The Times: Chinese drive record in international students

More than 12,000 students from China are due to arrive this autumn — a 23 per cent increase from 9,860 last year.

Surging applications from China are driving a record number of international students heading for UK universities this autumn.

Ucas figures show that the growth in overseas student numbers has more than compensated for a drop in EU students. However, experts warned that, amid coronavirus-related uncertainty, some students might not take up their places and the next few weeks would be crucial in determining how many enrol.

Overall, a record 71,370 overseas students secured places at UK universities — 1,200 more than last year. Their tuition fees will contribute millions of pounds to the UK economy.

Most students will have had to pay at least a deposit to secure their place while others will have paid fees up front. Some Chinese students will have their fees paid by Beijing.

More than 12,000 students from China are due to arrive this autumn — a 23 per cent increase from 9,860 last year and almost as many as from Northern Ireland (14,810). Over the past decade, numbers of students from China have trebled.

India is up 22 per cent at 3,110 this year. Poland and Romania are also both sending more than 2,000 students each. The US and Canada are sending similar numbers to 2019, with 1,800 and 1,190 respectively this year.

While the number of EU students has fallen from 30,050 last year to 28,440 this year, overseas numbers have increased from 40,120 to 42,930.

Mark Corver, founder of DataHe, which helps universities use data, said: “Around one in seven of students with a place are from outside the UK. Unresolved ‘pending’ offers for EU and international students are around 8,000 higher than normal so the placed number might grow further.

However, he added: “The increase in these numbers has not been without difficulty. The proportion of applicants who have taken up a place is down for both international and EU. This contrasts with the sharp increase in placed rates for UK students. The difference may reflect travel concerns.

There is also concern about the impact on virus outbreak rates of thousands of students arriving on campus.

Yesterday Emma Hardy, the shadow universities minister, criticised the government for not having a “credible plan” to tackle outbreaks.

She has called on the Department for Education to introduce a blueprint for universities to reopen safely, including action on testing, digital access and public health measures on campus, to ensure that the reopening of universities does not lead to a significant spike in coronavirus cases.

A spokesman for Universities UK, which represents vice-chancellors, said: “It is still not clear how many international students will take up their places this autumn, and we have a short window to convince undecided applicants that they can plan with confidence to study in the UK.

“We have been working to make sure concerns about safety, the quality of the educational experience, and the mechanics of getting here are addressed.”

The full article can be found here: Chinese drive record in international students