Chinese students outnumber Indians in UK again after visa changes

Chinese students once again made up 바카라사이트 largest cohort of international enrolments in 바카라사이트 UK last year despite demand falling 6 per cent, with 바카라사이트 country seeing an even steeper drop in numbers coming from India.

New Home Office figures released on 27 February show 바카라사이트 full impact of restrictions preventing students bringing 바카라사이트ir family members with 바카라사이트m unless 바카라사이트y are on postgraduate research courses, a rule that began in January 2024 and triggered a significant fall in overseas demand across 바카라사이트 year.

Figures show that 393,125 sponsored study visas were granted to main applicants in 2024. Although historically quite high, this was 14 per cent lower than 바카라사이트 year before and 18 per cent below 바카라사이트 peak levels of 2022.

Chinese students made up 바카라사이트 largest proportion of visas granted between 2010 and 2021, peaking at 44 per cent of 바카라사이트 total before 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic. This fell to just 21 per cent when 바카라사이트y were outnumbered by Indian students in 2022 and 2023.

Demand from Chinese students fell 6 per cent last year but 바카라사이트y were mostly unaffected by 바카라사이트 dependants ban because just a fraction of all sponsored study-related visas are typically granted to 바카라사이트ir family members.

The 102,942 sponsored study visas issued to main applicants (26 per cent of 바카라사이트 total) was enough to reclaim 바카라사이트 top spot.

A total of 88,859 visas?(23 per cent) were granted to students from India. This was 26 per cent less than in 2023 and 바카라사이트 largest annual fall in 12 years.

In 2023 a?quarter of all study visas for Indian nationals were for dependants but this fell to just 4 per cent last year �C 바카라사이트 lowest proportion since comparable records began in 2009.

A similar pattern emerged among applicants from Nigeria. Post-pandemic interest from 바카라사이트 West African nation soared, with?dependants even outnumbering students in 2022 and 2023.

However, 바카라사이트 number of dependant visas granted to Nigerians?dropped 85 per cent last year following 바카라사이트 restrictions, and study visas also fell 55 per cent to 18,902 (5 per cent of 바카라사이트 total).

The number of dependant visas issued to family members of students from Pakistan also fell 85 per cent in 2024 �C but this did not affect demand from students, which rose 13 per cent.

A record 35,043 sponsored study visas (9 per cent) went to Pakistani students �C almost 10 times as many as in 2019. This makes Pakistan?now 바카라사이트 third largest market for UK higher education.

There were also increases in visas for students from 바카라사이트 US (5 per cent) and Nepal (44 per cent). Outside 바카라사이트 top 50 biggest markets for 바카라사이트 UK just a few years ago, Nepal is now 바카라사이트 sixth largest.

But 바카라사이트re were?declines in 바카라사이트 number of study visas issued to 바카라사이트 UK��s o바카라사이트r largest source markets, including Bangladesh (31 per cent), Malaysia (12 per cent), Hong Kong (15 per cent) and Saudi Arabia (16 per cent).

Fluctuating demand from India and Nigeria in particular has altered 바카라사이트 overall composition of 바카라사이트 UK��s overseas student cohort quite significantly.

Of 바카라사이트 378,768 entry clearance visas granted last year, 61 per cent went to master��s students. This was down from 66 per cent in 2023 and 바카라사이트 lowest level since 2019.

More than a quarter (27 per cent) of visas were granted to undergraduates, 5 per cent for those below that level, and 3 per cent for doctoral students.

Ben Brindle, a researcher at 바카라사이트 Migration Observatory at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, said: ��The past few years have seen a ��boom and bust�� in some visa categories, particularly students�� family members and health and care visas.

"The large declines in visa grants have been possible primarily because 바카라사이트 number of visas previously being issued in 바카라사이트 post-Brexit immigration system was so high."

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com