Impact of international students

How much do international students pay in fees?

'Overseas' fees can range from £3,500 to about £18,000 per year depending on the institution, the level of the course, and the type of course. The fee will probably increase each year by the level of inflation. Read The Complete University Guide's information on University Tuition Fees.

What other income do they bring to the UK?

The same BIS research paper estimates the total value of UK education and training exports to the UK economy at £14 billion, with a projection that this could rise as high as £26 billion by 2025.

What other positive or negative impacts do they have on the UK?

• International fee income enables colleges and universities to invest in additional, enhanced or expanded facilities, and to offer specialist courses which would not be viable for the UK student market alone.
• International students help sustain the UK's research base especially in science, technology, engineering and mathematics: they account for over 40% of UK postgraduate students, 50% of those doing full-time research degrees.
• They money they spend also sustains thousands of jobs across the UK economy, both in colleges and universities, and in local economies.
• There is no element of subsidy for non-EU students and no direct link between the numbers of places available for 'home' (UK and EU) students and 'overseas' students.  There is no cap on the number of international students who can be accepted, as they are paying (at a minimum) full cost fees and facilities can therefore be expanded as numbers increase.
• the UK benefits from the global connections which international students generate. Many of the main source countries are also key export markets (and foreign policy priorities) including China, India, the USA.