BUILA Survey: UK International Postgraduate Enrolments Fall 6%; 61% of Universities Report Declines
International postgraduate enrolments at UK universities have fallen for a second consecutive year, according to a November 2025 survey by the British Universities International Liaison Association (BUILA). Of 69 universities responding, 61% reported a decrease in international postgraduate starters in September 2025 compared with the previous year, and overall overseas enrolments across all study levels were down 6%, a smaller drop than the 20% recorded in 2024.
By market, postgraduate enrolments from the EU and the US rose by average figures of 13% and 19% respectively. China saw the steepest falls, with 80% of universities reporting average declines of 17%, while 63% of institutions reported average drops of 9% from India.
BUILA chair Andrew Bird said the continued decline is largely driven by increased competition from other global study destinations. BUILA noted that international students made up 71% of full-time postgraduate enrolments in 2023-24, and cited Migration Observatory figures showing that study visas issued fell by 19% between 2022 and 2024.
Source: BUILA
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图中是牛津大学的 Radcliffe Camera 图书馆建筑。David Iliff, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
