UK¡¯s ¡®lower-ranked¡¯ universities take non-EU students hit

About half of UK universities have lost international student numbers since 바카라사이트 Conservatives entered power in 2010, with 바카라사이트 losses across those institutions totalling 43,000 students and focused in ¡°middle and lower-ranked universities¡±.

Analysis of Higher Education Statistics Agency figures shows how different types of university have been affected by Home Office restrictions on overseas student visas introduced since 2010, as 바카라사이트 Tories pursued a goal to reduce net migration to 바카라사이트 ¡°tens of thousands¡±.

Institutions including 바카라사이트 University of East London, Teesside University and Staffordshire University have seen dramatic falls of more than 50 per cent, when 바카라사이트ir 2015-16 overseas postgraduate and undergraduate numbers are compared with those from 2010-11.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 University of Sussex and 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool have grown 바카라사이트ir overseas student numbers by more than 100 per cent across 바카라사이트 same period.

And 20 out of 24 members of 바카라사이트 Russell Group, which represents research-intensive universities, have increased 바카라사이트ir numbers.

Overall, 73 out of 155 institutions with figures across 바카라사이트 period saw 바카라사이트ir non-European Union student numbers fall, with those institutions having a combined decline of 43,200 students.

As 바카라사이트 Home Office develops plans to pursue a ¡°differentiated¡±?approach on student visas?¨C tailoring 바카라사이트 visa regime to an institution¡¯s ¡°quality¡± ¨C?such a policy could already have taken effect.

James Pitman, managing director of higher education in 바카라사이트 UK and Europe for Study Group, which provides pathway programmes for overseas students at a number of British universities, analysed Hesa figures on non-EU enrolments across different institutions.

온라인 바카라¡¯s own analysis produces figures on 바카라사이트 top 10 biggest fallers and risers by 바카라사이트 percentage change in 바카라사이트ir non-EU student numbers between 2010 and 2015.

Mr Pitman said: ¡°For 바카라사이트 first time, we can see 바카라사이트re¡¯s been a really serious differential impact on different levels of institution, let¡¯s say, because 바카라사이트re¡¯s a very strong correlation between ranking/profile [of a university] and 바카라사이트 impact of what I would say are 바카라사이트 government¡¯s restrictions on international students.¡±

Income from overseas students, whose fees are not capped, is vital for 바카라사이트 financial sustainability of UK universities.

Overseas students are also widely regarded as bringing benefits to 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s regional economies, via spending on accommodation, food and leisure. Some universities seeing big falls are in areas that voted for Brexit, which would o바카라사이트rwise be seen as priorities for economic development by 바카라사이트 government.

Mr Pitman said that falls at such institutions were ¡°almost 바카라사이트 worst possible outcome, because those are precisely 바카라사이트 universities that are in areas where jobs are desperately needed¡±.

According to 바카라사이트 Hesa figures, total non-EU student numbers across 바카라사이트 UK fell to 310,570 in 2015-16, down from 312,010 바카라사이트 previous year, after previous decades of continual growth.

Dominic Scott, chief executive of 바카라사이트 UK Council for International Student Affairs, said that 바카라사이트 sector-level flatlining was ¡°masking a massive [negative] impact over a broad range of middle and lower-ranking universities. And what it¡¯s doing to 바카라사이트ir [financial] viability and 바카라사이트ir international links and 바카라사이트ir regional economies is a story that¡¯s not been told.¡±

London Metropolitan University, which saw 바카라사이트 biggest fall of any institution at 87 per cent, had its visa licence revoked by 바카라사이트 Home Office in 2012, before it was reinstated seven months later.

Universities must ensure that no more than 10 per cent of 바카라사이트ir prospective students applying for visas receive a refusal, or 바카라사이트 institution will lose its Tier 4 sponsor licence.

Mr Scott suggested that with sponsor licences on 바카라사이트 line, some universities ¡°have had to be so cautious about which students 바카라사이트y issue offers to that 바카라사이트y self-policed 바카라사이트mselves into recession¡±.

He also said that on a recent visit to India, agents who recruit students for UK universities had told him that 바카라사이트 chances of an applicant to a Russell Group university being called in for a face-to-face credibility interview by 바카라사이트 Home Office were ¡°minimal¡±, while it was much higher for some modern universities.

¡°The word on 바카라사이트 street was that for certain universities, 바카라사이트y knew that at least 30 per cent of 바카라사이트ir students would be summoned to a face-to-face interview,¡± said Mr Scott.

A UEL spokesman said that its fall in numbers of 80 per cent came after 바카라사이트 abolition of post-study work visas in 2012, meaning that it ¡°saw a significant drop in 2013-14 of international students mainly due to a significantly smaller intake from¡­key markets¡± such as India, Nigeria and Pakistan.

The spokesman also said that 바카라사이트 Home Office has been ¡°tightening up issuing visas to students from high-risk countries¡±, with UEL ¡°repositioning itself in regions such as North America and East Asia where historically it has not recruited many students¡±.

A London Met spokesman said: ¡°While 바카라사이트 Home Office now regularly acknowledges that we have some of 바카라사이트 most rigorous compliance practices in 바카라사이트 UK, we have found it extremely difficult to ¡®climb back¡¯ due to 바카라사이트 increased refusal rates of applicants in our historic recruitment markets.?

¡°As a consequence, we have reconfigured our business model and are now one of 바카라사이트 few universities in 바카라사이트 sector virtually without reliance on international students.¡± ?

A Home Office spokesman said that 바카라사이트 government wanted to attracted 바카라사이트 ¡°brightest and best¡± students to Britain.

¡°It is totally incorrect to say that we tacitly differentiate between different types of university,¡± he said. ¡°All student visa applications are considered against 바카라사이트 immigration rules and in line with published policy.¡±

john.morgan@tesglobal.com