International students in the UK

Campaigners call for institutions to commit to giving new dads six weeks off as audit reveals stark differences in entitlements across sector

Range of current providers and questions around which assessment is best requires greater clarity from universities, UKCISA warns

Post-Brexit programme established by Boris Johnson’s government shuttered after supporting 200,000 participants

One-year degrees may be cost-effective, but pre-existing doubts about their quality are now becoming a barrier to employment, says Grace Chau 

Private provider temporarily blocked from international recruitment amid UKVI probe as seven universities face visa action plans

Nearly 100,000 tests incorrectly marked due to issues with automated system

Sector’s absence from Starmer’s trip to Beijing and Shanghai ‘wasn’t for lack of trying’, says Birmingham vice-chancellor

Select group of elite universities increase share of fee money as others lose out, leading experts to fear ‘two-tier’ sector is developing

UK universities urged to diversify recruitment methods after steep drops in master’s enrolments

Nursing professor who led overhaul of Research Excellence Framework will leave funding body in spring 2027

Enrolments from Nigeria, Pakistan and Sri Lanka hit hardest as Home Office gets strict ahead of new compliance rules

Education should be used to create more peaceful future at time of global upheaval, minister tells global gathering

Rapid uptake of tests must be accompanied by stronger safeguards given risks of impersonation and unauthorised assistance, says report

Nearly 40 doctoral students enrolled in UK institutions left in lurch by funder, with many facing being unable to complete their studies

New rules to make it easier to identify recruiters who push ‘fake’ students, but compliance experts fear government will not disclose who can and can’t be trusted

Home Office clampdown already causing steep drop in UK recruitment numbers, survey of institutions finds

Foreign students no longer a magic bullet for cash-strapped universities as visa changes and pricing wars force leaders to reconsider growth strategies

New Home Office data shows a continued slide in demand for UK study visas, adding to universities’ financial worries

Increase in visa refusals expected to be used as primary method for addressing asylum concerns for politically important nations

Union boss says British institutions should not be opening sites in Africa while UK continues to reject study visa applications at home

Shadow home secretary accosts students at university outposts in the capital, asking if some ‘just want to get the visa to come in’

Campaigners call for ‘more structured’ approach to helping students in crisis zones after shock visa block leaves applicants in limbo

UK universities tell students flying home for Easter to be aware of risk of breaching restrictions if they get stranded

Ministers increasingly saw education as an ‘export’ after exiting the EU, prioritising economic gain over other benefits, argue authors of new book

Majority of institutions in Australia, Canada and the Netherlands fall in ranking of the world’s most international universities

American universities expected to experience steeper declines in enrolments during second year of Trump presidency

Reduction in work rights may be contributing to reduced international demand for UK study, as ongoing visa issues exacerbate uncertainty

Calls to loosen restrictions on international students in wake of shock defeat to left-wing party in by-election may go unheard without leadership change, say experts

Home Office puts ‘emergency brake’ on some applications after surge in asylum claims, affecting thousands of potential students

Reintroduction of graduate visa has had dramatic impact on behaviour of international students, according to long-running ONS data

Early figures for this academic year show ‘volatile’ recruitment continuing, with several Russell Group universities seeing steep drops

Tighter rules around enrolments and completions could include recent January intake, increasing risk universities will be deemed non-compliant after tumultuous period

UK’s incoming tax on international student fees could have unintended consequences for country’s health system and research capabilities, universities warn as consultation comes to an end

We discuss what lies behind sharp rises in the number of international students enrolled on research master’s courses and what it could mean for the future regulation of the sector

Universities expanding abroad may be being over-optimistic, debate hears, as government pushes higher education exports

Further proof of rapid growth in research master’s courses emerges, with programmes with ‘low academic requirements’ and ‘no English tests’ advertised online

Taith being wound down as UK prepares to rejoin Erasmus but academics say nation has benefitted hugely from having own programme

More credibility checks and visa refusals creating problems for UK universities and students as tighter compliance regulations about to come in to force

January visa application numbers hit lowest level in four years, prompting further concern about university finances

Modest ‘Trump surge’ will not last, says leader, with regulation, demographics and parental preferences all posing issues for institutions hoping to recruit

‘Frustrating’ changes to immigration rules affecting Scotland’s ability to be internationally competitive, says higher education minister

The downturn in overseas student numbers shows the folly of relying on a small number of volatile markets, say George Pavlakos and Estelle Zinsstag

UK universities’ recruitment from India, China and Nigeria falls after policy changes, with student numbers now well below peak of a few years ago

Home Office won’t commit to continuing support as fresh tranche of applicants gain offers at top universities

Some institutions respond to ‘explosive’ demand for MRes courses by expanding programmes, exacerbating concerns about potential government crackdown

Institutions reliant on cross-subsidy model need to learn how to adapt to policy changes more quickly, says Universities UK chief

Half of Russell Group universities accept record number of undergraduates, according to end-of-cycle admissions figures

UK international education champion Steve Smith defends new strategy from criticism that it ‘lacks substance’

Labour prioritises growth abroad over increasing international student numbers on home soil amid immigration concerns

Leaders face grilling from free speech director amid concerns about Chinese government-backed scholarships

Students encouraged to study elsewhere owing to concerns about the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood on UK campuses

Some institutions have lost money after the government failed to cover scholarship costs, forcing them to decide whether to waive fees or lock students out

Short-term placements a chance to rebuild EU links and campus diversity but could also ‘reshape demand in ways that challenge current financial models’

More than 9,000 results revoked after Pearson found students had been getting others to pass tests for them

Providers generally unaware that they may face penalties unless they are more proactive in safeguarding recruitment work

Proportion of study visas for Chinese and Indian students has also fallen to the lowest level of the decade, according to latest Home Office data

Flat £925 charge seen as better outcome for sector overall, but institutions least able to absorb the cost expected to be hit the hardest

Skills minister also promises to work with sector to help improve international student compliance ahead of levy introduction

University of Hertfordshire becomes eighth institution identified by Home Office as at risk of breaching sponsorship duties in past 12 months

US giant’s capital city campus expected to attract American students to the UK, with graduates offered automatic master’s places in the US