UK top choice for foreign students

The UK has the highest proportion of foreign students in its student population of all the G8 countries, a study by the US Government has found.

The National Center for Education Statistics said 16 per cent of students in UK universities were from overseas, compared with 11 per cent of students in Germany, France and Canada in 2004. Japan, Italy and Russia had the lowest proportions of foreign students with 3 per cent, 2 per cent and 1 per cent respectively.

The US had the highest absolute number of foreign students, but they formed only 3.4 per cent of the student body. The G8 countries took two thirds of all foreign students in higher education, with the majority enrolled in the US (22 per cent), the UK (11 per cent), Germany (10 per cent) and France (9 per cent).

The study found that Russia had the largest percentage of adults aged 24 to 64 who had completed higher education. Canada had the second highest percentage.