Think tank claims international students now UK’s largest migration route

British universities are “selling immigration, not education”, according to a new report by think tank Policy Exchange, which claims to reveal the full extent of international student migration to the UK.

The report says international students have become “the largest driver of overall migration”, with 425,000 student visas issued in the past year – 43% of all non-visitor visas. 

Policy Exchange also said the number switching to other visa types has also risen sharply, with 40% of those on study visas in 2023 moving to another visa within 12 months, up from 3% in 2019.

Policy Exchange  states that 15% of all asylum claims now come from individuals who first entered the UK on student visas.

The report argues:

• Domestic applicants are being displaced, with universities such as Oxford, Southampton, Coventry and East London increasing international student numbers while reducing UK student places in real terms.

• Growth has been driven by demand for short postgraduate courses at lower-ranked universities. However, the average cross-subsidy benefit per international student at these institutions is just £2,900.

• Reintroducing student loans for European Union students as part of a proposed Youth Experience Scheme could add £2 billion in debt to the Treasury over five years.

• Some universities are administering their own English language tests, with 18% reporting no international applicants failed their internal assessments.

The report recommends scrapping the Graduate visa route, raising English language standards for international students, and introducing a £1,000 annual International Student Levy. Students at high-ranking institutions would be exempt.

In a foreword to the report, Policy Exchange senior fellow David Goodhart, said: “Policy Exchange’s excellent new report is a shocking indictment on the present international student regime. The UK’s higher education sector has been allowed to evolve into a backdoor for unprecedented levels of migration that is neither beneficial, short term nor controlled.

“This report should anger – and serve as a rallying call for – those of us who believe that international students, when welcomed through a robust and well-designed system, make important contributions to our universities and wider society.”