Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the increase in international student applications on the availability of university spaces for domestic students.

Universities and other higher education (HE) providers are autonomous bodies and are independent of government and responsible for their own admissions decisions in relation to both domestic and international students. Our world class universities are highly attractive to all students.

This government is clear that international students, who make a positive impact on HE, as well as our economy and society as a whole, are welcome in the UK. They bring significant benefits, by enriching our university campuses, forging lifelong friendships with our domestic students and becoming global ambassadors for the UK.

Domestic students continue to make up the majority of students within our universities. Higher Education Statistics Agency data shows that international students made up 16% of all undergraduate entrants at UK providers in the 2022/23 academic year, down from a high of 18% in the 2019/20 academic year. Tuition fees paid by international students in the 2022/23 academic year are estimated at £12.1 billion, with this contribution supporting provision of places for domestic students and research and development.

The department will continue to monitor available data and engage closely with the HE sector to assess the level of international student admissions to UK universities for the next academic year.