UK international student visa numbers on the up at last

More international students are being issued with UK visas, with December’s total representing the largest monthly increase in more than two years, according to latest data.

Although it is too early to see a clear trend, the uplift is the latest glimmer of hope at the very end of a year in which huge falls in overseas recruitment devastated the university sector’s finances.

The latest Home Office figures show that 35,200 study visas were issued to applicants in December – an increase of 169 per cent on 13,100 in November. This was the largest month-on-month increase since July 2022.

The number of student visas issued in December was also a 15 per cent rise on the 30,600 issued during the same period in 2023 – only the second month in 2024 to see an improvement on 2023 numbers.

The figures come off the back of separate data from Enroly that suggested a “brighter outlook” for the sector following a 14 per cent year-on-year increase in the number of international students being issued with a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) for courses starting in January.

However, the number of main applicant visas issued by the Home Office was still well below the 46,200 of December 2022 and did little to improve figures for the whole year. A total of 407,900 main applicants received study visas last year – 14 per cent fewer than in 2023 and 17 per cent below the total for 2022.

Last year’s figures were heavily affected by the Conservative government’s decision to introduce restrictions on dependants accompanying students – except PhD recruits – in January 2024.

In December 2,200 visas were issued to student dependants. Although 73 per cent below the total for December 2023, this was an above-average performance for 2024.

Across the whole year, just 22,600 visas were issued to students’ dependants, down 84 per cent on 145,400 in 2023.

Altogether, it means that the Home Office granted 430,500 study-related visas last year. This was 30 per cent below the 618,900 of 2023 and 32 per cent down on the 633,400 of 2022.

Lisa Randall, head of higher education at the audit, tax and consulting firm RSM UK, said the policy change on dependants has reduced the appeal of the UK for overseas students, meaning income loss and resource constraints will remain key challenges for the sector moving into 2025”.

“However, there are reasons for cautious optimism, as these ongoing financial pressures and changing demographics are encouraging universities to create more efficient and sustainable education systems which reflect the changing profile of higher education students,” she said.

patrick.jack@timeshighereducation.com