Scotland: A recent Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) report has shown a sharp decline in international students joining Scotland’s universities. The statistics indicate a fall of 9,380 international students in the 2023/24 academic year compared to the previous year.
Postgraduate courses hit the hardest
The sharpest fall was seen in postgraduate taught courses, with a 25.7% sector average year-to-year drop. International undergraduate numbers also fell, albeit at a slower rate of 3.8%. Across all study levels, the average decline in overseas numbers was 20%.
Impact on University finances
Universities Scotland Director Claire McPherson cautioned that the abrupt drop has serious financial ramifications for universities. “The sector average fall of 25% conceals even sharper falls for some institutions, depending on the range of countries they recruit from,” she said as reported by Universities Scotland.
McPherson further claims that while demand from China and North America has been relatively stable, it has declined from India and Nigeria. “It is both the scale and the suddenness of the fall that has been incredibly challenging for many institutions to manage,” she said.
Long-term sustainability concerns
The decline in international students has raised concerns about the long-term sustainability of Scotland’s universities. McPherson emphasised the need for a strategic conversation with the Scottish Government about short-term stability and long-term solutions. “Scotland’s model of funding Scottish students and university research has become dangerously reliant on cross-subsidy from international students over the last decade because of chronic underfunding,” she said.
According to estimates, the business as a whole loses about £150 million annually as a result of the drop in overseas students.
