UK looks to cash in on student influx

Chinese enrollments stand to deliver huge benefits throughout economy

As the new academic year starts, it is not just British universities and their accommodation providers that are keen to see how many Chinese students turn up physically for their enrollment week.

European destinations, attractions and hotels are also important in this market and keen to know whether the student market will prove to be a lucrative source of tourists this year.

China has long been a leading source of international students for the UK. The Higher Education Statistics Agency says that in 2010-20,35 percent of all students from outside the European Union were from China. The number of students from China rose to 141,870, or by 56 percent, over the five years to 2019-20.

Helena Beard, managing director of Guanxi, a Chinese marketing and PR agency in Brighton, said: "The Chinese are far and away the most important cohort of all international students for UK universities."

Dimitrios Buhalis, deputy director of the international center for tourism and hospitality research at Bournemouth University, said: "The Chinese student market is very important for the UK educational system … Chinese students enrolled in higher education institutions are not only paying international fees, but also staying in university accommodation and spending living expenses, making a significant contribution to the British economy in many cities with leading universities."

One in 10 students at Russell Group, which represents Britain's top 24 research-intensive universities, is Chinese, with a fifth of Russell Group income derived from China, and at Glasgow University about 31 percent of total tuition income comes from Chinese students, according to a report by The Times.

Although the final figures for Chinese students coming to study in the UK are not yet available, experts say indicators are promising.

Important initiatives are in place to help Chinese students come to the UK, either to begin studying for their degrees or returning to studies. More than 50 universities, including Imperial College London, the University of Bristol and the University of Exeter, have jointly chartered four flights to bring in 1,200 Chinese students in time to start their degrees this month, The Times said.

There are no direct flights from the UK to the Chinese mainland now, but students from the mainland can travel to Hong Kong, from where they can fly to the UK. Airport transfers between Heathrow Airport and UK campuses are reportedly being organized, although students arriving from China need to isolate on campus for 10 days upon arrival.

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service says that following the UK's withdrawal from the EU, the number of those from the continent wanting to study in the UK has fallen sharply, even as applications from Chinese students have continued to rise.

On Aug 10 the service reported a 56 percent fall in accepted applicants from EU countries. There was a 9 percent rise in the number of new applicants from outside the EU, with the number of applications from China rising 25 percent this year.

"Chinese applicants to UK universities now outstrip the total number of would-be students from the EU, highlighting the impact of Brexit," Beard said. Rule changes since Brexit mean EU students now pay higher international fees at most British universities.

Key factor

The other key factor at play is the decline in popularity of other major international study destinations, such as the United States and Australia.

"Political tensions, visa issues, reports of racist attacks and severe travel restrictions have worked together to knock these traditional study choices off the top spots, leaving the way open for the UK this year," Beard said.

While the overall size of the market will not be clear until all students have been enrolled, Beard said experts are unanimous that the UK's share of this market will have risen this year.

Andy Howells, assistant director of Universities UK International, which represents more than 140 UK universities, said: "One year's intake of international students is worth more than 28 billion pounds ($38.2 billion) to the UK economy, leaving every part of the UK financially better off, on average by 390 pounds per person. Beyond this, ​international students make a tremendous social and cultural contribution to UK university campuses and communities."