The British Council is hoping to tackle the decline in EU student numbers at UK universities with targeted events across the continent.
The organisation expects some 8,000 students from across the EU, European Economic Area and Switzerland to join Study UK events in Europe in 2021 and 2022.
The announcement comes after UCAS statistics earlier this year suggested applications from EU/ EEA students were down by 40%.
“I’m thrilled that we’re joined by 53 Scottish, Welsh, and English universities at our Study UK Europe event,” said Almut Caspary, the British Council’s Higher Education lead in EU Europe.
“It’s a great opportunity for Europeans to hear from universities and their peers about the depth and breadth of Study UK, the intricacies of the application process, support packages, and the new fee and immigration regulations.”
“It’s a great opportunity for Europeans to hear from universities and their peers”
The British Council runs the Study UK campaign in partnership with the UK government’s GREAT Britain campaign.
The events – which British Council describes as a “major part” of its strategy to support UK universities’ student recruitment efforts – will focus on the practicalities of studying in the UK and provide opportunities for potential students to connect with universities via webinars and online meetings.
In September, the UK government announced that EU full-time students studying in the UK will be eligible for an immigration health surcharge reimbursement from January 1, 2022.
Costs, health insurance and the practicalities of immigration – all areas identified as the most important for EU students in British Council’s Brexit temperature check 2021 – will be clarified at the events, as will sessions on post-study employability and the UK’s graduate visa route.
Additionally, a paid digital advertising campaign will also target the most important countries identified by universities, including France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Poland, Spain, and Sweden.
Study UK: The essentials, running online from October 4–8 2021, will focus on practicalities of studying in the UK, while Study UK: Meet the universities, from February 14–25 2022, covers students’ individual course and university choices and offers one-to-one online meetings with universities.
