Newly released statistics from HESA (the Higher Education Statistics Agency – part of Jisc) show that 2,863,180 students were enrolled at UK higher education providers in the 2024/25 academic year. The report shows that this figure is 37,060 (1%) fewer than the previous year.
The accredited official research shows that the total number of undergraduate students increased by 1% to 2,066,630, however, the total number of postgraduate students fell by 6% to 796,550.
The site confirms that “the number of UK students rose by less than 1%, while the number of international students fell by 6%.”
Levy concerns
The statistics suggest a decrease in international students possibly due to the introduction of new levies.
Lisa Randall, Partner and National Head of Higher Education at RSM UK, shared her concerns about the future following the autumn budget: “A key announcement in the budget could derail future international student numbers as a new annual levy of £925 per overseas student will be introduced in the academic year 2028-29. The revenue raised will be put back into higher education provision and skills, supporting maintenance grants for disadvantaged students studying in priority courses. This will help to support domestic enrolments but another barrier to attracting international students could impact the UK’s influence globally, putting it at a competitive disadvantage.”
Less international students
According to HESA, entrant numbers from India fell by 12%, 5% in China, and 33% in Nigeria. For those countries, this is the second year in a row that numbers have fallen.
Whilst the report says that 68% of full-time postgraduate students were from outside the UK, it is key to note that the sector still saw its second annual decrease in the total number of these students. On top of that, HESA says that “Non-UK entrants to taught master’s degrees fell by 10% from the previous year.”
What does this mean for landlords?
In September 2025, Empiric said it had expected to hit 97% occupancy across its 7,685 beds for the 2024-25 academic year.
However, the final figure came in at only 89%, with Empiric claiming the sharp drop was down to a 'slowdown in the pace of reservations' in the final run-up to term.
Some positives for international students
Despite the fall in international student numbers, students from Pakistan increased by 5% during the 2024/25 season.
Additionally, HESA reports that Nepal has entered the top five countries of origin for non-EU entrants to UK higher education. The statistics show: “17,385 Nepalese students started UK HE courses in 2024/25, more than ten times the 1,165 students who entered in 2020/21.”
This means that Nepal has overtaken the United States, the HESA findings say this is due to changes to visa regulations in Australia.
Impact on transnational education
HESA says, “The number of transnational education students studying wholly overseas for UK qualifications rose by 8% in 2024/25 to 669,950, coming close to the number of international students studying in the UK (685,565).”
Since the 2020/21 academic year, the total number of TNE students has risen by 37%. These figures also include distance learners, students attending overseas campuses of UK providers, and students studying for UK qualifications at foreign universities.
Qualifications
Varying increases and decreases of student numbers also impacted how many qualifications were achieved in 2024/25.
The statistics from HESA state that a total of 1,043,665 higher education qualifications were awarded in 2024/25, this is down by 1% since the previous year.
A total of 476,530 first degrees were awarded, “of which 30% were awarded first class honours, up by one percentage point compared to last year.”
UK students received 54% of the 26,175 doctorate degrees that were awarded.
In terms of master’s degrees, 361,305 were awarded which is said to be 5% fewer than in 2023/24. Of the final number of taught master’s, 73% were awarded to non-UK students.
