Recent data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) indicates a moderate decline in international student enrolment across UK universities during the 2024/25 academic year. The figures highlight shifting patterns in global student mobility and potential financial implications for higher education institutions.

Key Enrolment Figures

According to HESA, 685,565 international students were enrolled in UK higher education institutions in 2024/25. This represents a 6% decrease compared with the previous academic year, marking the first notable drop after several years of sustained growth.

Despite this decline in enrolments, visa data from the UK Home Office shows a more stable trend in study visa issuance.

For the year ending September 2025, the UK Home Office reported 439,924 sponsored study visas granted to international students.

Key changes include:

  • Main applicants: 419,558 visas granted, representing a 7% increase from the previous year.

  • Dependants: 20,366 visas issued, reflecting a 57% decline compared with the prior year.

Overall, the total number of study visas remained stable relative to the previous year, though it is 31% lower than the peak recorded in 2023.

While on-campus international enrolment has declined, UK higher education programmes delivered overseas have expanded significantly. This trend suggests universities are increasingly reaching international students through transnational education partnerships, branch campuses, and online programmes, reducing the need for physical relocation to the UK.

Policy Development: International Student Levy

English universities are also preparing for the introduction of a new international student levy, requiring institutions to pay £925 annually for each international student enrolled.

The policy may affect university recruitment strategies and cost structures, particularly for institutions with a high proportion of overseas students.

For university leaders and policymakers, the data suggests several emerging trends:

  • Stabilisation in student visa issuance after recent peaks

  • Sharp reductions in dependent visas following immigration policy changes

  • Growing importance of offshore and transnational education models

  • Potential financial pressure from the upcoming international student levy

Together, these developments indicate that UK higher education institutions may need to diversify international recruitment strategies and expand global delivery models to sustain growth in international education.

Source: Immigration Gpt