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
In UK HE in 2009-10 international (non-UK) students:
- totalled 405,810 compared with 368,970 in 2008-09 (an increase of 10%), with full-time taught postgraduate
programmes up 15%, full-time undergraduate
study up 11% but only 2% growth in research postgraduate numbers
- made up 13% of full-time first degree students and 12% of all first degree students
- made up 68% of full-time taught postgraduates and 44% of all taught postgraduates
- made up 49% of full-time research degree students and 42% of all research postgraduates
2. International students in UK HE by
domicile, level and mode,
European Union (EU) (excluding UK) and non-EU, 2009-10
| Level of Study/Domicile |
Full-time |
Part-time |
Total |
| EU students (non-UK domicile) in HE |
|
|
| Postgraduate research |
9,760 |
3,060 |
12,820 |
| Postgraduate taught |
22,520 |
7,415 |
29,935 |
| Postgraduate other |
1,915 |
2,910 |
4,825 |
| First degree |
62,840 |
3,100 |
65,940 |
| Other undergraduate |
3.245 |
8,285 |
11,50 |
| Total non-UK EU |
100,280 |
24,770 |
125,050 |
| Non-EU students in HE |
|
|
| Postgraduate research |
24,670 |
3,735 |
28,405 |
| Postgraduate taught |
105,165 |
16,130 |
121,295 |
| Postgraduate other |
2,640 |
4,480 |
7,120 |
| First degree |
97,440 |
6,100 |
103,540 |
| Other undergraduate |
9,510 |
10,890 |
20,400 |
| Total non-EU |
239,425 |
41,335 |
280,760 |
| All non-UK domicile in HE |
|
|
| Postgraduate research |
34,430 |
6,795 |
41,225 |
| Postgraduate taught |
127,685 |
23,545 |
151,230 |
| Postgraduate other |
4,555 |
7,390 |
11,945 |
| First degree |
160,280 |
9,200 |
169,480 |
| Other undergraduate |
12,755 |
19,175 |
31,390 |
| Total non-UK |
339,705 |
66,105 |
405,810 |
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3. International
students numbers by UK nation and English regions 2009-10
| Country |
Total international students |
% of student population who are international |
| England |
334,955 |
16% |
| Scotland |
41,005 |
19% |
| Wales |
24,030 |
19% |
| Northern Ireland |
5,815 |
11% |
| UK |
405,805 |
16% |
Breakdown of international students by English region:
| English region |
Total international students |
% of student population who are international |
| London |
99,360 |
24% |
| East of England |
30,115 |
22% |
| West Midlands |
33,650 |
17% |
| North East England |
19,085 |
17% |
| Yorkshire & Humberside |
30,700 |
15% |
| East Midlands |
24,260 |
15% |
| North West England |
32,420 |
13% |
| South West England |
21,710 |
13% |
| South East England |
43,610 |
10% |
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4. Top non-EU sending countries
| Top 10 non-EU senders |
2009-10 |
2008-09 |
| China (PRC) |
56,990 |
47,035 |
| India |
38,500 |
34,065 |
| Nigeria |
16,680 |
14,380 |
| United States of America |
15,060 |
14,345 |
| Malaysia |
14,060 |
12,695 |
| Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region) |
9,945 |
9,600 |
| Pakistan |
9,815 |
9,610 |
| Saudi Arabia |
8,340 |
5,205 |
| Canada |
5,575 |
5,350 |
| Thailand |
5,505 |
4,675 |
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5. Top EU sending countries
| Top 10 EU senders |
2009-10 |
2008-09 |
| Republic of Ireland |
16,595 |
15,360 |
| Germany |
15,425 |
14,130 |
| France |
13,780 |
13,090 |
| Greece |
11,785 |
12,035 |
| Cyprus |
11,160 |
10,370 |
| Poland |
8,415 |
9,145 |
| Italy |
6,650 |
6,035 |
| Spain |
5,720 |
5,690 |
| Bulgaria |
3,395 |
2,185 |
| Netherlands |
3,270 |
3,200 |
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6. International student numbers by subject area
| International students
in HE 2009-10 by subject of study |
No of
international students |
% in subject who are
international |
| Business & administrative studies |
116,190 |
33% |
| Engineering & technology |
50,880 |
32% |
| Social studies |
33,620 |
16% |
| Computer science |
24,655 |
24% |
| Languages |
24,145 |
17% |
| Subjects allied to medicine |
22,795 |
7% |
| Creative arts & design |
21,410 |
12% |
| Law |
19,045 |
20% |
| Biological sciences |
17,545 |
10% |
| Education |
12,810 |
6% |
| Physical sciences |
11,885 |
13% |
| Architecture, building & planning |
10,435 |
16% |
| Medicine & dentistry |
9,920 |
15% |
| Mass communications & documentation |
8,650 |
16% |
| Historical & philosophical studies |
8,365 |
9% |
| Mathematical sciences |
7,085 |
18% |
| Combined |
3,135 |
3% |
| Agriculture & related subjects |
2,230 |
12% |
| Veterinary sciences |
820 |
15% |
| Total |
405,820 |
16% |
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7. Top 20 largest recruiters of international
students 2009-10
| Institution |
Non-UK student nos |
% students at institution
who are international |
| The University of Manchester |
9,910 |
25% |
| University College London |
8,290 |
36% |
| The University of Nottingham |
8,270 |
24% |
| The University of Warwick |
7,990 |
28% |
| The University of Greenwich |
6,555 |
23% |
| The University of Edinburgh |
6,450 |
25% |
| The University of Leeds |
6,420 |
19% |
| University of the Arts, London |
6,350 |
19% |
| London School of Economics and Political Science |
6,260 |
65% |
| London Metropolitan University |
6,215 |
26% |
| The University of Oxford |
6,215 |
25% |
| Imperial College of Science, Technology &
Medicine |
6,010 |
40% |
| The University of Birmingham |
5,995 |
20% |
| The University of Sheffield |
5,875 |
23% |
| King's College London |
5,805 |
23% |
| The University of Cambridge |
5,800 |
28% |
| University of Bedfordshire |
5,655 |
29% |
| The University of Westminster |
5,640 |
24% |
| Middlesex University |
5,605 |
24% |
| The University of East London |
5,470 |
20% |
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8. Students studying wholly overseas
for a UK qualification
| Type of
provision |
Total number of students 2009-10 |
Total
number of students 2008-09 |
| Overseas campus of reporting HEI |
11,410 |
9,885 |
| Distance, flexible or distributed learning |
115,010 |
112,385 |
| Other arrangement including collaborative provision |
74,380 |
68,595 |
| Subtotal - students registered at a
UK HEI |
200,800 |
190,865 |
| Overseas partner organisation |
207,805 |
197,205 |
| Other arrangement |
80 |
65 |
| Subtotal - students studying for an
award of a UK HEI |
207,885 |
197,275 |
| Total |
408,685 |
388,135 |
| Level and location
of study of students studying wholly overseas 2009-10 |
EU |
Non-EU |
| Postgraduate research |
755 |
1460 |
| Postgraduate taught |
21,710 |
60,850 |
| First degree |
42,340 |
268,185 |
| Other undergraduate |
3,645 |
9,510 |
| FE |
0 |
225 |
| Total |
68,450 |
340,235 |
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