UK Universities Face Continued Decline in International Postgraduate Enrolments
BUILA Survey Findings on International Enrolments
Fresh enrolment data from the British Universities International Liaison Association (BUILA) highlights a continued decrease in overseas students starting postgraduate courses for the 2025-26 academic year. Of the 69 universities that responded to the November 2025 survey, 61% reported a drop in international postgraduate enrolments compared to the previous year. Across all study levels, overall enrolments from overseas students are down by 6%.
Andrew Bird, chair of BUILA, pointed to heightened international competition and shifting domestic policies as key factors. Despite the broader downturn, institutions are seeing notable growth from specific regions, with postgraduate enrolments from the EU and the US rising by an average of 13% and 19% respectively.
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Impact of Immigration Policies and New Levies
The downward trend in study visas reflects broader policy shifts and global market pressures. According to data from the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, the total number of study visas issued to international students fell by 19% between 2022 and 2024.
At the same time, institutions are preparing for the implementation of the international student levy. Under this upcoming policy, English universities will face a flat fee of £925 per international student per year starting in August 2028.
Country-Specific Shifts and Historical Context
The decline has hit certain traditional student source countries harder than others. Among responding universities, 80% reported average declines of 17% for students arriving from China, while 63% noted average drops of 9% for Indian enrolments. Nigerian student numbers at British universities more than halved between 2022 and 2024. Conversely, some regions have bucked the trend entirely; the number of students from Nepal enrolled at British institutions was 15 times higher in 2024 than it was four years prior.
International students remain vital to the higher education sector. In the 2023-24 academic year, they accounted for 71% of full-time postgraduate enrolments, supplying essential contributions to teaching and research capacity across UK campuses.
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