Research and reports on international students

Last modified: 19 January 2022

We have collated recent external research and reports on international students in this section.

If you're looking for UKCISA research, you can view our resource bank (including 'Broadening Our Horizons' and previous benchmarking surveys).

You can also find reports on research and projects carried out with funding from UKCISA.

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Economic Impact

The following reports explore the economic impact of international higher education students.

HEPI (2021) The costs and benfits of international students to the UK economy. This report shows the economic impact of international students across the UK (net of 25.9 billion).
HEPI (2019) The UK’s tax revenues from international students post-graduation. This report shows the tax and National Insurance payments of just one cohort of international students who stay in the UK to work after their studies amounts to £3.2 billion.

Universities Wales (November 2017) The Economic Impact of international students in Wales. The report shows export earnings of £487m, supporting over 56,000 visits to Wales by family and friends of international students and over 6,850 full time jobs supported – all from some 22,000 international students (in HE alone).

Dept of Education Research Report (July 2017) UK revenue from education related exports and transnational education activity 2010-2014 The research shows in 2014, the total value of UK education-related exports and TNE activity was estimated to be £18.76 billion

Universities UK, March 2017 The economic impact of international students on the English regions. The report shows that international students generated £25 billion to the UK economy in 2014-15

London. London and Partners published a report in October 2015 on the Economic impact of international students on London estimating that international students contribute £3 billion to the UK economy and 37,000 jobs. This is reported on the London and Partners website and statistics are summarised in Capital attractions at Universities in London the THES in November 2015. Price Waterhouse Cooper and London First also published research in May 2015 on the economic benefit of students to London. It concludes that international students have a net worth of £2.3 billion to the UK economy and calls on the government to improve data, remove students from the net migration target and create an environment in the UK where students are far better valued.

BIS commissioned report on The Wider Benefits of International Higher Education in the UK. Sept 2013. The report examines the social, economic and political benefits to the UK including 'soft power' through study of international alumni who graduated from UK HE institutions in 2007-8. The report, overall, is extremely positive.

University of Sheffield and Oxford Economics researched the wider economic benefit of international students: The Economic Costs and Benefits of International Students (January 2013). The report quantifies the costs and benefits of international students to the local and regional economy.

Student Life

The following research covers international student transition, the value of international students and how students perceive the UK:

Bright Futures' report 'In Search of Excellence: Chinese Students on the Move' explores migration of Chinese students for higher education.
NUS April 2017 report Student perspectives on international students reports on a survey of 4,600 UK offers the student voice on the debate on international students and shows significant support from UK students towards international students in the UK.

QAA HE Scotland International Students - Transitions into Scottish Higher Education. The report from October 2016 outlines the key challenges for international students' transitions into Scottish HE.
AMOSSHE Impact Report 2015-16 included research into international approaches to disabled student support from the University of Worcester. This examines 39 Higher Education institutions outside the UK to compare with practice in the UK.

Universities UK published International Undergraduate Students: the UK's competitive advantage in December 2015. This brings together data from the International Student Barometer for the UK, the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. It shows the UK have the highest satisfaction ratings on all dimensions of the international student experience. The summary report, The UK's competitive advantage was produced in March 2016.
Hobsons report in September 2015 'Value and the International Student' surveys 45,000 students to examine students' perception of value in education.

The Higher Education Policy Institute published research together with Kaplan in March 2015 on the perspectives of applicants to UK universities on studying with international students. This was followed by research with the Higher Education Academy in June 2015 on the perspectives of undergraduate students studying alongside international students.

The Student Academic Experience Survey 2014: Summary and recommendations. This report summarises the results of the 2014 HEPI-HEA Student Academic Experience Survey and makes some policy recommendations arising from the data.
The AMOSSHE Impact Report 2013-14 included research by the University of Kent into Supporting International Students with a Disability.

Immigration

These reports give an overview of UK immigration policy and the impact it has on international students:

House of Commons Home Affairs Committee. Immigration policy: basis for building consensus. The report calls for the Government to remove student migration from the net migration target as a minimum.
“International statistical rules require students to be included in the way migration is calculated but we do not believe that it is logical or in the best interests of the UK to include international students in a target based on restricting migration flow, given that they represent a large group of migrants who are in most part temporary and whom the Government is keen to encourage to come to the UK.

There should be no national target to restrict the numbers of students coming to the UK. As a minimum, the Government should remove immediately student migration from the net migration target.”

The Home Affairs Committee adds that the arrival of international students can place a strain on local resources. It calls for universities to be mindful of the impact of large numbers and to work with local authorities to manage pressures on housing and public services.
The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) published a report in September 2016 Destination education: Reforming migration policy on international students to grow the UK's vital education exports. The report examines current UK immigration policy and how this should change in order to encourage more students to study in the UK.

ExEdUK report in June 2016 Supporting International Education in the UK assesses the impact of the UK's student visa policies on the UK education sector. (This report is also useful as it references many earlier reports on the topic)

Universities UK report International Students in Higher Education: the UK and its competition (September 2014) looks at international student enrolments in the UK, compares them with other countries and assesses the impact of course provision, funding and immigration reforms.

Resources on student experience

About UKCISA

The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) is the UK's national advisory body serving the interests of international students and those who work with them.

Useful links

UKCISA is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (Company Number 4507287) and a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (Charity Number 1095294). Its registered office is at Woburn House, 20-24 Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9HQ