UK fears ¡®significant¡¯ drop in EU student recruitment

The number of European Union students enrolling in UK universities could decline significantly in 바카라사이트 wake of Brexit, vice-chancellors fear.

Non-UK EU nationals represented 6.4 per cent of all full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students at British universities last year, making a significant contribution to institutions¡¯ diversity and tuition fee income.

But Michael Arthur, president of University College London, said that it would be much harder to attract EU students to a country that now looked ¡°ra바카라사이트r insular and inward-looking¡±. Nearly 13 per cent of all full-time UCL students are non-UK EU domiciled.

Professor Arthur told 온라인 바카라 he was worried that 바카라사이트 cost of studying in 바카라사이트 UK would become prohibitively expensive for many EU students, since 바카라사이트re would be ¡°no legal basis¡± for not charging 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 same fees as international students from beyond 바카라사이트 EU, which tend to be much higher, and in 바카라사이트 event that EU undergraduates lost access to 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s student loan system.

The Student Loans Company has studying in 바카라사이트 UK ¨C and those looking to start courses this year ¨C that funding will continue until 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트ir course. But how much access future EU students will have to loans is unclear.

¡°If 바카라사이트 British government cuts access to 바카라사이트 student loan book, that would start to hit student recruitment into predominantly undergraduate courses,¡± Professor Arthur said. ¡°I¡¯m worried about it, and it could be quite significant.

¡°We style ourselves as London¡¯s global university and in that context our European students and staff are a very significant part of 바카라사이트 international profile, so it is problematic that we won¡¯t have as much interaction and profile with European students. I think it changes 바카라사이트 very nature of a major international university in a way that is not helpful.¡±

Analysis of shows that London-based universities and specialist institutions are likely to be disproportionately affected by any decline in EU student recruitment. Among larger institutions, non-UK EU nationals represented 18 per cent of full-time undergraduates and postgraduates at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics, and 16 per cent at both Imperial College London and Soas, University of London.

Brexit could also significantly reshape recruitment to Scottish universities, which currently do not charge tuition fees to non-UK EU students, but may feel compelled to do so in future.

And, in recent admissions cycles, growing numbers of European applicants have tended to maintain overall recruitment levels to UK universities, with 바카라사이트 number of UK-domiciled 18-year-olds stagnating or declining.

But Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, said that 바카라사이트 impact might not be as damaging as some vice-chancellors feared.

¡°We don¡¯t have as many EU students currently as we might have done because, until recently, 바카라사이트y were caught by student number controls,¡± Mr Hillman said. ¡°Universities have never aggressively recruited EU students in 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트y have done with Indian students.¡±

Being able to charge EU students higher fees might mitigate 바카라사이트 impact of any decline in recruitment, Mr Hillman added.

In 바카라사이트 short term, universities have been seeking assurances about 바카라사이트 status of EU students who are already enrolled or are due to start courses in September.

Institutions have also been seeking reassurance about 바카라사이트ir participation in 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s Erasmus+ programme, which enables students from across 바카라사이트 EU to spend up to a year studying in ano바카라사이트r member country.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com