The Majority of the British Public Want More International Students

Nearly three-quarters (73%) of the British public would like to see the same number or more international students coming to study in the UK, after discovering the contribution they make to the economy and the jobs they generate.

The findings were revealed in a new poll conducted by ComRes for Universities UK, based on the views of over 4,000 British adults.

Key Findings

• After discovering the contribution international and EU students make to the economy and the jobs they generate, 73% of the British public would like to see the same number or more international students coming to the UK (24% say they would like to see more, on top of the 49% who would like to see the same number).
• In relation to the UK government's immigration policy, only 26% of British adults think of international students as immigrants.
• Two in three (64%) British adults think international students have a positive impact on the local economies of the towns and cities in which they study.
• 58% of British adults agree that this economic contribution helps to create jobs.
• 61% of the British public think that international students have a valuable social and cultural impact on the towns and cities in which they live.
• Three-quarters (75%) of the British public agree that international students should be able to work in the UK for a fixed period of time after they have graduated, rather than returning immediately to their home country after completing their study.

Responding to the poll, Dame Julia Goodfellow, President of Universities UK and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kent, said: "It is clear that the positive economic impact of international students extends to all corners of the UK, and not only to London or one or two large cities. The poll shows also the public recognises the valuable social and cultural impact international students have in regions across the country."