Commenting on the data, UCAS’ chief executive Clare Marchant said: “In this time of uncertainty, it’s welcome news to see more EU and international students wanting to come and study in the UK.”

UUK chief executive Alastair Jarvis described the figures as “great news”, that international students want to study in the UK, but he said the data only provides a partial view of the recruitment picture.

“International postgraduates will not apply via the UCAS undergraduate route, for example,” he explained, adding that the UK is not keeping pace with major study destinations such as Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

“We are calling for a new graduate visa that will make the UK more attractive to international students, allowing a wider range of employers, in all parts of the UK, to benefit from access to talented graduates from around the world.”

UKCISA chief executive Dominic Scott told The PIE that, although encouraging, the figures may be more the result of a fluctuating exchange rate than an increase in popularity.

“[Unbalanced growth] leaves us a little exposed to any changes in UK-China relations”

“These non-EU figures are obviously very encouraging but probably more about the strength of the pound than any changed perceptions of the UK,” he explained.

“The EU growth is welcome, given all the Brexit concerns, but disappointingly modest compared with recent years.”

Scott also warned that UCAS figures need to be treated with some caution when used as a predictor for the market in general – though the increased interest from China is a positive sign, he concluded.

But Nick Hillman, HEPI director, warned the relative imbalance in the volume of applications between China and other countries could be risky for the industry in the UK.

“If I have a regret, it is that other countries are not sending people to the UK in the sort of relative volumes that China is doing, not least as this leaves us a little exposed to any changes in UK-China relations,” Hillman told The PIE.

As for EU student applications, Hillman maintained that the real test will come when EU citizens will no longer have access to subsidised fee loans and will have to pay international fees.