National statistics

Why do people come to the UK? To study

Updated 3 March 2022

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Data relate to 2021 and all comparisons are with 2020, unless indicated otherwise.

On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak as a global pandemic. A range of restrictions were implemented in many parts of the world, and the first UK lockdown measures were announced on 23 March 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the UK immigration system, both in terms of restricting migrant movements to and from the UK and the impact on operational capacity.

Year ending comparisons that follow will reflect the restrictions in place during this period of the pandemic.

This section contains data on:

  • Sponsored study visas
  • Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) by education sector
  • Short-term students

1. Immigration for study

In 2021, there were 432,279 Sponsored study visas granted (to both main applicants and their dependants), 89% (203,313) more than the previous year and 52% (147,558) higher than 2019. Of the 432,279 Sponsored visas granted, 13,128 (3%) were under Tier 4 rules and 419,151 (97%) were under the new Student and Child Student routes introduced on the 5th October 2020. Please note that year-on-year changes have been impacted by changes to travel plans and patterns due to the pandemic so should be treated with caution.

The number of Sponsored study visas granted in 2021, is the highest on record with the substantial increase representing both a recovery from lower numbers during the Covid-19 pandemic but also an increase on the pre-pandemic period. It is 41% higher than the previous record of 307,394 which occurred in the year ending June 2010.

Figure 1: Sponsored study visa grants, year ending by quarter, 2009 to 2021

Source: Entry clearance visa applications and outcomes – Vis_D02

Figure 1 shows that Sponsored study visa grants initially peaked in the year ending June 2010. Grants fell a year later until 2012 where they remained broadly level at around 225,000 until 2018. From the year ending September 2018 to the year ending March 2020, sponsored study grants increased steadily to a high of almost 300,000. This was followed by a sharp decrease due to the pandemic, with the year ending September 2020 showing the lowest number of sponsored study grants since this statistical series began. However, the numbers of students granted a visa have since strongly recovered, and now sit at a new high of over 432,000 in 2021.

Since 1st January 2021, EEA and Swiss (excluding Irish) nationals starting a course require a study visa. There have been 22,714 Sponsored study visa grants to EEA and Swiss students since this date, which is 5% of the total for 2021 (see section 1.1 for details).

Figure 2: Number of Sponsored study visas granted, by month, 2019, 2020 and 2021

Source: Entry clearance visa applications and outcomes – Vis_D02

Applications and grants were very likely moved to later months due to the impact of the pandemic on students’ plans and this will have had a significant impact on the year-on-year comparisons and overall total this year.

Figure 2 shows that there were no Sponsored study grants in April and May 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Grants started to recover after May 2020 but remained much lower than the previous year until September 2020. From September 2020, Sponsored study grants were consistently higher for each of the last four months of the year and also into the next year. The chart also shows that there was a significant increase in Sponsored study grants in August 2021 and then a further large increase in September, where grants were more than double the number in September 2019. Grants in Oct 2021 dipped below 2020 for the first time, but 2021 regained the top grants for November and December. Grants in 2020 and 2021 Q4 were over three times the number seen in 2019 Q4.

There are a few possible explanations as to why the statistics have followed these patterns.

Students who, due to the pandemic either deferred starting a course, took a break from studying and are now resuming, or began a course by distance learning last year and did not choose to apply for a visa at that point could be returning to in-person educational settings. There may also be some continued trend of growth in international students applying for visas to study, as from 2017 until the pandemic, there had been a strong annual growth in student visas, averaging at approximately 10% per annum over the period. Additionally, changes to immigration rules regarding study visas over this period may have also encouraged increased numbers of applications and grants.

Chinese nationals were the most common nationality granted Sponsored study visas in 2021, with 119,334 visas granted, similar to the number seen in 2019 (119,825). This accounted for 28% of the total Sponsored study visas granted, much lower than the peak of 43% of the total sponsored study visas granted in the year ending September 2019. The last time Chinese grants were less than 30% of all sponsored study grants was 2014. COVID-19 restrictions were implemented early in China, from January 2020, and therefore may have disproportionately affected the number of study grants to Chinese students in 2020. Before travel restrictions were implemented, there had been a steady rise in the number and proportion of Sponsored study visas granted to Chinese nationals since 2009, when they made up only 14% of visas granted in the student route.

There were 98,747 grants to Indian nationals in 2021, an increase of 46,737 (+90%) compared to the previous year and 164% higher than 2019. Indian nationals remain the nationality with the second highest number of Sponsored study visa grants. Chinese and Indian nationals together comprise half (50%) of all Sponsored study grants.

In the other top 5 nationalities, Nigerian nationals saw the largest relative increase in Sponsored Study grants compared with 2019, increasing by 34,816 (+415%) to a record high of 43,200, making them the third largest nationality group last year. Pakistani nationals also saw a large increase of 12,606 across this period (+256%). In contrast, United States nationals only saw a modest increase of 786 (+5%) on 2019.

Additionally, Bangladeshi nationals increased from just 2,172 to 10,999 (+406%) compared with 2019. This made Bangladeshi nationals the sixth largest group.

Table 1: Top 5 nationalities1 granted Sponsored study visas, 2019, 2020 and 2021

Nationality 2019 2020 2021 Percentage
change 2019/2021		 Percentage
change 2020/2021
China 119,825 81,268 119,334 -<1% +47%
India 37,396 52,010 98,747 +164% +90%
Nigeria 8,384 12,845 43,200 +415% +236%
Pakistan 4,927 6,432 17,533 +256% +173%
United States 14,837 8,339 15,623 +5% +87%
Other Nationalities 99,352 68,072 137,842 +39% +102%
Total 284,721 228,966 432,279 +52% +89%

Source: Entry clearance visa applications and outcomes Vis_D02

Notes:

  1. Top 5 nationalities in the most recent year.

  2. ‘Other nationalities’ includes all nationalities that don’t feature in the top 5 in the latest year.

Those coming on Sponsored study visas bring relatively few dependants, with 87% of the visas issued being to main applicants, compared with 68% for Work visas.

There were 55,097 sponsored study grants to dependants in 2021. This was over treble (+243%) the 16,047 grants seen in 2019 and an increase of 35,958 (+188%) on 2020. Dependants had a larger relative increase compared to main applicants, which increased by 40% (+108,508) from 2019.

In addition to those coming on sponsored visas, there were 4,647 Short-term Study visas granted in 2021. This was 78% fewer than the previous year and only 4% of the pre-pandemic peak of 119,689 in 2019, the largest total since the year ending September 2009. The reduction is similar to the reductions seen in visitor numbers and, as for other types of visitors, this decrease is likely due to restrictions on international travel during the pandemic.

Not every person will require a visa for short-term study in the UK. For example, non-visa nationals are permitted up to six months of short-term study and will not be included in the number of short-term study visas. Data on nationalities coming for short-term study is not currently available but prior to the pandemic the largest numbers arriving by this route were Americans.

In 2020, 37,873 former Tier 4 Child Student or Tier 4 General Student visa holders extended their leave in the UK, either for further study or to remain in the UK for other reasons, such as for marriage or work.

In August 2020, the Home Office published its ‘Fifth report on statistics relating to exit checks’, which showed that the vast majority (97%) of those with Sponsored study (Tier 4) visas expiring in the year ending March 2020, were known to have departed from the UK before their visa expired.

1.1 The effects of new rules on the immigration system (study)

From the 1st of January 2021, changes in the immigration rules mean that EEA and Swiss (excluding Irish) nationals require a visa to study in the UK. In 2021, there were a total of 22,714 Sponsored study visa grants to EEA and Swiss students, 5% of the total number of overseas student visas issued in this period. This is a more modest proportion compared to work visas, which saw 30,514 work visas granted to EEA and Swiss nationals in the same period, 13% of the total for work. Study visa applications fluctuate with respect to the academic year, with 83% of sponsored study visa grants to EEA and Swiss students in 2021 occurring in Q3 (July to September).

For EEA and Swiss nationals, French students had the highest number of Sponsored study grants (4,158), followed by students from Germany (3,816) and Spain (3,448). Together these three nationalities accounted for (50%) of all EEA and Swiss grants to study in 2021.

The new Graduate route was introduced on 01 July 2021, which allows students who have successfully completed a bachelor’s degree, postgraduate degree or other eligible course to stay in the UK for a period after their studies to work or look for work. A Graduate visa lasts for two years, or three years in the case of completing a PhD or other doctoral qualification. Further information on the number of extensions granted in this category can be found in the ‘How many people continue their stay in the UK or apply to stay permanently’ topic.

This section relates to the number of Certificates of Acceptance for Study (CAS) used in main applications for study visas which allow us to present the numbers of students applying to study in the main different educational sectors.

In 2021 the total number CAS used in study visa applications was 349,533. This was a 44% increase on the 241,898 seen in 2019. A more detailed breakdown can be found in the detailed sponsorship tables.

The vast majority of visas (90%) are for study at Higher Education (university) institutions, with the total divided between:

  • Higher education (90%)
  • Independent schools (4%)
  • Further education (3%)
  • English language schools (2%)
  • Other (1%)

Almost all (98%) of the 107,635 increase on 2019 was seen in Higher Education institutions, with Non-Russell group universities accounting for three-quarters of the increase. Non-Russell group universities now make up 53% of all CAS used, increasing by 80,635 (+77%) on 2019. This is the highest proportion of Non-Russell group CAS on record (excluding data during the 2020 COVID period), with the next highest being 48% in the year ending June 2014.

The most recent Higher Education Statistics Authority’s (HESA) student statistics report covers the 2020 to 2021 academic year, and reported a 6% increase in all first-year student enrolments in academic year 2020 to 2021. Between 2019/20 and 2020/21 there was an increase of 48,500 non-UK student enrolments. This was largely driven by an increase in non-EU students.

2. About these statistics

The statistics in this section provide an indication of the number of people who have an intention to enter the UK for study reasons.

Before 2021, due to European Union (EU) freedom of movement principles, the majority of UK immigration control related to non-European Economic Area (EEA) nationals. From 2021, unless otherwise stated, data in this release relate to both EEA and non-EEA nationals.

Entry clearance visas allow an individual to enter and stay in the UK within the period for which the visa is valid. Data in this section refer to the number of Entry clearance visas granted for study reasons within the period. If an individual was granted a visa more than once in a given period, this has been counted as multiple grants in the statistics.

The data does not show whether, or when, an individual arrived in the UK, what they did on arrival or how long they stayed in the UK.

Year-on-year comparisons of the number of decisions can be affected by quarterly fluctuations in the data. These fluctuations can be examined in the quarterly data in the published tables. Year ending comparisons will also include impacts resulting from the travel restrictions put in place during the pandemic.

2.1 Student (Sponsored study)

The Student visa has replaced the Tier 4 (General) Student visa as of 5th October 2020. It provides a route for students over the age of 16 to study with an approved education provider in the UK.

2.2 Child Student (Sponsored study)

The Child student visa has replaced the Tier 4 (Child) Student visa as of 5th October 2020. It provides a route for students between the ages of 4 and 17 years old to study at an approved independent school in the UK.

2.3 Tier 4 (Sponsored study)

Tier 4 (Sponsored study) provided a route for students to study with an approved education provider. It was implemented from 31 March 2009, replacing previous entry routes for study. It has been discontinued since 5th October 2020 and has been replaced with the Student and Child student routes.

2.4 Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)

From Q4 2019, the method for extracting in-country and out-of-country CAS data has changed. Data quality issues identified as part of this change in methodology has meant that some cases from Q1 2020 onwards are unable to be separately identified as either a visa or extension case, and so have been categorised as ‘unknown’.

To apply for a Student visa or for an extension of stay as a student (sponsored), individuals must use a CAS from a sponsoring educational institution. Study visas applied for with a CAS are also referred to as ‘Sponsored visa applications’. Statistics relating to sponsored acceptances for study measure the number of successful sponsorship applications in the four main educational sectors: universities (higher education), further education, independent schools and English language schools.

2.5 Short-term study

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. Admissions data shows considerably more Short-term student admissions from non-EEA nationals than Short-term student visas granted. This is due to many student visitor admissions being from nationalities 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 (such as US nationals).

2.6 Other sources

Until 2020, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published long-term international migration (LTIM) estimates in its ‘Migration Statistics Quarterly Report’ (latest data available is for the year ending March 2020). The ONS are currently reviewing their methods for measuring population and migration; see their blog post for more information on the latest developments to ONS population and migration data.

In January 2022, HESA published its latest ‘Higher Education Student Statistics UK’ for the academic year 2020 to 2021. HESA publishes data on new entrants to UK higher education providers for both EEA and non-EEA nationals.

3. Data tables

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

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