UK Eyes Int’l Student Enrollment Increase by Focusing on Middle East

After a report indicated that its market share is “weak,” the United Kingdom will be focusing on the Middle East in its effort to attract more than 600,000 international students to study in the country.

According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, UK institutions could lose up to 19 billion GBP as a result of the pandemic, which has led to a reduction in international student numbers.

Key Takeaways:

• According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, the pandemic might cost UK institutions up to 19 billion GBP.
• The UK will focus its efforts on the Middle East in order to attract more than 600,000 international students to study in the country.
• In 16 of the top 21 countries and territories that send students overseas, the UK lost market share between 2010 and 2018.

Between 2010 and 2018, the UK lost market share in 16 of the top 21 nations and territories that sent students abroad, according to new data.

Despite a general decline in international student applications, the number of Middle Eastern students applying to the UK is constantly increasing.

In comparison to 2019, the number of UAE students accepted into undergraduate programs grew by 16 percent last year. Students from Oman climbed by 18 percent, while those from Saudi Arabia increased by 29 percent.

By 2030, the UK wants to raise its global market share of international students by a third, from 450,000 to 600,000, to maintain its position as the second-most popular destination for international students behind the United States.

Half of the students claimed they weren’t ready to start their course before the current academic year, indicating a knowledge and support gap during the important transition to studying in the UK.

In response, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) has released Myriad, a free app that will assist overseas students in exploring educational opportunities in the United Kingdom.

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