List of tables
- International student totals and percentages
- International students by domicile, level and
mode, EU and non-EU
- International student numbers
by UK nation and English region
- Top non-EU sending countries
- Top EU sending countries
- International student numbers by subject area
- Top 20 largest recruiters of international students
- Students studying outside the UK for a UK degree
The tables below are derived from data from the Higher Education
Statistics Agency (see statistical sources).
Note: totals differ due to rounding within the HESA data.
1. International student totals and percentages
International (non-UK) students in UK HE in 2011-12 :
- totalled 435,230 compared with 428,225 in 2010-11 (an increase of 2%
), with full-time undergraduate
study up 8%, full-time research postgraduates up 5% and full-time 'other' postgraduates up 2%. However, full-time taught postgraduate courses, the second largest category of non-UK students, were down 2% and all other categories were static or fell.
- made up 14% of full-time first degree students and 13% of all first degree students
- made up 69% of full-time taught postgraduates and 46% of all taught postgraduates
- made up 48% of full-time research degree students and 41% of all research postgraduates
2. International students in UK HE by
domicile, level and mode,
European Union (EU) (excluding UK) and non-EU, 2011-12
| Level of Study/Domicile |
Full-time |
Part-time |
Total |
| EU students (non-UK domicile) in HE |
|
|
| Postgraduate research |
10,770 |
3,105 |
13,875 |
| Postgraduate taught |
24,475 |
6,870 |
31,345 |
| Postgraduate other |
1,840 |
2,400 |
4,240 |
| First degree |
70,825 |
3,145 |
73,970 |
| Other undergraduate |
2835 |
6285 |
9,120 |
| Total non-UK EU |
110,745 |
21,805 |
132,550 |
| Non-EU students in HE |
|
|
| Postgraduate research |
26,900 |
3,375 |
30,275 |
| Postgraduate taught |
110,155 |
13,365 |
123,520 |
| Postgraduate other |
2,495 |
3,955 |
6,450 |
| First degree |
118,680 |
6,025 |
124,705 |
| Other undergraduate |
7,610 |
10,120 |
17,730 |
| Total non-EU |
265,840 |
36,840 |
302,680 |
| All non-UK domicile in HE |
|
|
| Postgraduate research |
37,670 |
6,480 |
44,150 |
| Postgraduate taught |
134,630 |
20,235 |
154,865 |
| Postgraduate other |
4,335 |
6,355 |
10,690 |
| First degree |
189,505 |
9,170 |
198,675 |
| Other undergraduate |
10,445 |
16,405 |
26,850 |
| Total non-UK |
376,585 |
58,645 |
435,230 |
↑ Back to top
3. International
students numbers by UK nation and English regions 2011-12
| Country |
Total international students |
% of student population who are international |
| England |
357,165 |
17% |
| Scotland |
45,980 |
21% |
| Wales |
25,270 |
19% |
| Northern Ireland |
6,820 |
13% |
| UK |
435,240 |
17% |
Breakdown of international students by English region:
| English region |
Total international students |
% of student population who are international |
| London |
102,965 |
26% |
| South East England |
48,670 |
11% |
| West Midlands |
36,135 |
18% |
| North West England |
34,250 |
13% |
| Yorkshire & Humberside |
33,635 |
16% |
| East of England |
32,720 |
24% |
| East Midlands |
25,940 |
16% |
| South West England |
23,910 |
15% |
| North East England |
18,855 |
17% |
↑ Back to top
4. Top non-EU sending countries
| Top 10 non-EU senders |
2011-12 |
2010-11 |
| China (PRC) |
78,715 |
67,325 |
| India |
29,900 |
39,090 |
| Nigeria |
17,620 |
17,585 |
| United States of America |
16,335 |
15,555 |
| Malaysia |
14,545 |
13,900 |
| Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region) |
11,335 |
10,440 |
| Saudi Arabia |
9,860 |
10,270 |
| Pakistan |
8,820 |
10,185 |
| Thailand |
6,235 |
5,945 |
| Canada |
6,115 |
5,905 |
↑ Back to top
5. Top EU sending countries
| Top 10 EU senders |
2011-12 |
2010-11 |
| Germany |
15,985 |
16,265 |
| Republic of Ireland |
15,075 |
16,855 |
| France |
12,835 |
13,325 |
| Greece |
11,790 |
11,630 |
| Cyprus |
11,620 |
11,320 |
| Poland |
6,295 |
7,330 |
| Italy |
8,010 |
7,100 |
| Spain |
5,935 |
5,795 |
| Romania |
5,915 |
4,625 |
| Bulgaria |
5,705 |
4,615 |
↑ Back to top
6. International student numbers by subject area 2011-12
| Ssubject of study |
No of
international students |
% in subject who are
international |
| Business & administrative studies |
130,505 |
36% |
| Engineering & technology |
51,775 |
32% |
| Social studies |
38,790 |
17% |
| Creative arts & design |
25,250 |
14% |
| Languages |
23,270 |
17% |
| Subjects allied to medicine |
23,035 |
8% |
| Computer science |
21,300 |
22% |
| Law |
20,810 |
22% |
| Biological sciences |
19,570 |
10% |
| Physical sciences |
13,025 |
14% |
| Education |
11,725 |
6% |
| Architecture, building & planning |
11,415 |
20% |
| Medicine & dentistry |
10,605 |
16% |
| Mass communications & documentation |
10,400 |
19% |
| Historical & philosophical studies |
9,250 |
9% |
| Mathematical sciences |
8,160 |
19% |
| Combined |
2,890 |
3% |
| Agriculture & related subjects |
2,415 |
11% |
| Veterinary sciences |
1,025 |
18% |
| Total |
435,235 |
17% |
↑ Back to top
7. Top 20 largest recruiters of international
students 2011-12
| Institution |
Non-UK student nos |
% students at institution
who are international |
| The University of Manchester |
11,235 |
28% |
| University College London |
10,075 |
39% |
| The University of Nottingham |
8,985 |
25% |
| The University of Edinburgh |
8,785 |
32% |
| The University of Warwick |
8,785 |
32% |
| The City University |
7,510 |
39% |
| University of the Arts, London |
7,105 |
41% |
| The University of Oxford |
7,055 |
28% |
| King's College London |
6,655 |
25% |
| Imperial College of Science, Technology &
Medicine |
6,630 |
41% |
| The University of Birmingham |
6,625 |
41% |
| University of Bedfordshire |
6,555 |
29% |
| London School of Economics and Political Science |
6,545 |
67% |
| The University of Sheffield |
6,525 |
25% |
| The University of Coventry |
6,420 |
21% |
| The University of Cambridge |
6,100 |
31% |
| The University of Southampton |
5,955 |
25% |
| The University of Leeds |
5,795 |
18% |
| Middlesex University |
5,780 |
25% |
| The University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne |
5,500 |
26% |
↑ Back to top
8. Students studying wholly overseas
for a UK qualification
| Type of
provision |
Total number of students 2011-12 |
Total
number of students 2010-11 |
| Overseas campus of reporting HEI |
14,870 |
12,315 |
| Distance, flexible or distributed learning |
116,535 |
113,060 |
| Other arrangement including collaborative provision |
96,075 |
86,670 |
| Subtotal - students registered at a
UK HEI |
227,480 |
212,045 |
| Overseas partner organisation |
342,845 |
291,595 |
| Other arrangement |
340 |
155 |
| Subtotal - students studying for an
award of a UK HEI |
343,190 |
291,745 |
| Total |
570,665 |
503,795 |
| Level and location
of study of students studying wholly overseas 2011-12 |
EU |
Non-EU |
| Postgraduate research |
1,170 |
2,665 |
| Postgraduate taught |
21,810 |
70,410 |
| First degree |
49,040 |
410,615 |
| Other undergraduate |
4,340 |
10,615 |
| Total |
76,360 |
494,650 |
↑ Back to top
