More International Students Apply to UK Universities, Chinese Applicants Lead

Universities and colleges in the United Kingdom have witnessed a 7 percent increase in international student applications for undergraduate programs this year, according to the latest figures from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

UCAS data show the number of international students seeking admission to a UK university totaled 115,730 by the January deadline, Erudera.com reports.

The highest increase was recorded in Chinese students (910 more students), followed by Turkey (37 percent, +710) and Canada (14 percent, +340 students).

Differently, universities have received fewer applications from Nigerian students, down 46 percent to 1,590 students, and Indian students, down 4 percent to 8,770 students, respectively.

Moreover, data reveal a total of 316,850 domestic 18-year-olds have applied to university or college this year. This number if up 0.7 percent from 2023 and the second highest on record.

According to UCAS, the application rate for 18-year-olds is 41.3 percent now, a decline from 41.5 percent in 2023 but an increase from 38.2 percent in 2019.

Across the UK, the number of applicants from England and Wales declined by 1 and 2 percent, respectively. Applications from Northern Ireland decreased by 2 percent, while those from Scotland rose by 2 percent.

This year, a slight increase of 2 percent has also been recorded in the number of 18-year-old students from disadvantaged backgrounds compared to the previous year, and a 30 percent increase over the past decade.

“It’s encouraging to see record high numbers of disadvantaged students applying for university, with more of these students aiming high for the most competitive courses. This reflects the efforts made by schools, universities and colleges to improve access to students from all backgrounds,” Jo Saxton, Chief Executive at UCAS, said.

Students have shown particular interest in STEM courses this year. The number of applications for engineering and technology from all students is up 10 percent, while applications to math, sciences, and computing are up 7 percent.

According to media reports, universities in the UK are prioritizing international students during the admission process as the latter pay more in tuition fees. A recent report by the Sunday Times said international students were securing places at universities despite having lower grades than domestic students.

However, these claims were rejected by 15 Russell Group universities, which said the article failed to discuss the number of domestic students has increased faster than that of international students.

Related:

>> Recruitment Concerns Prompt UK Universities to Review International Student Admissions

Image by Yixin JIANG from Unsplash