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While the UK has always been one of the top 3 study abroad destinations for Indian students, recent figures released by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) indicates that there has been a drop in applications from India. While international student applicants have spiked up by 0.7 per cent, there has been a significant 4 per cent drop in Indian student applicants to UK universities in 2023.
"This data indicates a decrease in applications from mature students, particularly impacting fields like nursing. However, it is expected that these applicants will be more inclined to apply later in the process," commented Dr Jo Saxton, Chief Executive, UCAS.
According to experts in the higher education space, the UK Government’s recent visa rules might have something to do with the change in sentiment. According to a new mandate, the UK will limit foreign students from bringing family members with them with the exception of students enrolled in postgraduate research courses and/or availing government funded scholarships. The new regulations, effective from January 2024, has created a fair bit of uncertainty regarding the viability of UK as a prominent study abroad destination for Indian students. Recent media reports highlighting the difficulties faced by many Indian students in getting employment after completing their degrees has only added to the confusion.
In an interview published on Moneycontrol, Adam Tickell, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Birmingham has said that UK will continue to be a favourable study destination for Indian students despite the recent changes. According to Tickell, it is those universities that focus on recruiting lower-performing students which have seen the biggest fall in applicant numbers from India.
