Stay in the loop! Subscribe to our mailing list
The UK will return to the pre-2012 automatic two-year visa extension policy for international graduates from UK universities as of 2020. In 2012, Theresa May, in her capacity as home secretary said the two-year post-study work visa was “too generous” and reduced the limit to four months. The move to return to the previous policy was welcomed by international students and the research community in UK. Disappointment, however, has been expressed by current students in the UK who say it is unfair that they should have to miss out because the new policy won’t become effective until next year. There are now calls for it to apply to all of them as well.
On a different note, recent figures released by Studying in UK continue to show that the UK is the second most popular study destination worldwide. As of 2017/18, according to official international enrolment statistics, 458 520 international students were attending university in the UK. As of 2017/18, international enrolment at UK universities increased by 3.6% compared to the previous year. New entrants’ share was 54% (247 685) of the total international students in UK. China (106 530 students), India (19 750 students), US (18 885 students), are the top three most popular countries of origin of international students in the UK. EU students represent 30% of all foreign students at UK universities. As of 2017/18, 139 150 EU students were enrolled at UK universities. Italy (13 985 students), France (13 660 students) and Germany (13 545 students) are the top three countries of origin of EU students enrolled at UK universities.
The top three favourite degrees for international students in UK are: Business & Administrative studies, Engineering & Technology and Social Studies. International enrolment in Computer Science courses has experienced the largest growth in UK universities. According to statistics, between 2016/17 and 2017/18, the international student population in these degrees increased by 13.8%, from 19 330 to 22 000.