National statistics

Why do people come to the UK? (3) To study

Published 23 August 2018

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Data relate to the year ending June 2018 and all comparisons are with the year ending June 2017, unless indicated otherwise.

This section contains data on:

• Tier 4 (Sponsored study) visas
• Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)
• Short-term students

In January 2018, the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) published its latest ‘Higher Education Student Statistics UK’ for the academic year 2016 to 2017. HESA publishes data on new entrants to UK Higher Education providers.

1. Key facts

In the year ending June 2018, there were 224,097 Tier 4 (Sponsored study) visas granted, a 5% increase on the previous year.

There were notable increases in the number of Tier 4 (sponsored study) visas granted to Chinese nationals (up 9% to 89,304) and Indian nationals (up 32% to 15,392) nationals. Chinese nationals account for 40% of all Tier 4 visas granted.

Over the same period, the number of sponsored study visa applications for Higher Education Institutions rose 7% to 182,199.

2. Tier 4 (Sponsored study) visas

This section analyses trends in Tier 4 (Sponsored study) visas. Details on Short-term study visas can be found in the ‘Short-term students’ section.

Tier 4 (Sponsored study) provides a route for students to study with an approved education provider. Tier 4 of the points based system (PBS), which provides a route for students to study with an approved education provider, was implemented from 31 March 2009, replacing previous entry routes for study.

This category includes all Tier 4 and, prior to 31 March 2009, pre-PBS equivalent visas.

2.1 Trends in Tier 4 (Sponsored study) visas

In the year ending June 2018, there were 233,309 applications for Tier 4 Study visas made, a 4% increase on the previous year, and the highest level since 2014.

Over the same period, there were 224,097 Tier 4 visas granted, a 5% increase on the previous year. The number of grants was at a similar level to the year ending March 2012. This represented a grant rate of 96% (the same rate as the previous year). There were 7,723 refusals, less than 4% of the total and a decrease of 19% compared with the previous year.

The volume of grants is still below the level seen between 2009 and 2011. Most of the fall since this period is likely accounted for by licences issued to sponsors, which have since been revoked (see the user guide for further details).

The grant rate of Tier 4 Study visas has been steadily increasing in the last eight years, and has remained stable in the last year.

Tier 4 (Sponsored study) visa grants and grant rate, year ending June 2009 to the year ending June 2018¹

Source:

Table vi 01 q, (Entry clearance visas tables, volume 1)

Chart note:

1. The number of grants of Tier 4 Study visas is plotted against the left axis. The grant rate of Tier 4 Study visas is plotted against the right axis.

2.2 Tier 4 (sponsored study) visas by nationality

The three nationalities with the largest increase in the number of Tier 4 Study visas granted were:

• Chinese, up 7,084 (+9%) to 89,304
• Indian, up 3,693 (+32%) to 15,392
• Kuwaiti, up 446 (+15%) to 3,449

The three nationalities with the largest decrease in the number of Tier 4 Study visas granted were:

• Indonesian, down 906 (-28%) to 2,328
• Saudi Arabian, down 607 (-7%) to 7,922
• Malaysian, down 341 (-4%) to 7,640

Tier 4 (sponsored study) visas granted, by nationality (top 5), year ending June 2018 compared to the year ending June 2017

Year ending	June 2017	June 2018	Change	Percentage change
China	82,220	89,304	+7,084	+9%
India	11,699	15,392	+3,693	+32%
United States	14,407	14,385	-22	0%
Hong Kong	9,058	9,387	+329	+4%
Saudi Arabia	8,529	7,922	-607	-7%
All nationalities	213,656	224,097	+10,441	+5%

Source:

Table vi 06 q, (Entry clearance visas tables, volume 2)

Three nationalities (Chinese, Indian and US nationals) accounted for over half (53%) of the 224,097 Tier 4 Sponsored study visas granted in the year ending June 2018, with the largest number granted to Chinese nationals (89,304, or 40% of the total).

3. Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)

To apply for a Student visa or for an extension of stay as a student (Tier 4), individuals must use a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) from a sponsoring educational institution.

Study visas applied for with a CAS are also referred to as ‘Sponsored visa applications’.

3.1 Sponsored visa applications by sector

In the year ending June 2018, the number of Study sponsored visa applications (main applicants) rose 6% to 217,060. This included:

• a 7% rise in sponsored visa applications for the Higher Education (University) sector as a whole (to 182,199), made up of a 9% increase for Russell Group universities (to 89,936) and a 4% rise for other universities (to 92,263)
• a 9% increase for the Independent school sector (to 14,066)
• a 38% increase for English language schools (to 4,050)
• a 1% fall for the Further education sector (to 14,289)

Sponsored visa applications, by sector^1,2, year ending December 2010 to the year ending June 2018

Source:

Table cs 09 q, (Sponsorship tables)

Chart notes:

1. ‘Higher Education Institutions’ relate to UK-based universities.
2. ‘Further education’ relates to tertiary, further education or other colleges.

The number of sponsored visa applications for the Higher Education sector has reached its highest level following a small but steady increase over the past two years.

Most of the fall in the Further education sector’s sponsored visa applications since the peak in mid-2011 has been accounted for by licences issued to sponsors being revoked (see the user guide for further details).

Of the 182,199 Study sponsored visa applications for Higher Education Institutions, the nationalities that were granted the highest numbers were:

• Chinese, accounting for 82,175 (or 45%) of all sponsored visa applications (12% higher than the previous year)
• Indian, accounting for 14,324 (or 8%) of sponsored visa applications (31% higher than the previous year)

In January 2018, HESA reported a 7% increase in the number of new entrants from India and China into Higher Education institutions for the academic year 2016 to 2017 (the latest published HESA data), but no change overall in the total number of non-EU new entrants.

4. Short-term students

The Short-term study visa (previously described as Student visitor) allows individuals to come to the UK for 6 months (or 11 months if they will be studying an English language course). Individuals with this visa cannot extend their stay (further details can be found at Short-term study visa).

There were 229,000 Short-term student admissions for non-EEA nationals in 2017 (latest available data by purpose of journey), more than twice the number of Short-term student visas granted (106,840) over the same period. This is due to many student visitor admissions being from nationalities (such as the US) that are not required to obtain a visa if they wish to come to the UK as a short-term student for 6 months or less.

5. Data tables

Data on student immigration can be found in the following tables:

Sponsorship tables
Visas tables volume 1
Visas tables volume 2
Visas tables volume 3
Admissions tables
Extensions tables