‘Positive signals’ for UK international recruitment in September

International student numbers for the next UK recruitment window are showing “positive signals” at postgraduate level, according to early figures.

Analysis by student engagement firm UniQuest found a 38 per cent increase in the number of firm acceptances for September 2025 compared with the previous year.

UniQuest, which partners with about a fifth of all UK universities, said there were signs of a “more robust” market at postgraduate level, but that undergraduate recruitment was slow in comparison to previous intakes.

Overall, firm acceptances were up 75 per cent on last year among Chinese applicants, 20 per cent among Indian students and 45 per cent for those from Nigeria – three of the UK’s biggest source markets.

The organisation said that the data, which was based on about 30,000 applications, showed a growing trend for students accepting a university offer as their first choice more quickly.

Although early in the cycle, Jennifer Parsons, chief market and partnerships officer at UniQuest, said the “fantastic” results showed growth in vital high-volume markets.

“Now institutions need to really focus on nurturing these students and demonstrating that their application is valued,” she said.

“There’s a clear correlation between faster offer-making and firm acceptances, and institutions could capitalise on those students who may now be looking at the UK in favour of Canada, Australia and the US.”

Prospective students’ most common inquiries related to finance, according to the figures – and offer-holders are asking more questions than ever before.

Ms Parsons said the data shows a “greater need for handholding on the part of universities” and that being responsive to students is crucial.

Vincenzo Raimo, an independent international higher education consultant and visiting fellow at the University of Reading, welcomed the “positive signals” but said it was too early to draw firm conclusions given the volatility of the market.

“The post-Covid surge in international enrolments was an anomaly, and what we’re seeing now appears to be a return to the more gradual growth patterns that existed pre-pandemic.”

However, the competitive landscape has “fundamentally shifted”, with the UK competing against a wider range of destinations for talent, he said.

The data appears to confirm other early indicators of improving international recruitment, after what was widely seen as a difficult 2024.

“What’s increasingly clear is that there will be winners and losers among universities,” added Mr Raimo.

“Some institutions will continue to achieve growth, while others may struggle – either due to market positioning, recruitment strategies, or an over-reliance on price discounts to maintain numbers.”

The UniQuest data also showed that the number of firm acceptances for January 2025 was up 36 per cent on the year before, largely driven by demand from postgraduate students.

The Indian market – the largest in this intake – was up 11 per cent on January 2024, while there was also large growth among students from Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

patrick.jack@timeshighereducation.com