UK: international students “over-represented” in rising uni complaints

As it reported a record number of complaints, the Office of the Independent Adjudicator’s (OIA) 2024 report noted that – in line with previous years – international students are “over-represented” in recording grievances.

Almost one in four complaints in 2024 were made by international students, the report showed. Just over a third (34%) of the complaints came from non-EU students, 5% from EU students and the remaining 61% from home students.

These figures were roughly in line with 2023 numbers, when 60% of complaints were logged by home students, two thirds (36%) by non-EU students and the remaining 4% by EU students.

“As in previous years, international students continue to be over-represented in the complaints that we received in 2024,” the report noted.

“Although there have been some changes to the visa system for international students and fluctuations in how successful English and Welsh providers have been in attracting international students, we have not seen any direct impact within our casework yet.”

According to the report, there were 3,613 complains logged with the OIA in 2024 – the ninth consecutive year than the number of complaints have risen and a 15% increase on the 3,137 complaints recorded in 2023.

The report noted that students from around the world “continue to place a high value on the opportunity to study in the UK and the opportunity to work here following the successful completion of their studies”.

Stakeholders should therefore “reflect” upon international students’ complaints – especially given the immense “financial and personal costs” to international students who are unable to complete their studies successfully.

Postgraduate students are also proportionately more likely to make a complaint about their higher education insitution than undergraduate students.

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