Benefits ‘10 times greater than the cost’
After a major study has shown that international students contribute more than £20bn to the UK economy, Prime Minister Theresa May is under renewed pressure to omit such students from the immigration.
The study – jointly published by the Higher Education Policy Institute and Kaplan International Pathways – says on top of tuition fees, their spending has become a major factor in supporting local economies – totalling around £20bn each year.
Nick Hillman, the director of the Higher Education Policy Institute, said international students bring economic benefits to the UK that are “worth 10 times the cost of hosting them”.
“Trying to persuade the Home Office that international students nearly always benefit the UK can feel like banging one’s head against a brick wall,” Hillman added.
There are about 230,000 students arriving each year for university courses in the UK, with China the most common country of origin.
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