- International students are primarily drawn to the UK due to the perceived high quality of its education
- Graduate Route visa holders on average report better job satisfaction than other visa holders and continue to support the UK economy after graduating or returning home
- More career services are needed for UK universities to remain globally competitive
The International Graduate Outcomes report 2024, published by UUKi and QS on May 23, revealed that international students are primarily drawn to the UK for the high quality and strong reputation of universities, but more career support is needed for graduates staying in the UK and returning to their home countries.
“The debate has too often revolved around immigration, but international students are in large part temporary visitors, who are drawn to the high concentration of educational excellence in the UK,” Jessica Turner, QS CEO told The PIE.
“We need to reframe discussions of their role and understand they make important financial and intellectual contributions to preserving excellence in this vital sector and helping the UK to thrive.”
Released on the same day the government is expected to respond to the MAC’s emphatic endorsement of the Graduate Route, the report is intended to help the sector and government to identify areas of improvement to continue welcoming and supporting international students coming to the UK.
The report sheds light on the experiences of over 10,000 international students who graduated from 37 UK universities in the past six years.
Nearly two-fifths of those surveyed returned home immediately after graduating, with 50% of respondents still living in the UK.
59% of Graduate Route visa holders were more likely to do business with the UK in the future
“The economic benefits that international students bring while studying has already been shown, but this report highlights the continuing value that they bring to the UK by working in SMEs, in healthcare and education, and in enhancing UK business interests and soft power after they leave”, said Turner.
Research published in May 2024 found the total net benefit to the UK of hosting Graduate Route visa holders came in at £70 million in the first full year of the scheme, disproving claims that the UK loses out financially.
The new report from QS and UUKi highlights the long-term, nurturing relationships that Graduate Route holders have with their first employers, with 72% of respondents saying they were satisfied with their job role and benefits, compared to 62% on other visas.
The report showed that 73% of those on the Graduate Route said they felt a connection to the UK and 59% were more likely to do business with the UK in the future, supporting the long-term competitiveness of the UK economy.
“Rather than big transnational corporations… over half of the graduates said they found a job in small and medium-sized companies that are the backbone of the UK economy”, Alex Berka, QS insights manager, told delegates at the 2024 IHEF forum on May 2.
Education and healthcare were the top two industries that respondents chose to work in, two sectors where skills and capacity gaps are widely reported in the UK and other global economies.
Of those surveyed, 75% said they wanted to remain in the UK temporarily and 25% had ambitions to remain permanently.
The debate has too often revolved around immigration, but international students are in large part temporary visitors, who are drawn to the educational excellence of the UK
Jessica Turner
The most common incentive for remaining in the UK was to gain work experience, but 53% of surveyed graduates felt more could be done in terms of career support and professional placements.
“International students invest significantly in obtaining a UK education, so our institutions need to ensure it is a mutually beneficial relationship for universities and students”, said Turner.
Most students eventually go home, so universities must think more about employability from an international perspective and skills that are transferable and can future proof students for global careers in an AI-driven world, she added.
While the survey revealed that 59% of students chose to study in the UK due to the perceived high quality of its education, it warned of the increasing pressure for universities to communicate their impact on employability amid global competition between the ‘big four’ markets.
“The ability to stay and work after graduating is an important factor to lots of international students, so we need to ensure we deliver on that aspiration and support those who give so much to the UK and our sector”, wrote Jamie Arrowsmith, Director of UUKi.
Meanwhile, respondents felt positively about the UK’s supportive learning environment, with more than 60% of students giving their university the top ranking for friendliness, diversity and inclusion.
