National statistics

Why do people come to the UK? To study

Updated 4 September 2023

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-system-statistics-year-ending-march-2023/why-do-people-come-to-the-uk-to-study

Back to ‘Immigration system statistics, year ending March 2023’ contents page.

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Data relates to the year ending March 2023 and all comparisons are with the year ending March 2022 (unless indicated otherwise). Additional comparisons are also provided with the pre-coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic period and for longer-term trends.

Summary of statistics for study visas

In the year ending March 2023:

  • there were around 480,000 grants to main applicants on sponsored study visas, 22% higher than in the previous year
  • Indian nationals accounted for almost 30% of all sponsored study grants to main applicants – the highest of all nationalities
  • almost one quarter of all sponsored study related visas granted were to dependants of students

For the year ending March 2023, there were 477,931 sponsored study visas granted to main applicants, this is 22% more than in the year ending March 2022 and 108% more than 2019, prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Changes in visa numbers over recent years will reflect a range of factors including policy changes and the changes in travel patterns following the COVID-19 pandemic, so comparisons should still be treated with some caution at this point. For further discussion and detail see ‘Recent changes to visa numbers in Home Office data’.

Figure 1: Sponsored study visas granted to main applicants between year ending March 2019 and year ending March 2023, by nationality grouping

Source: Entry clearance visa applications and outcomes – Vis_D02

Figure 1 shows that between 2019 and 2023, there has been a 108% increase in sponsored study visa grants to main applicants.

Figure 2: Sponsored study visas granted to main applicants by quarter, from year ending March 2018 to year ending March 2023

Source: Entry clearance visa applications and outcomes – Vis_D02

Figure 2 shows that there are usually more sponsored study grants to main applicants in quarter 3, which corresponds to the beginning of the academic year. Quarter 2 of 2020 was directly impacted by the pandemic with grants dropping to 525. However, we have seen a different pattern of grants issued across quarters 1 (January to March) and 2 (April to June) in the subsequent 2 years compared to the periods prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting there is still some rebalancing in travel and study patterns.

A total of 92,951 Graduate route extensions were granted to previous students in the year ending March 2023. 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.

1.1 Nationalities of sponsored study visas granted to main applicants

In the year ending March 2023, grants of visas to study increased by 23% for non-EEA nationals compared to year ending March 2022. Visas granted to EEA nationals decreased slightly (down 3%).

Figure 3: Sponsored study visas granted to main applicants between year ending March 2018 and year ending March 2023 (top 5 nationalities)

Source: Entry clearance visa applications and outcomes – Vis_D02

Figure 3 shows that there were 138,532 sponsored study visa grants to Indian nationals in year ending March 2023, an increase of 53,429 (+63%) compared to year ending March 2022 and the largest number of study visas granted to any nationality. Grants to study for Indian nationals have risen markedly since year ending March 2019 and are now around 7 times higher.

Chinese nationals were the second most common nationality granted sponsored study visas in year ending March 2023, with 100,397 visas grants, 14% fewer than the 116,312 in year ending March 2022. Chinese and Indian nationals together comprised half (50%) of all sponsored study grants. Of the top 5 nationalities granted sponsored study visas, Nigerian nationals saw the largest percentage increase, up 83% to 57,636.

From 1 January 2021, changes in the immigration rules mean that EEA and Swiss (excluding Irish) nationals now require a visa to study in the UK. In year ending March 2023, there were a total of 22,457 sponsored study visas granted to EEA and Swiss students, a decrease of 616 (-3%) compared to year ending March 2022. Of all EEA and Swiss nationals, French students received the most sponsored study visa grants (4,083, 18% of total), followed by German students (4,040, also 18%) and Spanish students (3,180, 14%). Together these 3 nationalities accounted for half (50%) of all EEA and Swiss grants of sponsored study visas in year ending March 2023.

2. Dependants of sponsored study visa holders

Sponsored study visa holders may be able to bring partners and children (‘dependants’) to the UK. In this section, sponsored study related visas refer to visas granted to primary sponsored study visa holders and their dependants.

In the year ending March 2023, almost one quarter (24%) of all sponsored study related visas granted were to dependants of students (149,400), compared to 15% (72,062) in the year ending March 2022, as shown in Figure 4.

Source: Entry clearance visa applications and outcomes – Vis_D02

Figure 4 shows that in the year ending March 2023, around 73% of visas issued to dependents of students were issued to 2 nationalities – Indians and Nigerians.

Nigeria had the highest number of dependants (66,796) of sponsored study visa holders in the year ending March 2023, increasing from 27,137 in the year ending March 2022. Indian nationals had the second highest number of dependants, increasing from 22,598 to 42,381.

Since 2019, both the total number of dependants and the proportion of all sponsored study related visas granted to dependants have increased. This may reflect a change in the composition of students, if for example there are a greater number of older students attracted to study in the UK.

3. Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) used for sponsored study visas to main applicants

This section relates to the number of ‘Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies’ (CAS) used in applications for sponsored study visas. This presents the number of students applying to study in the main educational sectors. A CAS is considered ‘used’ when an applicant receives a decision on their visa application.

In year ending March 2023, the total number of CAS used in a study visa application was 477,390, 29% higher than the year ending March 2022.

More than 9 in 10 (91%) CAS used were for sponsored study at higher education (university) institutions.

Figure 5: Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) used for sponsored study visas by institution year ending March 2023

Source: Study sponsorship (Confirmation of acceptance for Studies) – CAS_D01

Figure 5 shows that higher education institutions are the most common educational institutions applied for from overseas. Higher education institutions almost doubled from 222,047 to 433,102 in the year ending March 2023, compared to the year ending September 2019, which corroborates the increase seen in study visas granted over the same period. All other institutions combined increased by 21%, to 44,288. However, when comparing year ending March 2022 to year ending March 2023, higher education increased by 29% (to 433,102) and all other institutions increased by 23% (to 44,288).

4. Short term study

In addition to those coming on sponsored study visas, there were 4,675 short-term study visas granted in the year ending March 2023 (for English language courses lasting longer than 6 months and up to 11 months).

Not every person will require a visa for short-term study in the UK. For example, non-visa nationals are permitted up to 6 months of short-term study and will not be included in the number of short-term study visas. Data on non-visa nationals coming for short-term study is not currently available but prior to the pandemic the largest numbers arriving by this route were nationals of the United States.

People who require a visa to come to the UK can now apply for a Standard Visitor visa (as of December 2020), for short-term courses lasting up to 6 months, and are included in the visitor visa data. People arriving on this route are not allowed to bring family members (‘dependants’).

5. 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 freedom of movement for European Union (EU) nationals, the vast majority of UK immigration control statistics related to non-European Economic Area (EEA) nationals. From 2021, unless otherwise stated, the statistics 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.

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 COVID-19 pandemic.

5.1 Student (sponsored study)

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

5.2 Child Student (sponsored study)

The Child Student visa has replaced the Tier 4 (Child) Student visa as of 5 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.

5.3 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 5 October 2020 and has been replaced with the Student and Child Student routes.

5.4 Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)

From October to December 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 January to March 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 decided sponsorship applications in the 4 main educational sectors: universities (higher education), further education, independent schools and English language schools.

5.5 Short-term study

The current Short-term study visa (previously described as ‘Student visitor’) is for English language courses lasting longer than 6 months and up to 11 months. Individuals with this visa cannot extend their stay. People coming to the UK for short-term courses (lasting up to 6 months) can apply for a Standard Visitor visa. 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).

5.6 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 revising their methods for measuring population and migration but have released provisional experimental statistics for the year ending December 2022.

In January 2023, HESA published its latest ‘Higher Education Student Statistics UK’ for the academic year 2021 to 2022. HESA publishes data on new entrants to UK higher education providers for both EEA and non-EEA nationals.

6. Data tables

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

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