UK pupils not shedding out to worldwide college students – A-level outcomes 2023

It follows considerations that home college students may very well be neglected by universities, particularly Russell Group establishments, in favour of worldwide candidates who pay greater tuition charges.

“We simply don’t see that,” mentioned UCAS chief govt Clare Marchant, talking on BBC Radio 4’s In the present day program.

“In actual fact, worldwide positioned candidates at this level look a few proportion factors down on final yr.

“Clearly that image will change as we undergo the remainder of clearing, which runs all through to mid-October, however we’re simply not seeing a few of that story play out.”

In whole, 51,210 worldwide college students have been accepted by way of UCAS, which handles undergraduate admission for UK universities, in comparison with 52,440 final yr (-2.3%).

The highest three nations with positioned candidates are China (11,630 acceptances in 2023 vs 13,180 in 2022), India (4,780 vs 4,050) and Hong Kong (3,050 vs 3,420).

Viviene Stern, CEO of Universities UK, mentioned it was notable that worldwide college students numbers have been much like final yr and down from 2019 “flattening the narrative that home college students are in a roundabout way shedding out”.

UK training secretary Gillian Keegan additionally rejected these claims, declaring that almost all worldwide college students are making use of at postgraduate stage and that undergraduate proportions have remained “fairly regular”.

Marchant had beforehand urged that the 13% of positioned college students being worldwide was unlikely to “change massively” in 2023.

“Worldwide training is one thing we’re actually good at”

Keegan added that the nation welcomes worldwide college students who “provide an amazing deal” to dwelling college students.

“Worldwide training is one thing we’re actually good at on this nation, it’s one in all our largest exports.

“I feel it’s shut to creating about £30 billion for our financial system and it’s additionally an actual a part of our world affect and mushy energy.

“However it’s largely happening at postgraduate stage by way of the numbers of scholars.”

The 79% home acceptance price is down on 2022 figures, when 81% of UK college students earned locations at their first alternative establishments, however up on 2019 information, when 74% did so.

That is the primary yr since 2019 that college students in England haven’t benefitted from grade-inflation as a response to the pandemic.