The ability for UK masters and PhD students to bring dependants is key in allowing UK universities to recruit students from a wider range of countries and compete against other study destinations, the UK government has emphasised.

Universities are being subsidised by fees from overseas students, meaning financial sustainability depends on increasing numbers of international students. 

A wide-ranging, updated International Education Strategy from the UK promises to boost the country’s education exports, with a focus on international teaching qualification and priority markets outlined of India, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam and Nigeria.

International students should delay coming to the UK this January according to new guidance from the Department for Education.

The Boarding Schools’ Association is organising flights to bring Chinese students to the UK in an effort to deal with the disruption caused by Covid-19. Some eight schools have already closed or stopped offering boarding at least partially due to the pandemic.

UK boarding schools have lost hundreds of thousands of pounds as a result of a re-inspection rule which stops them from being able to admit new international students under Tier 4 rules for months at a time.

Voices across the sector have reacted as the UK government unveiled details of its new international education strategy. Increasing international numbers to 600,000 by 2030 is part of the strategy, critics of which say does not go far enough in terms of measures to achieve outlined growth.

The UK Government plans to introduce £11,100-a-year tuition fees for two-year degrees, however, a recent survey revealed that international students don’t see the value in them.