Foreign Students always welcome
Despite a decline in international applicants to universities, the UK recognises the contributions EU and non-EU students make to the higher education sector.
The United Kingdom is an attractive destination for international students from all over the world, for higher educational purposes.
According to the latest national overview conducted by UCAS, 615,555 people applied to at least one educational institution in the UK last year, with China, Hong Kong and France being at the top three. However, there is a 0.6 per cent fall compared to the figures in 2017.
Despite the slight decline, the UK is still the land of opportunity in terms of employment among international graduates. Besides Cambridge and Oxford, the Top Universities’ graduate ranking list shows universities from London at the top 35 including UCL, Imperial College and The University of Manchester.
The graduate employment rate for October 2018 is promising with an average of 75.7%. Starting salaries also expected to stay £30,000 for four consecutive years in a row.
A huge number of undergraduate students embrace studying with international students, as it’s an excellent way to prepare them for working in a global environment. Universities UK, the voice of universities all across the UK, believes international students are essential components of the UK.
As the United Kingdom is getting ready to leave the European Union, it is setting its agenda on how to end free movement, including students arriving from the European Union. Universities UK called for a new visa for international students to be introduced last autumn, which would allow them to gain work experience in the UK.
Alistair Jarvis, Chief Executive of Universities UK (UUK), said in a statement to our website: "International staff and students, both EU and non-EU, make a vital contribution to the UK higher education sector. The ability to recruit international staff at a broad range of skill levels and students at all levels of study, with minimal barriers, is vital to the continued success of our universities.”
Image courtesy of MD Duran
“Under these proposals EU students will also now require a study visa, placing an additional burden on students and universities.
According to the Government’s Immigration White Paper, there is no limit on the number of students allowed to study in the UK. However, all students coming to the UK will require a confirmed offer from an educational institution, as well as a sponsorship from the institution itself.
“We welcome the recognition of the benefits that international graduates make to the country through the introduction of post-study work for a period of up to one year for PhD students and 6 months for others, but unless we allow all graduates to stay and work for two years the UK will continue to lag behind our global competitors in our offer to international students.
“Over the coming months of consultation, we will be seeking changes to these proposals to ensure the best possible deal for university staff and students,” he added.
Words: Boglarka Chamer | Subbing: Claire Chung | Featured image: Pixabay