International postgraduate enrolments continue to fall across UK universities

Fresh enrolment data indicates a further fall in overseas students starting postgraduate courses in September 2025, marking another year of decline.

Of 69 universities responding to a survey from the British Universities International Liaison Association (BUILA) in November 2025, 61% reported a decrease in postgraduate enrolments in international students in September 2025-26 compared with the previous year.

Across all study levels, overall enrolments from overseas students are down 6%, according to the latest release from BUILA.

Despite the drop, data shows that many institutions are seeing growth in postgraduate enrolments from the EU and the US, with average rises of 13% and 19% respectively.

But the biggest overall enrolment drops came from China, where 80% of universities reported average declines of 17%. For India, 63% of institutions reported average drops of 9%.

The decline is not as steep as previous years, where in November 2024, 80% of universities reported lower international postgraduate enrolments, with a 20% decrease overall, according to HESA data. 

International students play a key role in UK postgraduate education, in 2023-24 making up 71% of full-time postgraduate enrolments and contributing significantly to universities’ teaching and research capacity. 

The continued decline in international postgraduate enrolments this year is largely driven by increased competition from other global education destinations
_{Andrew Bird, BUILA}

“The continued decline in international postgraduate enrolments this year is largely driven by increased competition from other global education destinations,” explained Andrew Bird, chair of BUILA.

“With global competition intensifying, the government must act to protect the UK’s reputation as a world-leading study destination while balancing its immigration agenda.”

The total number of study visas issued to international students fell by 19% between 2022 and 2024, as reported by The Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford. 

The decline in study visas comes as universities prepare for the introduction of the international student levy, which will see English universities will charged a flat fee of £925 per international student per year from August 2028.

Under the levy, each institution will receive an allowance covering only their first 220 students each year.

The continued drop in international student numbers is likely to put additional financial pressure on universities, which rely heavily on fees from these students to support their budgets. 

“With measures like the international student levy and tighter recruitment rules still to come, we urge the government to deliver a much-needed period of stability for the sector,” Bird added.

“The budget confirmed that the levy will be introduced from 2028, so while 2026 enrolments are unlikely to be impacted, universities will be considering how to navigate the impact of this in a challenging financial environment.”

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