Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a cap on the number of international students.

The government is committed to a United Kingdom that is outward looking and welcomes international students, who make a positive contribution to the UK’s higher education sector, our economy and society as a whole. Universities in England receive an estimated £12.1bn annually in tuition fee income from international students, which supports provision of places for domestic students and research and development.

Universities and other higher education providers are autonomous bodies which are independent of government. As such, they are responsible for their own admissions decisions in relation to domestic and international students.

The department is reviewing the International Education Strategy to ensure that it increases the value of education exports and reflects the priorities of education organisations and businesses. This review will also consider the department’s ambition on international student numbers.

The government remains committed to managing migration carefully, which is why my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister announced in November 2024 that we will publish a White Paper on reducing migration this year.