It's no secret that the UK are losing huge numbers of international students in recent years. In 2014, some 437,000 students came from overseas to study in the UK. This number though has drastically shrunk in recent years. What is it that's putting students off coming to the UK to study?
What used to be on offer
In the recent past, studying in the UK was seen as a very lucrative and smart move. Our universities are seen as some of the most impressive in the world, giving students degrees that will hold a lot of weight wherever they go next.
As well as this, students could get a visa that could be transferred to a two year working visa, once they graduated. This meant they could stay on in the country, and get a head start in their chosen career.
Having multicultural students on campus was a boon for everyone attending a UK university, too. Students from all over the world could interact with each other, and learn a lot more about other cultures just by studying with others and writing essays.
Fear of Brexit
One of the biggest issues that is turning students away is the fear of Brexit. As the UK currently stands, there's no hard and fast rules on how the UK will treat EU students until after the general election on the 8th June. It's clear that many students are avoiding the UK, as they don't know if their rights would change after the UK completes leaving the EU.
It does appear that when the UK does complete Brexit that EU students can expect to pay the same as domestic students for their university fees. Whether that's enough to encourage them back, though, remains to be seen.
Tightening visa rules
Visa rules have been tightened since 2012, which as seen a drop in students staying and working in the UK once they finish studying. Before 2012, the dependents of those on student visas could come and work, if they could be sponsored. Now though, it's often not possible. If a family can't stay together, they'll more than likely avoid the UK for studying. This does mean that the UK is losing an untold number of potential workers as they leave right after graduation.
International students feel less welcome
It's no secret that non UK citizens living in the UK, either to study or to work, are feeling much less welcome as of late. The Brexit vote has had a lot to do with this, as anti-immigration feeling has risen and hostility has been felt by non UK citizens.
Recent political upheaval means that many students don't know if they're going to be welcome in the UK. With other countries, such as Australia, offering more welcoming places, it's understandable they'll be avoiding the UK for now.
There's a few reasons why students are avoiding the UK. Until the general election and Brexit are managed fully, the UK won't be able to make themselves attractive to international students again.
For decades now, the UK has been an extremely popular destination for students across the world. Every year, students flock to cities across the biggest channel island in search of a higher education that will help them to land the job of their dreams. But why do so many individuals make the journey to the UK and its education system?
The United Kingdom is an extremely diverse place. Despite London being one of the central hubs of Europe, it is far different from similar cities such as Berlin, Paris or Madrid, as is the rest of the country. There’s simply nowhere else like it. Culturally, there is a tonne of differences, traditions and just the way things work can vary from town to town, city to city.