The latest ICEF report shows a sharp drop in international applications of about 45,000 compared to the previous academic year, even though 24% of all students in UK universities are foreign-born.
The latest figures come from HESA’s 2024/25 student statistics release, which is now being closely read as a “post-policy-change” snapshot of demand.
A 5% decline in non-EU student enrolments in UK universities for the 2024/25 academic year is the primary factor behind a 6% overall drop in international student enrolments (including both non-EU and EU students). This marks the second consecutive year of declining foreign enrolments in the UK.
In the UK, there were 685,565 international students, predominantly from outside the EU (621,970), while EU students numbered 63,500, reflecting a 15.7% decrease from the previous year.
Why are postgraduate degrees being hit hardest?
The sharpest decline is tied to a slump in new non-EU entrants into postgraduate programmes. A crucial legal factor is the UK’s limitation barring most postgraduate international students from bringing dependants, whereas postgraduate research routes remain treated more favourably on this point. According to HESA, non-EU research enrolments increased (+10.5%) whereas non-EU teaching postgraduate enrolments decreased (-10%), indicating some substitution.
Where is this change coming from?
The entry numbers from India (-12%), China (-5%), and Nigeria (-33%) further declined, while Pakistan (+5%) grew. With 17,385 Nepalese entries in 2024–25, Nepal made it into the top five non-EU suppliers.
What do UK Education experts think?
Because international fees frequently cross-subsidize teaching and research, UK universities are keeping a close eye on the decline. Universities UK’s President warned that a charge on foreign tuition implies providers may face “reducing cross-subsidies that support teaching and research” or hiking international fees further—risking weaker demand.
Since taught postgraduate programs are usually one-year, expensive courses, a prolonged decline in this area may need course consolidation, reduced enrolment, more stringent scholarship funding, and more focused marketing.
Watchlist
Students should expect postgraduate research paths (MPhil/PhD) to become increasingly competitive, particularly for funded positions, as master’s intakes decline and research enrolments increase.
Observe how research admissions timelines frequently open earlier, close earlier, and progress more slowly; how supervisor capacity and funded project availability may limit seats; how shortlisting may become more stringent with a greater emphasis on proposals and writing samples (and prior research output); and how universities reallocate scholarships from taught programs to research routes.