The United Kingdom has always been one of the most coveted destinations for international students. Over the past two years, however, the UK has seen a significantly higher influx of students from India in particular. According to a report by India Today, about 165,000 Indians have acquired student visas for the UK over the past three years alone, and as many as 107,978 Indian students were issued study visas to the UK in the year ending March 2022. This marks a 93% increase from the previous period.
Why the UK?
Among the most critical factors that make the UK attractive to Indian students is the opportunity that UK graduates have to launch a global career. Besides earning a degree from highly regarded international institutions, UK graduates also gain a powerful network of friends and mentors — a key tool for growing a resourceful and successful career. Moreover, the UK also has a rich heritage and position in the global socioeconomic landscape; both India and the UK have been hard at work in their mission to internationalise higher education, closely collaborating to create plans for more cooperation in transnational education and implement more policies that support student mobility and bilateral opportunities for students.
Overall, here are five of the biggest factors that make the UK one of the most popular choices for Indians looking to pursue higher education abroad, according to India Today:
- Credibility – The UK is home to some of the best universities in the world, with four out of 10 of the top 10 universities globally coming from the UK according to the QS Global Rankings 2023. The UUKi’s International Graduate Outcomes report also found that 83% of international graduates from the UK feel that their degree enabled them to secure a job.
- Employability – QS Graduate Employability Rankings consider UK graduates among the most employable in the world. With various internship and placement opportunities, alongside their new Graduate Route policy (allowing international students to stay for two to three years in the UK post-graduation to work), the UK offers international students plenty of support to kickstart their careers.
- Eligibility and Policy – India and the UK have a signed agreement on mutual recognition of academic qualifications, which supports more seamless acceptance of UK qualifications and allows all Indian graduates from the UK to pursue further studies, research, or employment when they return to India.
- Affordability – Universities in the UK and the British government offer a host of scholarships for Indian students. On average, education in the UK costs also less in comparison to other popular foreign education destinations.
- Liveability – The UK’s large Indian population creates a cultural bridge between the two countries. The UK is a melting pot of different cultures, making it a great environment for international students to gain new cultural experiences. In support of this, UK universities network international students to faculty, mentors, and fellow students with similar backgrounds, allowing access to emotional and academic support.
Where are most international students in the UK coming from?
Indians are now the second-largest group of international students in the UK, but the UK has always been one of the top choices for international students across the world for several years running. Arranged in descending order, here are the top ten countries of origin of international students in the UK as of 2022:
- China (143,820 students)
- India (84,555 students)
- Nigeria (21,305 students)
- USA (19,220 students)
- Hong Kong (16,655 students)
- Italy (14,605 students)
- France (14,090 students)
- Pakistan (12,975 students)
- Romania (12,860 students)
- Spain (12,290 students)
GSP’s footprint in the UK
GSP is growing its network all across the world in order to carry out its purpose of transforming lives through education by linking international students with education providers. As of today, we have over 80 institution partners in the UK. The following are our five most popular UK universities for application in 2022:
- Buckinghamshire New University
- London Metropolitan University (LMU)
- University of The West of Scotland (UWS)
- University of Chester
- University of Brighton
By partnering with GSP, all of these institutions can leverage on our knowledge and experience in pre-screening applications, conversion capabilities and local recruitment expertise. With our unique, cloud-based technology platform, GSP manages the tedious yet crucial paperwork so you can focus on what matters most: your students.
With its stellar track record and continuously improving learning environment, there are no signs of the UK’s popularity among international students slowing down any time soon. That being said, it’s time to plan for September 2023 applications. Speak to us about your needs and how we can work together.
Global Study Partners’ online platform
Our cloud-based platform serves recruiters, institutions and students alike to achieve our main goal: to provide international students with education choices that will change their lives and impact the world around them.
- Recruiters: We take the load off your shoulders by handling the most crucial part of the paperwork and verification process so that you have more time to focus on counselling your students.
- Institutions: We showcase your courses and brand to over 3,000 recruitment partners worldwide, and we facilitate in-person and online engagement opportunities to allow our recruitment partners to get to know you more and encourage collaboration which generally contributes to better conversion.
There are many features for you to explore within the GSP platform to help your international recruitment efforts – enabling you to provide your students with a simpler and more enjoyable application process. To learn more about US recruitment and study applications, contact our recruitment and business development experts.
