More than 80% of international students in the United Kingdom (UK) pursued postgraduate studies in engineering and technology during the 2022/23 academic year.
In contrast, fewer than 20% of UK home students studied these courses at the postgraduate level in the same period.
This information is according to a report by Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) which also indicates that international students outnumbered UK home students in postgraduate research in business and management, as well as architecture.
For business and management courses, international students made up 72% of those who received postgraduate research qualifications.
Conversely, UK home students accounted for just 28% and 30% of postgraduate research qualifications in business and management, and architecture, respectively, indicating a significant gap.
International students lead in postgraduate studies.
The data provided reveals a clear trend of international students significantly contributing to postgraduate education in the UK.
In contrast, the majority of first degrees (81%) are awarded to UK students, with only 19% going to non-UK students.
International students are particularly prevalent in certain subject areas. For instance, 70% of postgraduate research qualifications in the field of architecture, building, and planning are awarded to non-UK students, highlighting its global appeal. Business and management courses postgraduate research qualifications were awarded to 72% of international students.
The data shows that UK students maintain a majority presence in first-degree and postgraduate research qualifications overall. However, in specialised postgraduate taught programmes, particularly in business, management, and engineering, international students dominate, reflecting a heavy reliance on their participation to sustain these courses.
This indicates that international students are key to maintaining the strength and diversity of the UK’s postgraduate education system, especially in technical and business-related fields at the post-graduate level. Conversely, undergraduate education remains largely a domestic domain.
Drop in the numbers of international students coming to the UK
Universities in the United Kingdom have lost over £1.2bn in tuition fee income over the past year due to a decrease in international student numbers, according to the Centre for Economics and Business Research.
This financial shortfall is linked to changes in UK immigration policies introduced by Rishi Sunak’s government. These reforms, which tightened travel and stay rules, particularly affected international students.
In May 2023, the UK government announced that international students would no longer be able to bring dependants, such as family members unless they are enrolled in postgraduate research programmes like PhDs or research-led masters.
The policy was implemented in January 2024, and led to a 15 per cent drop in international student visa applications by July 2023, with Nigeria—a major source of international students—showing a sharp decline. Nigerian students were previously the third-largest group after India and China, with over 44,000 students receiving study visas in 2021/22.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman acknowledged that “The UK is a top destination for the brightest students to learn at some of the world’s best universities” while also explaining that “the immigration statistics …. highlighted an unexpected rise in the number of dependants coming to the UK alongside international students. About 136,000 visas were granted to dependants of sponsored students in the year ending December 2022, a more than eightfold increase from 16,000 in 2019.”
