Question on future overseas student numbers from Jo Stevens MP

Written question answered on Monday 4 June 2018

Jo Stevens MP (Labour) asked the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to increase the number of overseas students studying in UK universities over the next 10 years.

Answered on 4 June 2018 by Sam Gyimah, Universities Minister

The government fully recognises the important economic and cultural contribution that EU and international students make to the UK’s higher education sector. We want that contribution to continue and we are confident – given the world class quality of our higher education sector – that it will. We welcome international students and there continues to be no limit on the number who can come here to study, nor any plans to limit any institution’s ability to recruit international students from outside the EU.

The UK remains a highly attractive destination for non-EU students, with their numbers remaining at record highs – over 170,000 non-EU entrants to UK higher education institutions (HEIs) for the seventh year running. We actively promote study in the UK through the GREAT Campaign and to over 100 countries through the British Council. To encourage ambition across the sector, the government also set an aspiration to increase education exports (up to 60% of which is comprised of international students at UK HEIs) to £30 billion by 2020.

To help inform decisions on the future migration system, the government has commissioned the independent Migration Advisory Committee to provide an objective assessment of the impact of EU and non-EU international students by September 2018. This has provided an important opportunity for the sector to share views and evidence.