The steady growth in student visas is slowing down
As the world grapples with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Kingdom's education sector has experienced a dynamic period in student visa grants.
Recent Home Office data reveals that while the growth in student visas has slowed in the latest quarterly figures, it still remains significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels.
In the year ending September 2023, the UK granted 486,107 sponsored study visas to main applicants, marking a modest two percent increase compared to the same period in 2022. This figure is slightly below the record set in June 2023, where 498,626 visas were granted.
However, the September 2023 total still stands at an impressive 86 percent higher than the year ending September 2019, indicating a robust recovery from the pandemic's impact on international student mobility.
India continues to be a major player
India continues to be a major player in the UK's student visa landscape, maintaining its position as the largest source country. With 133,327 visas granted to main applicants, India experienced a five percent increase compared to September 2022 and a staggering fivefold rise since September 2019.
Indian students now account for over a quarter (27 percent) of all study visas granted, highlighting the sustained demand for British education.
Shifts in Other Key Markets
While China remained the second-largest source country with 108,978 visas granted, it experienced a seven percent decrease compared to the previous year.
Nigeria secured the third spot with 51,071 sponsored study visas, maintaining a similar number to the previous year but witnessing an eightfold increase since September 2019.
Pakistan emerged as a noteworthy player, recording the largest year-on-year increase of 33 percent, alongside the USA completing the top five.
The Impact of the Graduate Route
The reintroduction of post-study work rights through the Graduate Route, launched in July 2021, has played a pivotal role in the growth of student visas. In the year ending September 2023, 104,501 Graduate Route extensions were granted, with Indian students accounting for 43 percent of these.
However, the upcoming removal of the right for international master's students to bring dependents could alter the dynamics of student demand, particularly in the recent growth markets.
Dependent Visa dynamics have shifted.
The year 2023 witnessed a significant increase in visas granted to dependents of international students, reaching 152,980. Nigeria and India together accounted for over two-thirds of all visa grants to student dependents, emphasizing the familial ties associated with international students pursuing education in the UK.
The imminent ban on visas for master's students' dependents, scheduled for implementation in February 2024, is anticipated to have a negative impact on international postgraduate recruitment, according to a survey by the Chartered Association of Business Schools.
As the UK's student visa landscape undergoes shifts in growth patterns, the nation's education sector remains a global magnet for international students.
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