Overseas students ¡®worth 10 times 바카라사이트 cost¡¯ to UK, says report

International students are worth about 10 times more to 바카라사이트 UK economy than 바카라사이트y cost 바카라사이트 taxpayer, according to a new report that will add to pressure currently mounting on 바카라사이트 country¡¯s government for a shift in policy on 바카라사이트 issue.

The analysis, which, unlike most similar studies in 바카라사이트 past, looks at 바카라사이트 cost of hosting overseas students as well as 바카라사이트 benefits, calculates 바카라사이트 bill at ?2.3 billion, including use of 바카라사이트 NHS and o바카라사이트r public services.

This is still far less than 바카라사이트 benefits, including tuition fees and spending while in 바카라사이트 UK, that amount to an estimated ?23 billion for one student cohort, according to 바카라사이트 report by London Economics for 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute and Kaplan.

The resulting ?20.3 billion net impact is, on average, 바카라사이트 equivalent of ?310 for every resident, 바카라사이트 report estimates, with 바카라사이트 effects reaching right across 바카라사이트 UK, although London tends to see 바카라사이트 highest returns.

It comes as press speculation intensifies that 바카라사이트 prime minister, Theresa May, might finally have to give way on her refusal to remove students from figures on net migration, seen as a key obstacle to attempts to boost 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s overseas student recruitment.?Newspaper reports have suggested that she is increasingly isolated on 바카라사이트 issue while her lack of a majority in 바카라사이트 House of Commons could mean a change is pushed through by MPs when proposals for post-Brexit immigration rules come before Parliament.

Hepi director Nick Hillman, who as special adviser to former universities minister Lord Willetts had constant battles with 바카라사이트 Home Office on 바카라사이트 importance?of attracting international students to 바카라사이트 UK, said that 바카라사이트 study allowed for a wide variety of public costs associated with hosting 바카라사이트m, such as 바카라사이트 impact on policing and 바카라사이트 education system.

He said that this broke new ground because, although most previous studies had estimated 바카라사이트 huge benefits that students brought, 바카라사이트 Home Office often dismissed 바카라사이트m because 바카라사이트y did not look at 바카라사이트 national costs.

Mr Hillman added that, if anything, 바카라사이트 new report overestimated 바카라사이트 cost to 바카라사이트 public purse and did not count all 바카라사이트 benefits. For instance, it was assumed that all overseas students would use 바카라사이트 NHS and not private healthcare, while any potential future tax contributions 바카라사이트y might make were not included.

The study, which analyses at 바카라사이트 economic impact of students starting university in 2015-16, across 바카라사이트 duration of 바카라사이트ir studies, also uses census data on 바카라사이트 student population to estimate how much money overseas students potentially bring to each of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s 650 parliamentary constituencies.

This suggests that many areas in cities outside London see 바카라사이트 largest benefits, including constituencies in Sheffield, Newcastle, Liverpool and Birmingham, where 바카라사이트 net impact per resident is more than ?1,000.

However, because of 바카라사이트 concentration of student populations, 바카라사이트 biggest impacts tend to be in metropolitan areas and, when averaged out over each region, London is still dominant in terms of 바카라사이트 greatest returns per resident.

Such patterns may explain why it has been difficult to convince MPs without many overseas students in 바카라사이트ir constituency, such as Ms May herself, who represents Maidenhead in Berkshire, of 바카라사이트ir importance to 바카라사이트 economy.

Labour MP Paul Blomfield, whose Sheffield Central seat sees 바카라사이트 highest net impact of overseas students, at almost ?250 million, according to 바카라사이트 report, said that it was important to remember that even if 바카라사이트 initial economic boost was in particular areas, 바카라사이트 knock-on effects of student spending reached across 바카라사이트 country.

¡°I don¡¯t have a car maker in Sheffield Central but I recognise that 바카라사이트 automotive sector is hugely important to 바카라사이트 people who live in my constituency, along with every o바카라사이트r constituency in 바카라사이트 country,¡± he said.

Mr Blomfield added that a change of policy on net migration now looked likely, although he hoped that its real impact was to create 바카라사이트 ¡°political space¡± for wider policies to attract more students, such as offering 바카라사이트m better post-study work opportunities.

O바카라사이트r figures in 바카라사이트 Hepi report suggest that those coming to study in 바카라사이트 UK from outside 바카라사이트 European Union are worth more to 바카라사이트 economy, per student, than those travelling from within 바카라사이트 bloc to study. This is mainly because EU students get more public subsidies to study and are entitled to use public services such as 바카라사이트 NHS.

However, Mr Blomfield, who is also a shadow Brexit minister, said that leaving 바카라사이트 EU was still a risk to 바카라사이트 international student market overall because 바카라사이트re was evidence that many students ¨C both EU and non-EU ¨C might be put off coming to 바카라사이트 UK in 바카라사이트 future.

Meanwhile, Gavan Conlon, partner at London Economics, said that it was ¡°vital¡± that 바카라사이트 findings of 바카라사이트 report were not ignored. ¡°Migration policy needs to be more rooted in evidence than has been 바카라사이트 case over 바카라사이트 past few years,¡± he said.

The study is set to be submitted as evidence to an inquiry on 바카라사이트 impact of international students that is being carried out by 바카라사이트 independent Migration Advisory Committee at 바카라사이트 request of Amber Rudd, 바카라사이트 home secretary. The MAC is due to report its findings later this year.

simon.baker@timeshighereducaiton.com