National statistics

Study

Published 27 August 2015

Valid: 27 August 2015 to 25 November 2015

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This section includes figures on study-related visas granted, passenger arrivals and extensions granted for non-EEA nationals. It also includes figures on long-term immigration to study (i.e. those intending to stay for at least 12 months to study) for non-EU nationals.

Data include dependants as well as main applicants unless stated otherwise. Estimates of long-term immigration for study from the ONS International Passenger Survey (IPS) relate to those whose main reason for migration is to study and so are likely to exclude dependants (who would be more likely to say their main reason was to ‘accompany or join’ rather than to study). All comparisons are with the previous 12 months unless indicated.

1. Key facts

Study-related visas (excluding student visitors) granted fell slightly to 216,769 in the year ending June 2015 (-1%; -1,470). Over the same period, the number of university-sponsored study visa applications (main applicants) rose slightly (167,426; +0.2%) and there were falls for other sectors, notably a 13% fall for the further education sector (-2,634) to 17,172.

In the year ending March 2015, the ONS estimates that there were 137,000 non-EU long-term immigrants coming to study and who had an intention to remain a year or more, an 11% (+14,000) increase, though not statistically significant. Over the same period, the number of long-term (1 year or more) study-related visas granted (main applicants) was unchanged at 140,222. By contrast, also in the year ending March 2015, ONS estimates that the number of non-EU former students who were long-term emigrants from the UK was much lower at 41,000.

The top 5 nationalities accounted for over half (53%) of all study visas granted in the year ending June 2015, with the largest number going to Chinese nationals (68,294 or 32% of the total). There were higher numbers of study visas granted (excluding student visitors) for Chinese (+6,802; +11%) and Malaysian (+690; +7%) nationals, and fewer Bangladeshi (-1,671; -52%), Indian (-1,251; -10%) and Pakistani (-981; -21%) nationals.

Study-related grants of extensions fell by over a quarter (-27%) to 70,066 in the year ending June 2015. Corresponding sponsored applications data (main applicants) showed a 28% fall, largely due to fewer applications for the further education sector. Refusals of study-related extensions increased by 17%. These trends are likely to reflect previous falls in the visas granted and tightening of the rules such as the new use of the “genuineness” test.

Looking at individuals’ previous category, an estimated 74,761 former students (main applicants) were granted extensions in 2014, compared with 112,432 for 2013. The majority (84%) of these extensions allowed individuals to continue to study, but there was an increase in former students granted extensions to work (7,043 compared with 6,238 in 2013), mainly for skilled work.

Study immigration: latest trends

	Year ending June 2014	Year ending June 2015	Change	Percentage change
Study-related visas granted (excl. student visitors)	218,239	216,769	-1,470	-1%
of which (Top 5):
China	61,492	68,294	+6,802	+11%
United States	13,991	13,822	-169	-1%
India	13,115	11,864	-1,251	-10%
Nigeria	11,499	10,821	-678	-6%
Malaysia	10,001	10,691	+690	+7%
Student visitor visas (main applicants only)	78,075	64,181	-13,894	-18%
	Year ending March 2014	Year ending March 2015	Change	Percentage change
Long-term immigration for study (1) excluding dependants (1)	123,000	137,000	+14,000	+11%
Long-term (1 year or more) study-related visas granted excluding dependants	140,222	140,222	+0	0%

Table notes

Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics April to June 2015,Visas table vi 04, Visas table vi 06 q s, International Passenger Survey, Office for National Statistics, Migration Statistics Quarterly Report.
(1) Immigration for study data are estimates of the number of non-EU nationals intending to change their residence to the UK for at least 12 months based on the International Passenger Survey.

2. Long-term trends in student immigration

Chart notes

Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics April to June 2015, Visas tables vi 04 q (Visas volume 1), Admissions table ad 02 q and corresponding datasets, Office for National Statistics, Migration.
(1) Excludes student visitors who are allowed to come to the UK for 6 months (or 11 months if they will be studying an English Language course) and cannot extend their stay.
(2) For periods prior to the year ending September 2008, the count of student admissions is not comparable as there was no specific admissions category for student visitors who may then have been recorded as either students or visitors.

The above chart shows that IPS long-term immigration estimates, while being substantially lower as they cover only those intending to remain a year or more, follow a broadly similar trend to student visas granted and passenger arrivals, with increases in all 3 series during 2009 and decreases after the year ending June 2011 (and study visas granted and IPS increasing more recently). In the latest quarter, the numbers of study visas of a year or more and the IPS estimates for long-term migration are almost identical, although that has not always been the case.

There are a range of potential reasons why IPS figures for long-term migrants may be different from figures for study visas granted or passenger arrivals, and hence why the trends in the different series do not match, including:

• sampling variation in the IPS (for example, the increase of 14,000 in study-related immigration for the calendar year 2014 had an estimated confidence interval of +/-24,000)
• IPS data for study relate to individuals whose main reason for migration was study so (unlike visas data) are likely to exclude their dependants i.e. the IPS data are likely to be more comparable with visa main applicants than with total visas data
• differences between intentions and visa length
• individuals may migrate for multiple different reasons
• timing differences between when visas are granted and when an individual actually travels
• visa and admissions data include dependants, and both short-term and long-term migrants

Further comparison of the data is described in the user guide.

3. Register of sponsoring educational institutions

On 30 June 2015 there were 1,516 educational institutions on the UK Visas and Immigration register of sponsoring educational institutions. This was 2% lower than the number on 31 March 2015 (1,543), and 6% lower than a year earlier (30 June 2014, 1,607) which continues the reduction in numbers seen since the published series began in October 2011 (2,370). The decrease in the number of sponsoring educational institutions is consistent with the introduction of new accreditation criteria and conditions of status for educational sponsors from April 2011.

4. Sponsored study visa applications by education sector

The number of study-related sponsored visa applications (main applicants) fell 1% in the year ending June 2015 (204,527) compared to the previous 12 months (206,722). This included different trends for different sectors. There was a slight rise in sponsored visa applications for the university sector (to 167,426; +0.2%) and falls in the further education sector (to 17,172; -13%) and English Language schools (to 3,245; -1%) along with a rise in the independent schools sector (to 13,797; +5%).

Study-related sponsored visa applications by sector

Chart notes

Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics April to June 2015, Sponsorship table cs 09 q.
‘Universities’ relate to UK-based Higher Education Institutions.
‘Further education’ relates to tertiary, further education or other colleges.

4.1 New entrants to UK Higher Education

Between the 2012/13 and 2013/14 academic years non-EU new entrants to universities increased by 4% (to 179,390 students) compared with increases of 2% for UK (to 759,160) and for other EU students (to 57,190). Comparing 2013/14 with 2008/9 the corresponding changes were an increase of 24% for non-EU students and falls of 19% and 5% for UK and other EU students, Higher Education Student Enrolments and Qualifications Obtained at Higher Education Providers in the United Kingdom 2013/14, (Source: HESA).

5. Immigration for study, and emigration of former students

In the year ending March 2015, the ONS estimates that there were 137,000 non-EU long-term study immigrants, an 11% (+14,000) increase (though not statistically significant) compared with the previous 12 months.

By contrast, in the year ending March 2015 there were an estimated 41,000 former students who emigrated long term from the UK, a statistically significant decrease from 50,000 in the previous 12 months.

Source: ONS, International Passenger Survey, Migration Statistics Quarterly Report.

6. Extensions of stay

Study-related grants of extensions fell by over a quarter (-27% or -26,183) to 70,066 in the year ending June 2015, compared with the previous 12 months (96,249). This followed a fall from 135,947 in the year ending June 2011 to 100,470 in the year ending June 2013. The 70,066 extensions included 329 grants under the Tier 4 Doctorate Extension Scheme introduced on 6 April 2013.

The fall in grants of extensions of stay is likely to reflect previous falls in the numbers granted visas, together with tightening of the rules such as the new use of the “genuineness” test for study (Tier 4) extensions of stay, announced on 6 September 2013, Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules.

Looking at individuals’ previous category, an estimated 74,761 former students (main applicants) were granted extensions in 2014, compared with 112,432 for 2013. Of the extensions granted, the majority (84%) allowed individuals to continue to study, 9% allowed individuals to work (7,043 extensions, of which 5,639 were for Tier 2 skilled work) and 5% were family related. The corresponding proportions in 2013 were 89%, 6% (6,238, of which 4,176 for skilled work) and 5% and in 2012 were 62%, 33% and 4% respectively.

Note that student visitors are normally only allowed to stay for up to 6 months (11 months for English Language schools) and cannot extend their stay.

7. Sponsored study applications for extensions, by education sector

The number of study-related sponsored applications (main applicants) for extensions (main applicants) fell by 28% (-24,225) from 87,539 to 63,314. The 24,225 drop was largely accounted for by a fall of almost two-thirds for the further education sector (-17,059 or -68%). There were also falls for universities (-5,291 or -9%), Independent schools (-306 or -18%) and for English language schools (-225 or -27%).

8. Student visitors

Student visitors are granted a visa for a maximum of 6 months in duration or in a very small number of cases for 11 months if studying an English Language course. Student visitors are not counted as long-term migrants and cannot extend their stay, so they are not included within the references to study visas in this section.

There were 279,000 student visitor admissions in the calendar year 2014, much higher than the numbers of student visitor visas granted (73,607 over the same period). This is due to many of the top 10 nationalities for student visitor admissions being non-visa nationalities (including the United States and Brazil). Such nationals do not need to obtain a visa if they wish to come to the UK as a student visitor for up to 6 months and so are included in the admissions data but not the visas data.

The number of student visitor visas granted fell by 18% (-13,894) to 64,181 in the year ending June 2015, after previously having doubled from 37,703 in 2009 to 77,601 in 2013. For further information see the Home Office research report ‘Student visitors’.

9. Staying in the UK

The Migrant Journey Fifth Report reported that 16% of those granted student visas in 2008 appear to have legally remained in the immigration system or settled in the UK after 5 years (a lower proportion than the 24% for the earlier 2004 cohort, which may reflect the tightening of the Immigration Rules for students since September 2007).

After 5 years only 1% had been granted permission to stay permanently (settlement). This small proportion is likely to reflect the rules for the student category (which does not lead to settlement) as individuals would have needed to switch into other immigration categories that lead to settlement, and the time that would then need to elapse before a settlement application can be made.

Source: Home Office, Migrant Journey Fifth Report.

10. Data tables

Data on student immigration, sourced from Home Office administrative systems, can be found in the following tables:

Sponsorship: tables cs 07 q to cs 14 q.

Visas vol. 1: tables vi 01 q, vi 04 and vi 04 q.
vi 01 q Entry clearance visa applications and resolution by category
vi 04 Entry clearance visas granted by category
vi 04 q Entry clearance visas granted by category

Visas vol. 3: table vi 06 q s.
vi 06 q s Entry clearance visas granted by category and country of nationality: Study

Admissions: tables ad 02 to ad 03 and ad 03 s.

Extensions: tables ex 01 to ex 02 s.

The Office for National Statistics publishes data on student immigration, Migration Statistics Quarterly Report.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency publishes data on new entrants to UK Higher Education providers.