bringing two UK universities into the fold.

“UWAY was recently visited by a dozen US universities eager to establish formal partnerships, with others [wanting to tap] into the South Korea market for the first time to meet the rebounded demand for American higher education,” Kim said.

Korea is steadily climbing in terms of international student numbers to the US in particular, where a demographic cliff possibly awaits for domestic students.

In 2020/21, there were 39,491 South Korean students in US universities. In 2021/22, that number climbed over 40,000, and in the latest data it stands at 43,847.

The US is also gaining traction as Canada, the UK and Australia implement and discuss further policies that are possibly putting off international students.

While the initiative has ambitions to get the test accepted in more than just the US, the focus is on universities and regions where the Korean diaspora is “significant”, noted Kim.

“Trusting in the reliability of national standardised tests for college enrolment… is arguably one of the most viable methods”

“According to the narratives of admissions officers and counsellors at CSAT-accepting institutions, students who started studying in the US with scores from the South Korean national examination have demonstrated outstanding academic performance,” he reported.

He relents that it may be too early to tell whether the initiative will be a “flawless” success – but trusting an Asian standardised test like the CSAT could supercharge enrolment from Korea right when the US, and other countries, may need them.

“Trusting in the reliability of national standardised tests for college enrolment… is arguably one of the most viable methods to diversify recruitment channels and streamline the assessment process,” he added.

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After the announcement of a draft framework outlining a “soft cap” on international students, the education minister Jason Clare formally introduced a bill to parliament on May 16.

Amendments were proposed to the Education Services for Overseas Students Act, which would give the government broader powers over the activities of agents and their interactions with providers in Australia.

The proposals in the bill, some of which have previously been announced separately, would enable the government to set enrolment limits on international students at individual institutions and pause applications for new international education providers for up to 12 months. 

The legislation takes aim at “the shonks and crooks looking to take advantage of students and make a quick buck at the expense of this critical national asset”, said Clare in a speech to parliament. 

“[Students] are back already [after the pandemic]. That’s a vote of confidence in our institutions and providers, and in Australia as a place where the best and brightest come to study. But it is also something we need to manage carefully and protect from bad actors – and that’s what this bill does,” he continued.

He detailed that the proposals “directly respond to issues identified in the Nixon and Migration Reviews”, bringing together a bulk of the new measures announced for 2024.

Proposed changes include giving the minister the power to pause applications for registration from new international education providers and new courses from existing providers for up to 12 months, some detail of which sits in the draft framework. 

Other changes include a “new definition of education agent” which better captures their activities.

The bill read, “It does not define an agent based on their relationship to a provider, as many agents do not have formal agreements or relationships with specific providers.

“Any full-time or part-time permanent officer or employee of the provider is also not captured in the definition, as these officers receive a salary and employment benefits from the provider. This is to ensure that employees who work for education providers that may undertake some, or all, of their own student recruitment activities internally, are not captured by the definition or subject to the additional obligations imposed on agents,” it further detailed.

Also put into the bill was a new definition of an education agent’s “commission”, allowing amendments to the National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018, to formally ban commissions for being paid to agents for onshore switching.

Such a change was first proposed in late 2023.

Clare reassured stakeholders that any cap-like limits wouldn’t come into effect until January 2025, and that it would “consult with the sector on the implementation of the powers set out in the bill”.  

However, some providers – concerned about staff layoffs and potential campus closures – are frustrated by the lack of engagement from the government.  

“The government has written [the framework] without the usual sector collaboration on drafting to ensure clarity and positive, sustainable impact. We desperately need meaningful consultation on these changes to avoid catastrophic impacts,” English Australia CEO Ian Aird told The PIE.  

“We urge the government to let the changes already introduced to take effect and to work collaboratively with the sector on a sustainable future,” he added.  

The bill would also require new providers to deliver a course to domestic students for two years before they can apply to register to teach international students.  

Notably, the minister clarified that English-language courses and foundation programs would be exempt from this two-year requirement as they only deliver programs to international students.  

“The bill also helps build quality in the sector by enabling the automatic cancellation of a provider’s registration where it has not delivered a course to an overseas student over 12 consecutive months. 

“These providers are not demonstrating a commitment to international students and can be a vehicle for unscrupulous actors”

“These providers are not demonstrating a commitment to international students and can be a vehicle for unscrupulous actors to bypass registration requirements for entering the sector through the purchase of dormant providers,” added Clare.  

This follows recent amendments to the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 targeting integrity risks posed by dormant providers.

If passed, the legislation would enable the minister prevent providers under investigation from recruiting new students, and to suspend courses identified as having systemic quality issues.  

It would also improve the sharing of data relating to agents among providers and the government, with one advantage being that providers “don’t have to wait until data has been collected post-commencement” to inform their decision making, the bill added. 

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Student recruitment platform ApplyBoard has signed an agreement with one of Canada’s largest banks to assist students from top source countries with finance management.

TD, which hosts over 27 million customers as of January 2024, will help students coming to Canada from India, China, Pakistan, the Philippines, Morocco, Senegal and Vietnam, to meet eligibility requirements under the Student Direct Stream.

The specific collaboration – The TD International Student GIC program – pertains to demonstrating proof of financial ability, helping provide incoming students with a Guaranteed Investment Certificate, which proves those financials.

A hike of the necessary proof of funds was made at the beginning of the year, more than doubling from CAD$10,000 to CAD$20,635 from January 1.

“Students can strengthen their study permit application with verifiable Proof of Financial Support from ApplyBoard [through the TD program]. Our secure and private technology provides a positive experience, giving students peace of mind during the application process,” said ApplyBoard CEO Meti Basiri on LinkedIn.

“The TD International Student GIC Program offers students the opportunity to open an International Student Guaranteed Investment Certificate at TD with no application fee. Plus, students can start earning interest at a competitive rate even before arriving in Canada,” he added.

Those on the TD International Student GIC program, will also be able to use ApplyProof, the company’s verification platform to “strengthen study permit applications” when providing proof of funds on TD’s system, the bank said.

“The platform aims to provide centralised, streamlined verification of documents to help decrease wait times and build trust in legitimate documents provided,” the bank noted.

Basiri also said that the collaboration would offer students on the TD program with financial resources and “personalised support” before and while they’re in Canada.

“Students can start earning interest at a competitive rate even before arriving in Canada”

The international education landscape in Canada has seen some major changes in recent months, after the proof of funds was hiked, a cap was placed on international student enrolments, with provinces each receiving a certain allocation of Provincial Attestation Letters to control the number of students in each region.

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“Campaign in your own constituency” – this was one message that key stakeholders in the UK’s international education sector agreed on at a discussion hosted this week by Virendra Sharma MP and NISAU to focus on UK-India higher education ties.

Meeting on the same day as the MAC review was published, MPs supportive of the industry acknowledged that there is still work to be done to defend the industry’s success and limit risk to the graduate route – despite the MAC’s recommendation for it to remain.

“There is an expectation that you know everything about everything [as an MP],” shared Paul Blomfield MP, co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for International Students. “And you can’t.”

“There is a need to engage,” he urged, adding that despite the strong message from MAC, the sector is “not out of the woods yet”.

“We’re not dealing with rational evidence-based policy makers,” he noted.

Blomfield also conceded that he could not say how the Labour party would respond to the government response to MAC. But he said Labour had backed the ban on dependents because the sector was seen to back this, assuming that the graduate route would be left intact.

Scottish MP Alison Thewliss, vice-chair of the APPG, also encouraged engagement with MPs and prospective parliamentary candidates and acknowledged the contribution international students make in Scotland.

“I think we need to make sure that everybody standing in this election sees that this [sector] is important,” she said.

Lib Dem Lord Dholakia OBE, observed that “the political situation is right” to seek to raise national awareness of the value of the sector’s global link building, especially with trade negotiation ongoing with India at the moment, and with Indian students most likely to access the graduate route.

CEO @EdvoyGlobal points out that ONS data shows 80% of international students leave after 5 years. Long-term intent very different from two year work expectation. Super debate from @NISAU_UK pic.twitter.com/9bqz7V7SRg

— Amy Baker (@amybakerThePIE) May 14, 2024

Ruth Arnold, executive director for external affairs at Study Group, shared her engagement with her own MP in the Peak District on the value of the sector, explaining it was only when she pointed out that the Covid vaccine was developed by a team of scientists including international students that she realised wider impact and context.

“She had never thought of it like that,” said Arnold.

Others speakers included the CEO of QS, IDP and Edvoy – broader agreement was also reached on need of more and more up-to-date data, since HESA data always lags behind real time.

Sadiq Basha of Edvoy shared his own experience as an international student – he now runs a multi-million pound business employing 150 staff.

Blomfield shared that he felt the sector had “upped its game” in terms of speaking with one cohesive voice.

“But this is not simply a meta narrative. Every university should own [its advocacy],” he said, nodding to HEPI research which shows every single constituency benefits from international education.

NISAU also shared that they have resources to support advocacy and with case studies on international student success. They have also launched their own careers employability service to help international students navigate the journey from graduate to employee – with acknowledgement in the room that careers services can still be improved at institutional level.

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English UK has launched its ELT manifesto for the incoming next government, which the association says will enable the industry to “do more for the UK”, including to work effectively as a gateway for NHS and care staff, support regional economies, build global relationships and contribute to the economy as an export industry.

The membership body for English language schools is feeling bullish since new published student booking data reveals the best year in 2023 for member-wide business since the pandemic.

Student numbers rose to 76% of 2019 levels while student weeks rose to 71% for English UK members, while private members fared best in terms of member type.

The campaigning manifesto for ELT, launched at the Houses of Parliament, contains six recommendations for the incoming government and was officially announced in the company of MPs and key stakeholders.

The six recommendations are:

Expand career-enhancing travel opportunities for young people by expanding the Youth Mobility Scheme
Legalise short work placements on all ELT courses
Extend ID card travel for groups of under-18s from the EU
Recognise UK ELT’s accreditation scheme for immigration purposes
Increase government marketing support for UK ELT
Increase rent-a-room relief to help address capacity challenges

“We believe all of our six recommendations could be adopted by any political party without major cost or compromise, and we will use these to campaign into the general election and beyond,” said Jodie Gray, chief executive of English UK.

“We also hope our members will use the manifesto as a discussion point with their local election candidates.”

The sector has made significant headway in recent years, with campaigning leading to successes such as the government reinstating inbound ID-card travel for French school groups to the UK and the expansion of the Youth Mobility Scheme.

“We are delighted with our recent campaigning successes but there is much more to do,” said Gray.

One MP who turned up to show support for the sector was Lord Offord of Garvel, minister for exports.

“You’re not only teaching young people, you’re offering classes in English for specific purposes of courses that are sector specific, job specific, as well as those tailored for overseas teachers and students,” Offord addressed stakeholders at the manifesto launch.

He pointed to data from VisitBritain that showed that pre-pandemic, English language students spent twice as much money in the UK than the average visitor.

“We’d like to have our crown back” says @englishuk’s Mark Rendell on #UKELT’s positioning.

2023 was a positive year for the sector, we are hearing, but there’s more to be done from incoming gov. pic.twitter.com/u07raueJH9

— The PIE News (@ThePIENews) May 16, 2024

“We want the sector to bounce back and make sure that even more than 1.5 million students who are studying English abroad every year, do so in the UK.”

“It’s great to have better news in this year’s student statistics. The story of 2023 is one of promising but steady recovery,” said Gray.

“Global ELT is a maturing industry, with student numbers static or falling. It’s a zero-sum game. Destinations compete for a stable or shrinking pool of students. One destination’s gain is another’s loss.”

One destination’s gain is another’s loss

Italy has returned as the top sending market for private sector members and 60% of all students in 2023 were young learners which compares to 49% in 2022.

All growth was in the private sector, the association announced, with colleges and universities experiencing a decline in both student numbers and volume.

English UK’s state sector members reached just 27% of pre-pandemic student weeks in 2023, compared with 79% for private sector member centres. Some of this decline is due to structural changes in the state sector.

The association said it is “working hard to support state sector members to maximise their potential for growth.

Gray highlighted areas of potential growth for the UK, such as the Brazil market, which is the top global source market but the UK only has a market share of 7%.

The UK has a 2% market share in Colombia, 11% in China, and 6% in Thailand – each offering potential growth for the UK.

“The government can make a huge difference to our success, as recent clampdowns in competitor markets have demonstrated,” Gray continued.

“Right now, the UK’s approach is more welcoming than that in some of our competitor destinations. Canada and Australia are currently grappling with high visa refusal rates and caps on international student numbers.

Gray hopes the statistics help English UK members take individual marketing decisions, but also a wider objective is to demonstrate how and why targeted government supported is needed.

Overall, English UK’s 320 member centres taught 360,517 English language students in 2023.

Of these, 343,324 studied full-time courses, and 17,193 students studied part-time.

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