phd in uk universities for international students

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PhD Education / Overview

Year of entry: 2024

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Bachelor's (Honours) degree at 2:1 or above (or overseas equivalent); and
Master's degree in a relevant subject - with an overall average of 60% or above, a minimum mark of 60% in your dissertation (or overseas equivalent)

Full entry requirements

Apply online

Please ensure you include all required supporting documents at the time of submission, as incomplete applications may not be considered.

Application Deadlines

For consideration in internal funding competitions, you must submit your completed application by 19 January 2024.

If you are applying for or have secured external funding (for example, from an employer or government) or are self-funding, you must submit your application before the below deadline to be considered. You will not be able to apply after this date has passed.

For September 2024 entry: 30 June 2024

Programme options

Programme overview.

2nd in the UK for Education (Complete University Guide 2024).
The University of Manchester was ranked in the top 10 in the UK for Education research (overall GPA, REF2021).
Learn with research-active experts in the field of education and work with highly diverse cohorts of students and staff.
Contribute to improvements in the overall wellbeing of students, their families and communities throughout the world through research.

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The University holds regular open days, where you will have the opportunity to tour the campus and find out more about our facilities and programmes. On this day, you will find out more about the School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED) and meet academic and admissions staff who will be able to answer any questions you have.

For more information, see Open days.

We will be conducting our PGR virtual open week in October 2024. Find out about future events and postgraduate research sessions by signing up for our email alerts.

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2024, the tuition fees are as follows:

PhD (full-time) UK students (per annum): £6,000 International, including EU, students (per annum): £21,500
PhD (part-time) UK students (per annum): £3,000 International, including EU, students (per annum): £10,750

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

Your fees will cover the cost of your study at the University, as well as charges for registration, tuition, supervision, examinations and graduation (excluding graduation robe hire).

Payment of tuition fees will also entitle you to membership of The University of Manchester library, the Students' Union and the Athletic Union.

Scholarships/sponsorships

There are a range of scholarships, studentships and awards to support both UK and overseas postgraduate researchers, details of which can be found via the links below.

To apply University of Manchester funding, you must indicate in your application the competitions for which you wish to be considered. The deadline for most internal competitions, including School of Environment, Education and Development studentships is 19 January 2024.

All external funding competitions have a specified deadline for submitting the funding application form and a separate (earlier) deadline for submitting the online programme application form, both of which will be stated in the funding competition details below.

For more information about funding, visit our funding page to browse for scholarships, studentships and awards you may be eligible for.

ESRC North West Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (NWSSDTP) PhD Studentships - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
School of Environment, Education and Development Postgraduate Research Studentships 2024 Entry - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
China Scholarship Council - The University of Manchester (CSC-UoM) Joint Scholarship Programme - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
Commonwealth PhD Scholarships (Least Developed Countries and Fragile States)
President's Doctoral Scholar (PDS) Awards - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
Trudeau Doctoral Scholarships 2024 Entry
Commonwealth PhD Scholarships (High Income Countries)
School of Environment, Education and Development Enhancing Racial Equality (SERE) Studentship - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
Humanities Doctoral Academy Humanitarian Scholarship 2024 Entry

Contact details

Programmes in related subject areas.

Use the links below to view lists of programmes in related subject areas.

Regulated by the Office for Students

The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website .

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website .

Imperial College London Imperial College London

Looking for funding?

Use our scholarships search tool to look for available scholarships. Also explore our latest funded PhD vacancies .

A PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) is the most common type of doctoral degree and the highest level of academic qualification you can achieve.

It normally takes between three and four years of full-time work to complete. It is also possible to undertake a PhD part time, over five to six years.

The main activity of a PhD is to carry out an original research project under the direction of one or more supervisors, to be written up as a thesis.

Different routes to achieving a PhD

There are a number of ways to achieving a PhD at Imperial:

by undertaking a course of study based on your own research proposal
by joining a research project that comes with funding attached (known as a studentship)
by combining it with Master's study in an integrated route that typically lasts four years

Pursuing your own research idea

To search for PhD opportunities based on your own research proposal you first need to identify a research group within Imperial whose area of expertise best matches your idea.

Use the links below to search the different PhD opportunities within our academic departments, centres and institutes. This includes information about current studentships and often guidance on finding a supervisor.

Our interdisciplinary approach means our expertise often spans departmental boundaries – and so do our courses – so you may find opportunities in an unexpected area of the university.

Faculty of Engineering

Aeronautics
Bioengineering
Chemical Engineering
Civil and Environmental Engineering
School of Design Engineering
Earth Science and Engineering
Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Mechanical Engineering

Faculty of Medicine

Department of Brain Sciences
Department of Immunology and Inflammation
Department of Infectious Disease
Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction
Department of Surgery and Cancer
National Heart and Lung Institute
School of Public Health

Faculty of Natural Sciences

Life Sciences
Mathematics
Centre for Environmental Policy

Imperial College Business School

Doctoral programme

Centre for Languages, Culture and Communication

PhD in Arabic, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish Studies
PhD in science communication studies

Global Challenge institutes

We have six Global Challenge institutes, which were created to address some of society's biggest challenges.

If you have an idea for a PhD that falls within the remit of one of our Global Challenge institutes please contact them directly to discuss before making a formal application.

Data Science Institute
Grantham Institute – Climate Change and the Environment
Institute for Molecular Science and Engineering
Institute for Security Science and Technology
Institute of Global Health Innovation

Energy Futures Lab does not offer PhD programmes, but does deliver the MSc in Sustainable Energy Futures .

Joint Academy of Doctoral Studies | Imperial College London-Technical University of Munich

We have recently formed a strategic partnership in education, research and innovation with the Technical University of Munich, one of Germany’s most international and entrepreneurial universities, producing highly ranked research, like Imperial, in science, engineering and medicine.

As part of the partnership, Imperial and TUM have launched a 'Joint Academy of Doctoral Studies' with the aim of co-developing cross-disciplinary clusters of PhD students who will have access to world-leading academic supervisors and state-of-the art facilities at both institutions.

The first round of the programme will focus on the theme of 'Artificial Intelligence, Healthcare and Robotics'.

Find out more about the Joint Academy of Doctoral Studies and apply

King's College London

International phd scholarships.

King's College London is one of the world's leading research institutions with a diverse research community producing internationally recognised work. King's and the Centre for Doctoral Studies are dedicated to attracting, retaining, and developing top international postgraduate research talent to study alongside our renowned academic supervisors.

If you are interested in a postgraduate research degree (MPhil/PhD) at King's. there are a range of funding opportunities for international postgraduate researchers at King's, including:

Joint PhD Programme Funding
King's China Council Scholarships

You can learn more about these opportunities below. You can also access our postgraduate funding database to search all currently open funding competitions at King's.

Postgraduate Funding Database

A link to PG Funding database

Joint PhD Scholarships

Three scholarships are available for the 2023/24 academic year for students applying to joint PhD programmes run in collaboration with the University of Hong Kong, National University of Singapore or the University of Sao Paulo, with King's as their home institution.

The King's Joint PhD Scholarship provides full tuition fees, stipend and an annual research grant.

Download the guidance for the 2023/24 Joint PGR Scholarships .

Find out more about the Joint PhD Programmes available at the National University of Singapore, University of Hong Kong, and University of Sao Paolo by visiting the International Education webpage.

Applications close 26 March 2023

King’s-China Scholarship Council PhD Scholarship programme (K-CSC) 2023-24

King's College London and the China Scholarship Council (CSC) hold an agreement to jointly fund PhD students to pursue research degrees at King's College London.

As part of the agreement, successful students will receive a scholarship that covers the tuition fee, an annual living allowance that includes overseas student health cover, a return airfare to London and visa application fees.

Please be aware that students funded through this scheme must abide by any additional terms and conditions set by the CSC. Scholars will be required to enter into a legally binding agreement with the CSC before they are able to take up the scholarship. If there are any significant developments that could affect/hamper a scholar's expected completion of the PhD, scholars are advised to get in touch with the Education Section in the Chinese Embassy.

A considerable number of K-CSC scholarship awards are available for the 2023-24 competition.

Applications close 02 January 2023

Find full details on the KCL Funding Database.

Useful links

phd in uk universities for international students

Postgraduate English Language Requirements

Find out more about our English Language Requirements.

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Entry requirements for international PhD applicants

At Sussex, you'll join a community of students and staff from more than 100 countries. We accept applications for postgraduate study from across the world.

International students sit at a table talking at a cafe at the University of Sussex

General entry requirements for international students

At Sussex, our usual entry requirements for UK and international students are:

at least an upper second-class (2:1) undergraduate honours degree or equivalent international qualification
a Masters degree if you are applying for research degrees in the arts or social sciences, or an equivalent international qualification.

We may also consider professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing when making offers.

To find out which qualifications and grades we accept from your country:

search for the PhD you want to study
go to the Entry requirements section and select International requirements
choose your country from the drop-down list.

You can also get advice from Sussex representatives in your country .

Specific entry requirements for international students

You must also meet our specific entry requirements for each research degree. These are listed with each PhD degree .

the grade required for your course
if you need to have an undergraduate qualification in a specific subject
if you need to have a Masters qualification.

If you are an American student, federal regulations state that you must have a secondary school completion credential (high school diploma) or the recognized equivalent of a secondary school completion credential to be eligible to apply for Federal Student Aid. Find out more about American Student Loans and Federal Student Aid .

English language qualifications

All teaching at Sussex is in English. You must be sufficiently fluent in English to be accepted on to your PhD, and this may form part of your offer.

Find out more about our English language requirements

You can also apply to study our Pre-sessional English course .

For some research degrees we may ask you to attend an interview.

If you are an international student, you may be interviewed over the phone or via Skype.

Applying for a visa

If you are an international student, you may need to apply for a student visa to study in the UK.

Find out more about applying for a visa on the Student Hub .

Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)

You need to apply for ATAS clearance if you are not a national of an European Area (EEA) country or Switzerland, and you are applying for a science or engineering-based PhD.

Find out more about ATAS on the Student Hub .

10 PhD scholarships in the UK for international students 2022

With a strong research culture on top of encouraging interdisciplinary research, the UK is a great choice if one wants to pursue a PhD scholarship in an exciting and stimulating environment with many research links. The UK is one of the most popular destinations for many international students with many top-ranked and world-class universities and a welcoming culture as well.

Being a research powerhouse means more access to cutting-edge research facilities, which can go a long way in conducting research during your PhD studies. The UK, however, as a developed Western country, has higher living costs, with some major cities and programmes bearing notoriously expensive price tags.

This can be a heavy burden for international students seeking a UK PhD degree. Fortunately, the UK has a great list of university PhD scholarships that may help you realise your dream.

The UK is a research powerhouse. Source: Christine Bird/Shutterstock.

Leeds University Business School: International Business Department Scholarship

The International Business Department of the Leeds University Business School is offering up to two PhD scholarships for international applicants; the deadline is Apr. 1, 2022. One of the world’s leading units for international business and among a handful of triple-accredited business schools in the world, this department is well-known for their exceptional research and teaching.

The award is for three years; the last two years are renewable subject to academic performance. The successful recipient will get a maintenance grant worth 15,609 pounds (standard UKRI rate for Session 2021/22).

University of Cambridge: Harding Distinguished Postgraduate Scholars Programme

Awarded to a select group of 25 brilliant University of Cambridge PhD students of all disciplines and nationalities, this programme aims to produce graduates who can make a tangible difference to the academic community with their excellent research. The majority will be affiliated with St Catharine’s College; the rest will be distributed among the other colleges.

Depending on your chosen department, the last deadline is Jan. 6, 2022. The PhD scholarship winners will receive a generous package including the University Composition Fee and a 6,000 pounds personal allowance throughout their studies, an annual stipend of 18,000 pounds and student visa costs.

SOAS University of London CHASE

SOAS University of London is among the world’s top 50 for Arts and Humanities (QS rankings 2021) and is a top 20 UK institution for these same subjects (THE rankings). As part of the Consortium of the Humanities and the Arts South-East England (CHASE) funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, this Doctoral Training Partnership offers up to 56 Arts and Humanities studentships; a limited number is available for international applicants.

You should first apply to SOAS by Jan. 10, 2022 so that you can work with your proposed supervisor(s) on the CHASE application to submit by Jan. 28, 2022. You can expect to receive a training grant and a stipend as well.

Aston University College of Business and Social Sciences

As a multidisciplinary college in Aston University, Birmingham, the College of Business and Social Sciences is home to researchers from Aston Business School, Aston Law School and the School of Social Sciences and Humanities. Up to six fully-funded PhD studentships are available for application to any of these schools’ programmes – the deadline is Feb. 28, 2022.

You will get full tuition coverage at the international rate plus an annual maintenance grant of 15,840 pounds (2022-23 rate) throughout your three years. You should have obtained a merit for your master’s dissertation besides a first class or second upper class honours degree.

University of St Andrews: Doctoral Scholarship in Biology and Statistics

St Leonard’s Postgraduate College at the University of St Andrews is offering a doctoral scholarship to a suitably qualified student to take up research on developing novel methods for estimating the abundance of breeding grey seals. You will have three co-supervisors, and can choose to matriculate in either Biology or Statistics.

The PhD scholarship covers full tuition fees for up to three and a half years on top of an annual maintenance stipend (the 2021-22 annual rate is 15,609 pounds). You will have access to the free GRADskills training programme as well.

University of Liverpool: Accounting and Finance Subject Group

This PhD scholarship takes on a slightly different form as a Graduate Teaching Fellowship (GTF) – the deadline is Jan. 7, 2022. If you have a first or upper second class honours degree plus a distinction for your master’s degree besides being committed to research, this GTF allows you to collect teaching experience together with your PhD studies.

Under the Accounting and Finance Subject Group, you will have the opportunity to complete a teacher training programme offered by the University of Liverpool . A living stipend of 15,609 pounds plus a fee waiver will be awarded to exceptional applicants.

Swansea University: the UKRI CDT in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Advanced Computing

At Swansea University , you can apply for the four-year fully funded opportunity to research upon these broad areas of particle physics and astronomy, biological and health, and mathematical and computer sciences. You will be trained in artificial intelligence, high-performance computing and high-performance data analytics.

After training in the first year, you will have several short-term work placements in the second and third years. Besides full tuition fees, you will enjoy a stipend of 15,921 poundsand other allowances; the closing date is Feb. 11, 2022.

University of Exeter – PhD Scholarship

The University of Exeter’s generous funding scheme consists of two funding parts funding – one Research Masters in Economics and then a PhD programme in either Finance or Economics – both at the Business School; you have to apply by Jan. 21, 2022. As part of the scholarship, students have to work as teaching or research assistants for about 180 hours (23 days) a year, which can help enhance your research and education skills.

The funding includes a combined stipend and teaching allowance for 180 hours of 19,000 poundsper year. Students can also apply for additional funding for research, development and conference travel expenses.

Imperial College London: Chemical Engineering PhD Scholarship

One of the best universities in the UK, Imperial College London has up to 10 fully-funded Chemical Engineering PhD scholarships via the Chemical Engineering Department . You should have a First Class Honours Degree at master’s level in chemical engineering or a related engineering/science field. This scholarship is tenable for 42 months, covering both tuition fees and 21,400 pounds for maintenance.

You should apply by Jan. 31, 2022. If you are successful, you would be asked to select two projects; depending on your supervisor’s agreement, you can be given either your first choice or second one.

Oxford University – Clarendon Scholarship

The Clarendon Scholarship is one of the most famous PhD scholarships. You do not need to submit a separate application form for this scholarship; when you apply for a Oxford University PhD programme, you automatically qualify to apply for the Clarendon Scholarship.

Your preferred programme at Oxford may have different deadlines but generally, January is the last application deadline to be eligible for this scholarship. This particular PhD scholarship covers full tuition fees and a living stipend of 15,609 pounds (2021-22 rate).

All in all, if you have been planning to pursue your PhD studies in the UK but are short on funds, these scholarships are great choices, and will definitely help you achieve your dream!

How to apply for a PhD in the UK

Applying for a phd is not quite as daunting as you might think. a postgraduate student recruitment officer from the university of sussex shares his tips for putting together a phd application.

Ben Osborne

There are many different reasons for wanting to pursue a PhD – to move into an academic role at a university, to continue studying a subject you are passionate about or to further your career.

Whatever your motivation, many students are now choosing to pursue a PhD abroad. This guide will help you understand how to apply for a PhD at a UK university and answer any questions you might have around doing PhDs.

How to apply for a PhD

Application rules and methods vary for each university. The number of courses that you can apply for in a year will vary. For example, at the University of Sussex , you can apply for up to three postgraduate courses per year using the postgraduate application system.

If you are applying for more than one degree, you must submit a research proposal/statement specific to each area of study you apply for.

You can also apply to different universities to improve your chances of being accepted to a PhD course of your choosing.

What qualifications do I need?

Each PhD will have specific entry requirements and you will also need to meet a university’s general entry requirements. This may be an upper second-class undergraduate honours degree (2:1) or an equivalent international qualification. For some PhDs you may need a master’s qualification, and you may be asked to attend an interview.

International students may also be required to prove language proficiency. This will vary across institutions so do check what level universities expect before starting your application.

Applicants should always check the specific entry requirements in a university’s online prospectus before making an application.

When should I start applying?

This will depend on when your term start date is. Most research degrees will start in September but some courses offer additional entry points in January or May.

You can apply all year round for research degrees starting in September, January and May, and the deadlines for applying are usually one month before the course start date for UK applicants, and three months before for international applicants.

If you’re applying for funding from an external organisation you’ll need to be aware that they may have different deadlines for the funding application. So give yourself plenty of time to research your funding options, and ensure you know how long the application process takes.

Many universities offer a number of funded PhD opportunities and PhD scholarships for UK and international students, and it’s always worth investigating funding routes such as research councils and other organisations, both in the UK and overseas.

In some cases, it may be possible to study a PhD by distance which means you’ll be able to learn online and have virtual meetings with your supervisor.

If this is something you would be interested in doing you should check before applying whether your university can accommodate this option.

Nine things to know before doing a PhD Starting a PhD during the pandemic Studying for a part-time PhD: the challenges and the benefits Is it possible to do a three-year PhD as an international student?

How should I look for a supervisor?

Usually if you are applying for a funded project, or to a research centre or group, you will normally be asked to provide a statement explaining your suitability for working in that area, and if successful you will be allocated a supervisor.

If you wish to propose your own area of research, you need to decide on a research topic, and you will be expected to write a research proposal. In some cases you may only be required to provide a summary of academic interests and this can be used to match you to a researcher that suits you.

If you are proposing your own research topic, there may be a research database at your university that you can search, or your university will match you with a supervisor during the assessment of your application. It may be possible to request supervision by a particular member of faculty – this will be considered but not all requests can be accommodated.

If you do find a potential supervisor who matches your research area, check their online profile for indications of their doctoral supervision capacity. If they are open to doctoral applications, you can contact them directly to check their availability for supervising you.

It is a good idea to draw up a shortlist of two to three potential supervisors, and take an in-depth look into their research history. You can also find out more about your potential supervisors by looking in the reference sections of academic textbooks and searching for articles in research databases and academic blogs.

When you contact your potential supervisor, it is important to tell them something interesting about yourself, and explain your research interests and how you feel your research proposal matches their expertise.

How do I write a research proposal?

If you are proposing your own research you will need to write a strong proposal that formulates a precise, interesting research question, and establishes the relevance and value of the proposed research question in the context of current academic thinking.

You’ll need to make sure your proposal describes the data or source material your research requires, and outlines a clear and practical methodology that enables you to answer the research question and that states clearly what you hope to discover at the end of your research, and what new areas it might open up.

The precise content and structure of your research proposal will depend on your subject area, and the University of Sussex has some helpful resources on our website to guide you through the process.

How long does the application process take?

Completing an application and writing a research proposal may take some time and should not be left until just before the application deadline.

It’s not easy to give a definite idea of how long it takes to hear if your application has been successful, as it will depend on when the application is made and the nature of the specific PhD, and you would need to meet any conditions contained within the offer before you can start the PhD.

What are the associated costs?

There won’t typically be an application fee for PhDs but there are tuition fees. If a university does charge application fees they will usually be between £50-£100.

The tuition fees for students studying in the UK are set by UK Research and Innovation . Fees for international students are £18,975 for non-lab-based subjects, and £22,975 for lab-based subjects per year.

You’ll also need to factor in living costs, but there are a number of funding routes you can apply for to help with this. As well as PhD scholarships and funded research projects there are research council awards, PhD loans for those eligible, and various organisations to which international students can apply for funding, such as The Gen Foundation and Open Society Foundations.

It’s important to be aware of the costs involved, but it’s also worth remembering that the educational, career and personal benefits of PhD study can be worth it.

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Funded PhD programmes 2024 UK
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Funded PhD research programmes 2025 UK

The University of Brighton regularly invites applicants for fully-funded PhD studentships across all its disciplines.

These allow motivated, high-calibre applicants for research degrees to join our thriving academic community and contribute to our rich and innovative research environment.

Our processes also often allow us to support promising candidates for applications to external funders and we regularly welcome self-funded applicants to programmes across all disciplines.

We will be advertising University of Brighton studentships later in the year. Meanwhile, please visit our PhD funding advice page for current offers or see below for further general advice about applying for a funded PhD in the UK.

Visit our PhD disciplinary programme lists

What UK PhD studentships are available ?

Depending on the discipline area, applicants for postgraduate research study may be:

applying to work on specific, defined research projects
applying to work with an academic department or individual with specific interests
or applying with a self-identified research topic proposal.

When available, studentships are open to home and international students and will be given to candidates who best fulfil the promise outlined by these academic departments.

Students may like to review the funding opportunities listed at the foot of the page or visit our PhD funding advice page .

Please enable targeting cookies in order to view this video content on our website, or you can watch the video on YouTube .

Can you be a researcher? Professor Bhavik Patel reassures applicants of all backgrounds that they can study for a PhD and aim for a research career.

How do I apply for a PhD studentship?

The application for financing schemes will usually involve:

submitting a full application through the university's PhD application portal, our University of Brighton portal is accessible from the PhD funded projects webpages . You will upload your research proposal as part of this process.
The submission must include two letters of reference, academic qualifications, a proposed project approach, a personal statement and your CV (resumé).
Shortlisted applicants are likely to be invited for interview.

What does PhD funding include?

The funding for the PhD usually covers the full fee and a stipend at the UKRI rate plus an allowance of £1,500 per year for researcher training for three years (or part-time equivalent).

Successful candidates benefit from expert supervisory teams, a programme of postgraduate researcher development workshops and membership of specialist, interdisciplinary research centres and groups. There will be introductions to a network of relevant researchers, careers advice and opportunities for interaction within and beyond the university. Through this, our PhD students have the best start possible towards ambitious careers that make use of their research degrees.

The University of Brighton fosters research careers and will provide doctoral training, attentive and expert supervision and access to world-class laboratories and equipment.

We are renowned as a leading applied university, with pioneer academics in disciplines from sport science to design history and applied science research that translates efficiently to the global challenge of worldwide health and wellbeing. Our strategy of 'practical wisdom' leads to real-world partnerships and beneficiaries across all disciplines while the development of community-university partnership practices have placed us among the best universities for many aspects of co-produced research and innovation.

We pride ourselves on the ways we work in partnership with those outside higher education, across the European Union and internationally. Through our research collaborations we work with a wide range of universities, both internationally and with universities in the UK. We are also founding members of two UKRI Doctoral Training Partnerships which, this year, are dealt with outside our University of Brighton studentship offer. We learn constantly from our involvement in these, and our rich resources are offered across all doctoral research programmes.

Recently the University of Brighton celebrated its performance in the Research Excellence Framework (REF2021) and the Knowledge and Exchange Framework (KEF2023). Over 87 per cent of our submitted impact case studies in REF2021 were rated as having 'outstanding' or 'very considerable' impact beyond academia. We are dedicated to developing this quality work with new students. Read more about the review of our research and knowledge exchange performance in REF2021 . Also, read more about our KEF2023 results, which placed Brighton in the top tier for economic and social benefits .

How will you build a relationship with your supervisor? Professor Annebella Pollen and Dr Tom Ainsworth are among those offering advice. This film was made by the University of Brighton for UKRI and also features academics from other institutions.

How do I increase my chances of getting a PhD studentship?

You must be able to show your suitability for a UK research degree if you wish to apply for fully-funded studentships.

This includes evidence either of a relevant and successful academic background or equivalent relevant professional/expert background in the applied subject area. Applicants from overseas will also have to fulfil any English language and visa requirements.

This will be true for studentships in the UK across most of the UK universities. It is usual for applicants either to have completed (or be about to complete) a masters degree, have an exceptional undergraduate record and references, or demonstrate the equivalent scholarly potential.

Supervisory staff and research students at the University of Brighton consider how important diverse thinking and inclusive practice are to their doctoral studies.

Can I get PhD funding at the University of Brighton?

We have a long-standing annual programme of funded PhD opportunities across all our disciplines, including several rooted in research council (UKRI) partnerships .

The initiatives allow postgraduate study for UK-based students as well as study in the UK for international students (depending on the PhD programme).

We are also keen to encourage students who might be able to self-fund their doctoral studies. Studying part-time, for example, is likely to prove more affordable and more easily balanced with professional life than you'd imagine.

We are dedicated to providing a welcoming and supportive atmosphere and structure for your studies. Show us your own qualities and your suitability for programmes as they become available and we will look forward to receiving your application.

Insitutions and funding bodies for PhD study

You may find the website at Alternative Guide to Postgraduate Funding useful. On the Funding Advice pages of our website we also post advice as to the more regular and specific funding opportunities available through the University of Brighton, its partners and networks.

These include Doctoral Training Partnership and University of Brighton PhD studentship calls, individual studentship projects , University of Brighton international research scholarships and our alumni scholarships for current and past students.

We also include below some of the major funding options for international students wanting to do a PhD with us, each of which may support all or part of your studies.

Worldwide international funding schemes for PhD research

The british council.

The British Council offers a search engine for UK courses, institutions (including the University of Brighton) and scholarships.

Find out more about scholarships and funding through The British Council.

The Gen Foundation

The Gen Foundation considers applicants living in all countries. It is a charitable trust which principally provides grants to students/researchers in natural sciences, in particular food sciences/technology.

Find out more about grants to students and researchers from The Gen Foundation .

The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN)

The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) is dedicated to improving the quality of life of those in need, mainly in Asia and Africa, irrespective of their origin, faith, or gender. Our multifaceted development approach aims to help communities and individuals become self-reliant.

Find out more about research funding through the Aga Khan development network .

The Open Society Foundations

The Open Society Foundations are active in more than 120 countries around the world, using grant-giving, research, advocacy, impact investment, and strategic litigation to support the growth of inclusive and vibrant democracies. The four main themes of the Open Society Foundations are climate justice, equity, expression, and justice and they will award grants and fellowships throughout the year to organisations and individuals who share those values. The Open Society Foundations look for grantees who have a vision and whose efforts will lead to lasting social change.

Find out more about postgraduate funding through The Open Society Foundations .

International Education and Financial Aid

The International Education and Financial Aid (IEFA) provides students from all over the world comprehensive information on financial aid for studying abroad. Using the IEFA website, you can easily search the IEFA database for scholarships, grants, loan programs, and other options available to help finance your international education.

Find out more about international PhD research funding through the IEFA .

The Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds

The Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds (BIF) awards PhD fellowships of two to three-and-a-half years to outstanding junior scientists worldwide who wish to pursue an ambitious PhD project in basic biomedical research in an internationally leading laboratory.

Find out more about the Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds fellowships .

Resource sites for international PhD research funding

Internationalstudent.com.

InternationalStudent.com is a leading online resource for international students around the world providing advice pages for studying in the USA, UK and Australia for international students, plus a dedicated study abroad center for US students who want to travel abroad.

Find out more about international study through InternationalStudent.com .

ScholarshipTab

ScholarshipTab is an online portal that connects international students to available scholarship opportunities round the world.

Find out more about the Scholarship Tab resource .

International Education and Financial Aid (IEFA)

The IEFA provides students from all over the world comprehensive information on financial aid for studying abroad. Search the IEFA database for scholarships, grants, loan programs, and other options available to help finance your international education.

Find out more from the International Education and Financial Aid website .

The European Funding Guide

Scholarships and grants for students from the European Union

Find out more through the European Funding Guide

The Americas: Postgraduate doctorate funding from institutions and bodies to study in the UK

Marshall Scholarship: Provides for United States students to study abroad.
Benjamin A Gilman International Scholarship provides for United States students to study abroad.
American Student Loans and Federal Student Aid
Global Affairs Canada International Scholarships Program
Canadian Centennial Scholarship Fund
Canada's Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
The Bolsas Lideres Estudar Program provides for Brazilian students studying in the UK .

Asia: Postgraduate doctorate funding from Asian institutions and bodies to study in the UK

The Charles Wallace Bangladesh Trust

The Charles Wallace Burma Trust

China and Hong Kong

Great Britain – China Educational Trust is a charity that promotes mutual understanding between the UK and China and aims to build long-term connections between the two countries. It delivers awards contributing towards university tuition fees and living expenses for Chinese nationality students studying for a PhD in any subject at a UK university.

Great Britain China Centre Chinese Student Awards offers scholarships of up to £3,000 for citizens of China and Hong Kong studying for a PhD in any subject at a UK university

The Hong Kong People Association (HKPA) aims to provide financial aids for further university education to students from Hong Kong who are not able to afford international tuition fees.

The Charles Wallace India Trust offers PhD funding for study in the arts, heritage conservation or the humanities.

The Inlaks India Foundation

The JN Tata Endowment award funds 90 to 100 scholars across disciplines ranging from the sciences to management, law and commerce and the fine arts.

The KC Mahindra Education Trust

The Persia Educational Foundation Abdolreza Ansari Scholarship is designed to support the education of students of Iranian descent enrolled in a Master or Doctorate programme in human rights or public service in the UK.

Momeni Iranian Financial Assistance Scholarships offer partial funding scholarships for international students of Iranian descent towards a PhD in any subject.

The Kenneth Lindsay Scholarship Trust

The Anglo-Jewish Association (AJA) provides funding for Jewish students to study a Masters or PhD in the UK.

The Japan-IMF Scholarship Program for Advanced Studies funds students of macroeconomics with a view to them working at the International Monetary Fund.

The Charles Wallace Pakistan Trust

Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan . The HEC offers government scholarships for Pakistani students to study abroad in various countries, including the UK.

Saudi Arabia

The Cultural Bureau of the Embassy of Saudi Arabia (SACB) offers scope for full tuition fees and supporting fees for PhD level study.

Agency for Science, Technology and Research

The Thai Office of Educational Affairs

Europe: Postgraduate doctorate funding from European institutions and bodies to study in the UK

The European Funding Guide - Scholarships and grants in the EU

France - Entente Cordiale scholarships for postgraduate studies provide funding to help students enrolling for a Masters or a PhD qualification in the UK or in France.

Italy - Il Circolo Italian Cultural Association is a UK-registered charity based in London with the mission to support deserving students with awards and scholarships.

Norway - Lanekassen - The Norwegian student loans and grants awarding body supports Norwegian students studying overseas.

Sweeden - CSN - loans and grants for Swedish students studying overseas.

Australia: funding for PhD study in the UK

The Australia Day Foundation offers grants to young Australians for fees and course materials.

Africa: funding for PhD study in the UK

Sudan - The Gordon Memorial College Trust Fund (GMCTF)

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Fully Funded Phd in UK for International Students with Scholarships (2024 Admissions)

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Updated on 27 January, 2024

Sr. Content editor

While many of us are interested in pursuing a PhD program in the UK, the fees for the program could add tremendous stress. But fret not; there are many fully-funded PhD programs in the UK for international students that make higher education affordable.

We will discuss all the details regarding applications, deadlines, tenure, and much more for fully-funded programs in the UK for international students.

High-calibre students who wish to apply for fully-funded PhD studentships can consider these programs. These fully-funded programs are offered by a wide range of universities in the UK and some Non-profit and corporate organizations. The positions in these fully-funding PhD can close at any time if someone accepts the offer.

Country/course eligible for

Usually, these fully-funded programs in the UK are available for overseas, European Union, and domestic students. The courses eligible for fully-funded PhD programs will vary according to different scholarships and programs.

Level of scholarship

The fully-funded PhD scholarship in the UK is for candidates who plan to pursue a PhD program or are currently pursuing one. You should essentially have a bachelor’s and master’s coursework for the same.

Tenure/duration

The fully-funded PhD in the UK for international students covers the expenses for the entire duration of the course, which is typically three years.

Subject/fields

There are no fixed subjects or fields where the scholarships will be offered. Students can find opportunities in every discipline across different fully funded PhD programs.

Number of scholarships available

Several scholarships are available for fully-funded PhD in the UK for international students. Some of the renowned names are

Ten universities offering fully-funded PhD in the UK for international students

Here are ten universities in the UK offering international students a fully-funded doctoral program in the country for your reference:

1. University College London

2. University of Leeds

3. University of Nottingham

4. Imperial College London

5. Lancaster University

6. Aberystwyth University

7. Kings College London

8. University of St Andrews

9. University of Liverpool

10. London Business School

Application duration

Each of these fully-funded PhD programs has a different application start date. We strongly suggest you be aware of the same by regularly checking the official websites.

As far as deadlines are concerned, below mentioned are some of the renowned fully funded Ph.D. program scholarships along with their deadlines.

Mode of Application

The mode of application for fully-funded PhD programs in the UK is online.

Eligibility Criteria and Additional Requirements

1. Eligible countries: the UK, EU citizens, and foreign candidates are acceptable

2. Acceptable course/subjects: PhD support is generally awarded in the given research areas such as Architecture, construction projects and organization, building energy, construction products and processes, digital construction, urban planning, water engineering, and infrastructure, transport.

3. Admissible criteria: To be eligible, the applicants must meet all the following criteria:

It would be best if you had, or expect to achieve, a minimum of 2:1 honours degree (equivalent international qualification) in a similar discipline.

Previous applicants should have their degrees in Civil Engineering, transport, geography, building services engineering and physics, mathematics, or chemistry.

A relevant master’s degree clubbed with employment experience will also give you an edge.

Value of Scholarship

The scholarship value for a fully-funded PhD in the UK varies from GBP 20,000 to GBP 23,200 (INR 20 Lakh to INR 21.56 Lakh).

Selection Process

The selection process involves a panel of experts who access your academic, research, and extracurricular contributions. At times, need-based scholarships are also provided to students.

Requirements for continuing the Scholarships

Most of these scholarships are allotted annually, but we recommend maintaining a stellar academic record if you wish to continue the scholarships.

1. Masters in Finance in the UK

2. MS Courses in the UK

3. Oxford University’s Rhodes Scholarship

4. Cambridge University Scholarships

5. Duke University in the UK

In summary, the availability of fully funded PhD programs in the UK for international students in 2024 represents a significant opportunity for scholars worldwide. These scholarships not only alleviate the financial challenges associated with advanced studies but also open doors to extensive research resources, expert guidance, and international academic networks. For aspiring doctoral candidates, these programs in the UK offer more than just financial support; they provide a platform for groundbreaking research, intellectual growth, and the chance to contribute to global knowledge. The 2024 admissions cycle thus stands as a gateway for talented international students to embark on a journey of discovery and academic excellence, fully supported by the generous scholarship opportunities available in the UK.

Neha Uppal is a passionate content creator and editor. She carries 7.5+ years of experience working with leading edutech companies where she worked as a Faculty, Community Manager, and Content Marketeer. At upGrad, she is helping out people keep informed about the scopes and opportunities of studying abroad via informational articles/blogs.

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Global scholarships

A.S. Hornby Trust Scholarship

Scholarships for English language teachers to develop their English language skills

Selected countries - see website >

Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan

Master's and doctoral courses (for study in the UK and distance learning), plus academic, professional and medical fellowships

Commonwealth countries >

Scholarships for one-year master's courses across a range of subjects at a variety of UK universities.

British Council scholarships for women in STEM

Scholarships for women undertaking master's degrees in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics course at one of 19 UK universities.

Americas, South Asia and South East Asia >

Global Wales Scholarships for International Students

Global Wales offers a variety of scholarship opportunities for international students.

USA; India; Vietnam and EU countries >

Country-specific scholarships

Young Cell Scheme

Postgraduate master's studies in the EU

Kosovo - see website >

Charles Wallace Pakistan Trust Scholarships

Doctoral studies, research, visiting fellows and Scottish summer school

Pakistan - see website >

Marshall Scholarship

Master's and doctoral courses at any university in the UK

USA - see website >

Science and research funding

Marshall Sherfield Fellowships

Post-doctoral research in science and engineering at any university in the UK

Euraxess UK

Research placements in the UK

Global - see website >

Royal Society grants

Postdoctoral science research

Undergraduate funding

While undergraduate scholarships and bursaries for EU and international students studying in the UK are less common than they are for postgraduate studies, they do exist. You just need to know where to look for them.

Funding for EU and international undergraduate students in the UK can generally be split into two categories: those offered by UK universities themselves and those offered by third parties - usually governments or organisations in your home country.

You can visit the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website to find out more about the funding available if you are studying in the UK as an undergraduate student, including whether or not you are eligible to apply for a scholarship. Just scroll down to the relevant section of the webpage.

You can also visit the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service in the UK (UCAS)’s page about scholarships, grants, and bursaries: EU and international students for more detailed information on what to look out for and where.

Cost of studying in the UK

Studying in the UK is good value for money. Find out how much you can expect to pay to study and live in the UK, and how to make the most of your budget.

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PhD Handbook

PhD Universitie...

PhD Universities in UK: List of Top 10 Universities for PhD in UK for International Students

A PhD in UK is the highest academic achievement you can acquire to advance your career and future prospects. It demonstrates your outstanding level of expertise in a particular study field and broadens your horizon of knowledge. But is getting an admit for PhD universities in UK easy? Well, you need to make yourself capable enough to be eligible for top PhD universities in UK.

To help and guide you to fulfill your PhD dream in UK, here we have curated a list of universities for phd in UK for international students. In this blog, we will further discuss the benefits of receiving PhD in UK and the specifications of different PhD colleges in UK where you can apply.

List of Colleges Offering PhD for International Students

Applying for PhD in UK requires excellent academic history and valuable work experience in the relevant domains. Hence your PhD preparation starts as early as your UG days. Apart from that, the next challenge is to find the best universities in UK that offers PhD in your field.

Here is a list of universities in UK for Phd that you may consider:

University of Oxford

University of Cambridge

Imperial college london, university college london, university of edinburgh, university of manchester, king’s college london, london school of economics and political science, university of bristol, newcastle university.

Let us discuss the best PhD universities in UK one by one:

University of Oxford

Oxford University is officially regarded as the premier university in the world and is renowned for its innovative research that has improved society in many ways. Oxford is the earliest known institution in the English language universe and a premier center for learning, teaching, and research.

An international entity is the University of Cambridge. For more than eight centuries, the University of Cambridge has always been at the cutting edge of academic study and research. Their discoveries and inventions have significantly altered the globe.

Suggested: Cost of Studying PhD in UK

If you are a high performing undergraduate or Master's student and have a strong desire to undertake a PhD programme at a world-class research institution, you could be selected to receive full tuition fees and a generous stipend for a PhD place at Imperial College London. ICL offers one of the cheapest PhD in UK for international students.

University College London (UCL), which was established in 1826, is one of the three leading multi-faculty universities in the UK. The Philosophy MPhil/PhD at UCL provides a route for students to produce a thesis of original research under the guidance of their supervisor (s).

Suggested: Phd In London

In Scotland, United Kingdom, one of the top universities for research is the University of Edinburgh. The university is very well-liked by students from other countries. Doctor of Philosophy or PhD at University of Edinburgh is structured to train you as a researcher with a well developed all-round knowledge of your discipline and a specialist area.

Suggested: How to Apply for PhD in UK?

A prominent public research university, The University of Manchester is situated in the world's first industrial city. With almost 38,000 current students enrolled, it is one of the major institutions in the UK. At Manchester, you will benefit greatly from our ongoing investment in the best research facilities, as well as a dynamic research culture that encourages innovative, cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Over 180 courses are available to international undergraduate students at one of best Phd universities in UK, King's College London. Additionally, there are various master's, executive master's, postgraduate diploma, and postgraduate certificate programs available to students in 17 different academic fields. The MPhil/PhD programme here allows students to carry out research in any of 14 departments and in a wide variety of areas.

Suggested: Universities in Manchester UK

Nearly 11,000 students can enroll at the London School of Economics and Political Science on a rolling admissions basis each academic year. Around 200 different countries make up the majority of the approximately 55% of LSE students who are foreign applicants. It is another top PhD universities in UK for international students.

Suggested: PhD Stipend, Salary and Jobs in UK

The University of Bristol is known for its excellent teaching and research, which it blends with a free-spirited, independent character. The PhD Programme here provides a route for students to carry out their own research project from the beginning. It offers academic and personal development opportunities to equip you for the intellectual, social and personal challenges you will encounter during your career.

In terms of employment opportunities, Newcastle University is among the leading universities in the UK. The average annual salary of Newcastle graduates is up to 120,000 euros. The teaching and research here is at the forefront of new thinking and explores and solves the complex issues facing this shifting employment landscape.

Suggested: Universities in UK with Most International Students

Requirements for PhD in UK for International Students

Let us now have a look at the requirements for PhD universities in UK:

A master's degree with at least 70% is required to enter the Ph.D. program. However, some of the best universities in the UK only accept applications from applicants with a 4-year bachelor's degree.
IELTS : 6.5-7.5
TOEFL : 88-100
PTE : 66 overall
Letters of Recommendation
Statement of Purpose
Relevant work experience is also an important requirement to apply for best PhD programs UK.
And above all your proposal of research.

Suggested: Know About PhD Scholarships in UK

Studying abroad is a fantastic method to enhance your educational opportunities and potential career paths. A PhD program abroad is likely to broaden your perspectives and provide you with the tools you need to go on and accomplish something truly remarkable. And what better place than the land of English to receive your PhD. For any further questions, join Yocket Premium right away to chat with one of our counselors!

Frequently Asked Questions About PhD Universities in UK

Why is the UK regarded as the ideal location for higher education?

Because the universities in the UK are well-regarded internationally, a degree earned there has an edge over degrees obtained elsewhere.

What are the requirements to pursue a PhD in the UK?

Apart from a legal passport, you will need a master’s degree with a minimum of 70% marks, LOR, SOP, and any English proficiency test result (TOEFL, IELTS, ETC.) and work experience to the list of universities in UK for PhD.

Can we receive a scholarship for PhD programs?

Yes, you most certainly can. There are a wide range of scholarships to pursue PhD in UK.

Which is the best type of PhD option?

Depending upon your requirements you may choose the best type of PhD for you. Generally, PhD in UK is either full-time or part-time.

Does the fee for distance learning and standard PhD differ?

It depends on the university and PhD program you apply to. Do check the official university website to get the exact information.

PhD Fees in the UK for International Students

Maisie Dadswell
September 6, 2023

PhD fees in the UK for international students vary based on several factors, including your field of study, the university you are doing your doctorate research with and which city the university is in. The cost of a PhD in the UK is generally anywhere from £15,000 to £35,000 for annual PhD tuition fees. To help you budget, this article will cover all the variable factors before covering several potential finance options which can help you to fund your studying in the UK.

Even if the fees seem steep at first, don’t get disheartened; there are plenty of funding sources for international students – there is a reason why UK universities, including UWS London, are such popular academic destinations for PhD students beyond our high academic standards.

It is also worth bearing in mind that PhD tuition fees tend to increase each year in line with inflation. Always ensure you are budgeting with the most up-to-date PhD tuition fees, and take into account that for self-funded students, tuition fees may be marginally higher in the second and third years. The good news is that whatever your field of study and preferred university, PhDs will be vastly cheaper than undertaking a taught undergraduate or postgraduate degree in the UK as an international student. Along with covering the typical cost of PhD fees, we have also outlined additional expenses and living costs you may have to budget for. Luckily, as a full-time, student you’ll never have to worry about paying council tax.

PhD fees in the UK for international students

For domestic students in the UK, the average cost of PhD tuition fees is around £4,500. However, this can rise to £20,0000 – depending on the subject. The main reason there are vast differences in the price of PhD tuition fees is the resources that research students will require; typically, STEM students pay the highest tuition fees due to resources such as tech support, servicing, and equipment. The PhD students who can expect to pay minimum fees are students looking for a doctorate title in the arts, social sciences or humanities.

Part-Time PhD Fees

If you want to study part-time, you can expect to pay 50% of the full-time fees. However, this can vary, and not all PhDs are available on a part-time basis. If you are looking to be a part-time PhD student around your work or any other responsibilities, always check with the institution where you want to study if this is viable. You will also need to check if your visa restricts part-time PhD study.

Research Support Fees

Research support fees don’t apply to every international PhD student in the UK. However, you may need to pay research support fees, which will go towards covering the cost of any specialist materials you use during your research. For students carrying out their research in a laboratory setting, these support fees are also referred to as bench fees and cover the cost of any consumables used in addition to the facilities where any research and experiments are carried out.

Some universities will include bench and research fees in the tuition fee, while other institutions will quote them separately. Even if the PhD tuition fees aren’t all-inclusive, universities will always be 100% transparent and upfront about the costs. As the additional tuition fees can vary significantly due to the nature of the research that you are undertaking, bench fees and support fees will usually be discussed during the application process. Other universities prefer to make them available on request. Typically, where applicable, bench fees range between £1,000 – £10,000. You will only pay the higher bench fees if you are using expensive equipment and consumables; most UK universities keep the rates the same for domestic and international students.

How to Enquire about PhD Fees in the UK for International Students

To ensure that you are working with the correct figures when you’re budgeting or applying for funding for your PhD fees and living expenses, always be proactive in your search for accurate information by contacting the UK universities you are keen to study with.

When you are getting in touch with the university, state if you are an international or EU student, and pose these questions:

How much are the fees for the programme, and what is included/excluded in the fees?
Are there any extra-departmental research fees, printing costs or administration fees?
Does fieldwork incur additional costs?
Are the bench/research support fees the same for international students?
Are there any bursaries or scholarships available that I may be eligible for?

PhD Funding for International Students Studying in the UK

International students are eligible for many PhD scholarships in the UK; these scholarships and other funded projects are open to international students of all nationalities. Scholarships and grants can be provided by universities, government bodies and charities.

Funded PhDs for International Students

There are ample options to explore based on your field of research; to make your search for funding easier, many PhDs in the UK are advertised to domestic and international students with funding options attached. This is incredibly common for Science, Technology, Engineering and Medicine (STEM) subjects, but it isn’t unheard of for the Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities to offer the same funding options. Applying for a PhD with attached funding options isn’t worlds apart from applying for a job. If you are accepted as a candidate, you will receive a ‘salary’ in the form of tuition fees, research expenses and a grant which will go towards your living costs. If funding isn’t attached to a PhD project, you can use platforms such as FindAPhD to browse all the current projects offering funding to international students. To broaden your search, you can also use the search bar to sift through your different options. At the time of writing, FindAPhD has over 4,000 PhD projects and scholarships in the UK.

Research Council Studentships

Research Council Studentships are also frequently made available to international students in the UK looking for PhD funding. The more than generous financial support comes from UK Research and Innovation. If you receive funding from UK Research and Innovation, you will receive a monthly stipend to cover your living costs and a fee waiver. The waiver will allow you to pay the drastically reduced domestic rate instead of the PhD fees in the UK for international students. Whichever university funding you apply for, bear in mind that most funding is either provided in a bid to support widening participation or based on academic merit.

Government PhD Loans

If you aren’t eligible for a scholarship, grant, or funding from UK Research and Innovation, Government PhD loans are also available to some international students. Usually, to qualify, you will either need to be able to prove you have a settled status in the UK, be an Irish national or be part of the EU settlement scheme. These loans will cover your tuition fees and living expenses; you only need to repay the loan when you earn over the threshold amount.

Living Costs in the UK for PhD Students

The living costs for international students in the UK will vary greatly depending on your circumstances, lifestyle and where you live. The most expensive city for living costs, excluding rent, is £894 for London, while the cheapest is £577 for Bradford – based on 2022 figures. With rent included in London, it can cost £1,309 per month if you are living off campus, or £1,237 if you are living on campus.

How Much Does it Cost for a PhD in London?

London is renowned for its vibrant culture, history, and world-class education, making it a top choice for students pursuing higher degrees. However, it’s essential to note that London is also the most expensive city in the UK. The cost of living in the capital can be higher than in other parts of the country. While pursuing a Ph.D. in London offers incredible opportunities and access to prestigious institutions, potential students should be prepared for higher living expenses.

Additional Costs for International Students

Your PhD fees, rent and living costs will be your greatest expenses as an international PhD student. However, there are additional expenses which you may need to account for:

Visa Processing Fees – to apply for a visa outside of the UK, it will cost £363. If you are extending your visa or switching to a student visa, the processing fee is £490.
University Application Fees – these fees aren’t especially common in the UK; however, they aren’t unheard of.
Language Tests – if you are studying your PhD in a second language, you will need proof that you possess sufficient language skills. In some instances, you will be required to sit a language test and achieve a certain score.

Do You Get Paid for a PhD?

Do You Get Paid for a PhD? For many students who don’t have the luxury of never worrying about money, one of the main considerations

Where Can a PhD in Finance Take Me?

Where Can a PhD in Finance Take Me? In the dynamic world of finance, a PhD is not just an academic accolade; it’s a launchpad

Blonde woman wearing a blue jumper drinking a coffee while deciding to study a PhD in London

Should I Do a PhD in London?

Should I Do a PhD in London? Embarking on a PhD journey is a significant decision, one that shapes your academic and professional future. Once

Enquire with us

We are here to help and to make your journey to UWS London as smooth as possible. Please use the relevant button below to enquiry about a course you would like to apply, or to clarify any questions you may have about us and our admission’s process. After you submit your enquiry, one of our advisers will get back to you as soon as possible.

Studentships and doctoral training

Get a studentship to fund your doctorate.

UKRI studentships offer funding for doctoral research. They also offer you access to training, networking and development opportunities to help you build a research and innovation career.

Our expectations for research organisations, supervisors and students are set out in the statement of expectations for doctoral training .

You could get:

a minimum stipend of £19,237 per year for your living costs, which is paid to you in regular instalments
support for your tuition fees (minimum £4,786 per year)

The stipend is usually non-taxable and does not need to be paid back. Some research organisations may offer more if you study in London, or they or one of their collaborators might decide to top up the payment. This will be outlined in the studentship advert from the research organisation.

We normally pay the support for tuition fees directly to your research organisation.

The levels given here are for the academic year 2024 to 2025. UKRI’s approach to doctoral stipend and fee levels will be reviewed through the  new deal for postgraduate research .

Additional support for your doctoral studies

As a UKRI-funded doctoral student, you may be able to access additional funding to cover the cost of other related training and development opportunities.

This could include:

conference attendance
language training
overseas research visits
internships or placements with a non-academic partner

The availability of support will depend on the research organisation and the training grants they have on offer. You should contact the research organisation you are interested in applying to, to find out what you could get.

Extra support if you have a disability

If you have a disability, you may be entitled to a Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) on top of your studentship.

You should speak to your research organisation’s disability advisor to assess your needs. They can help put the right support in place, including a DSA application if necessary. You cannot claim DSA directly from UKRI.

DSA helps to cover the cost of any additional support that a person studying for a doctorate might need as a result of a disability, mental health problem or specific learning difficulty.

The allowance covers:

non-medical personal assistance
specialist equipment
extra travel costs
general expenses

Find out more about DSA in our framework .

If you are a research organisation you can download claim forms and guidance for DSA .

Who can apply

Any prospective doctoral student wishing to study at a UK research organisation, including prospective international students, can apply for a UKRI studentship.

All UKRI-funded doctoral students will be eligible for the full award, both the stipend to support living costs, and home-level fees at the UK research organisation rate.

How to find opportunities

Many UK research organisations offer some form of studentship funding from UKRI. These opportunities will depend on the subject you want to study and will normally be advertised by the research organisations.

Research organisations may have additional opportunities that do not involve UKRI. UKRI supports around 20% of all UK-based postgraduate researchers. You should speak to the research organisation you are interested in to find out what studentships are available.

You could also consider using a specialist website like   FindaPhD  to look for opportunities.

When to apply

Research organisations set their own deadlines for applications.

Many open for applications early in the academic year and close in January or February. This is not a hard and fast rule. It is important that you check the deadlines for the research organisation where you want to study.

How to apply

You cannot apply to UKRI for a studentship. You must contact the research organisation you are interested in studying with and use their application process.

For doctoral students who are already studying with a studentship, there are opportunities to get additional funding to support placements that are separate from your doctorate.  Find training and development opportunities .

Last updated: 14 February 2024

This is the website for UKRI: our seven research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Let us know if you have feedback or would like to help improve our online products and services .

Teaching, learning and quality

International Facts and Figures 2022

Last updated on Wednesday 15 May 2024 at 4:13pm

International students, international staff, outward student mobility, transnational education, international research, regional profile: africa, regional profile: asia, regional profile: australasia, regional profile: europe, regional profile: middle east, regional profile: north america, regional profile: south america, notes on data, reference list.

International Facts and Figures is our annual snapshot of the international dimensions of UK higher education.

Please note that due to the amount of content, some elements on this page may be slower at loading.

All interactive charts on this page have been created using Flourish.studio.

Promoted content

International facts and figures 2023 now available.

The most recent iteration of this report, International Facts and Figures, with updated data is now available. Click here to access IFAF 2023.

This year’s report illustrates the unique context we are currently living in, and equally reminds us of the importance of international collaboration. The lasting impact of Covid-19 and the UK’s exit from the European Union is particularly evident in the outward student mobility data, with some students unable to complete their study abroad placements.

However, despite the immense challenges our sector has faced, 14,000 students were able to have a period of mobility during their degree in 2020-21. There are also many other positives, such as reaching the International Education Strategy target of 600,000 international students a decade early and an increase in international academic staff working at UK universities. Institutions continue to innovate and find new solutions. 162 UK universities delivered TNE in over 225 countries and territories worldwide, our highest reach yet. The UK also remains a popular collaborative partner for international research, with 60.4% of the UK’s research output having an international co-author.

The dedication and hard work from colleagues to deliver international activities in universities shows an enduring commitment to international higher education and we can see this success in the top facts and figures featured in this report.

Vivienne Stern MBE

Director, Universities UK International

In 2020-21, the UK welcomed 605,130 international students, reaching the 600,000 target (UK government International Education Strategy 2019/2021) almost a decade earlier than the 2030 deadline (HESA, 2022).

International students accounted for 22.0% of the total student population in 2020-21. 15.7% of all undergraduates and 39.1% of all postgraduates were international students (HESA, 2022).

The UK dropped to the third most popular study destination for international students in 2019 as Australia overtook the UK for the first time (UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2021).

The total gross benefit of the 2018-19 cohort of international students to the UK economy was estimated at £28.8 billion. On average, international students made a £40m net economic contribution to the UK economy per parliamentary constituency. This is equivalent to £390 per member of the resident population (after all costs have been accounted for) (London Economics, 2021).

Note: the following section uses HESA data from the HESA data analytics service Heidi+. The HESA student record in Heidi+ omits students from alternative providers and institutions that restrict the use of their data in Heidi+. Consequently, analyses in the following section uses the Heidi+ total of 584,120 international students on full-time, part-time, and sandwich courses. According to HESA, the true total for international students on full-time, part-time, and sandwich courses in 2020-21 was 605,130 students.

Note: the UNESCO Institute for Statistics September 2021 release provides data on the period 2015 to 2019. UNESCO data used here focuses on the academic year 2019-20.

Where do international students study?

In 2019, Australia overtook the UK as the second most popular destination for international students. The UK's annual growth rate increased to 8.2% in 2019, after a period of slowed growth between 2014 and 2018. In contrast, the number of international students going to Australia grew year-on-year from 2014, allowing Australia to overtake the UK in 2019 ( UUKi , 2021).

Canada and Australia remained the fastest-expanding English-speaking destinations, growing 24.3% and 14.5% respectively between 2018 and 2019. Canada was also the fastest-expanding destination globally. China, Japan, and Russia also grew their international student populations by 12.8%, 11.0%, and 7.8% respectively between 2018 and 2019 (UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2021).

In 2020-21, most of the UK's international student population were based in England. 119,600 EU and 360,660 non-EU students pursued degrees full-time at universities in England. Since 2016-17, international student numbers have grown across the devolved nations ( HESA , 2021).

How many international students choose the UK?

In 2020–21, 148,115 EU students studied at UK higher education institutions. Of these, 70.5% were undergraduates, 19.9% were taught postgraduates and 8.6% were research postgraduates. Of the 436,005 non-EU students, 45.1% were undergraduates, 47.1% were taught postgraduates and 7.8% were research postgraduates ( HESA , 2021).

Where do international students come from?

In 2020-21, China, India, Nigeria, the US, and Hong Kong were the top sending countries for international students going to the UK. Chinese and Indian students made up 32.4% and 18.3% of all non-EU students at UK higher education institutions.

The fastest-growing sending countries were Nigeria (63.3%), Pakistan (62.1%), and India (51.8%). In 2020-21, Nigeria jumped to the third most popular domicile for international students after ranking 8/9th in the previous four years.

Within the EU, the top sending countries in 2020-21 were Italy, France, and Romania. The number of students from Italy and France grew marginally compared to 2019–20. Romanian students to the UK increased by 19.0% on 2019-20. The 2020-21 academic year was the last year in which EU students enjoyed home fee status and access to student finance. EU student applications submitted to UCAS for the 2021-22 academic year fell by 40% on the previous year ( UCAS , 2021).

Student numbers from Malaysia and Germany have declined steadily over the past five years, dropping by 31.6% and 14.0% respectively between 2016-17 and 2020-21 ( HESA, 2021).

What do international students study?

Business and management, engineering and technology, and social sciences courses attracted the highest number of international students in both the 2019-20 and 2020-21 academic years. In 2020-21, international students accounted for 42.9% of business and management students and 39.5% of engineering and technology students, and 21.8% of social studies students.

International students accounted for approximately a third or more of total students in the following subjects: business and management, engineering and technology, computing, mathematical sciences, and architecture, building and planning.

Computing and subjects allied to medicine saw the largest growth in international students, growing by 29.7% and 19.9% respectively from 2019-20 to 2020-21 ( HESA , 2021).

What is the economic impact of international students in the UK?

Note: this section covers the economic impact of international students in 2018-19 in line with the most recent available data.

International students bring economic benefits to the UK each year. In 2018–19, international students contributed around £28.8 billion to the UK economy, up from around £24.2 billion in 2015–16. [1]

Of this £28.8 billion, approximately £22.7 billion came from non-EU students and £6.1 billion was generated by EU students.

The net impact to the UK economy per student was £71,000 for EU students and £102,000 for non-EU students.

The largest benefit was associated with fees (£15.0 billion), followed by non-fee income (£13.1 billion) and income from students’ visitors, such as family members and friends (£0.7 billion).

In 2015–16, non-tuition fee income from international students (£12.1 billion in 2018–19 prices) exceeded fee income (£11.5 billion associated with tuition fee income). The reverse occurred in 2018-19 where non-tuition fee income was £13.1 billion and fee income was £15.0 billion.

After considering the public costs associated with teaching grants and student support, the net economic impact of international students in the UK was £25.9 billion in 2018-19, up from 21.7 billion in 2015-16 (an increase of 19.4% in real terms) ( London Economics , 2021).

[1] The 2015–16 figure has been converted to 2018–19 prices to allow for comparison.

In 2020-21, 71,475 international academic staff worked at UK higher education institutions, representing a third (32.1%) of academic staff. 53.5% of international staff were from the EU (HESA, 2021).

Note: HESA has not released data on non-academic staff for 2020-21. The following section examines international academic staff.

Where do international staff come from?

In 2020-21, the top five countries of nationalities for international academic staff were Italy, China, Germany, Ireland, and the United States. These countries have been the top five countries of origin for international academic staff since 2005-6.

Italian nationals have formed the largest group of international academic staff for the past five years. Italian academic staff fell marginally by 0.3% in 2020-1 for the first time since 2004-5, where the HESA record begins. Academic staff from Germany, Greece, France, the Netherlands, and Romania also decreased marginally between 2019-20 and 2020-21.

Over the last five years, international academic staff from Nigeria, Turkey, Pakistan, Iran, and India have grown the most.

Where in the UK are international staff based?

In 2020-21, 81.4% of international academic staff in the UK were based in England. 26.5% of all international academic staff were based in London.

However, the number of international academic staff grew fastest in Scottish higher education institutes over the past five- and 10-years. International academic staff in Scotland grew by 42.2% between 2016-17 and 2020-21, and by 112.5% between 2011-12 and 2020-21.

What do international academic staff do?

In 2020-21, foreign nationals accounted for 32.1% of all academic staff. The subject areas with the highest proportion of international academic staff were engineering and technology (47.7%), biological, mathematical and physical sciences (40.2%), and administrative and business studies (38.9%). Engineering and technology attracted the highest proportion of non-EU staff (24.1%), while medicine, dentistry and health attracted the highest proportion of EU staff (21.8%) ( HESA, 2021).

In 2020-21, the Covid-19 pandemic continued to impact international student mobility. Some students were able to carry out their work or study abroad placements. However, many higher education institutions cancelled their international mobility programmes and visits abroad due to the uncertainty around international travel that the dynamic situation of the pandemic created. Pre-pandemic, in 2018-19, 143 higher education institutions had students with one or more instances of mobility as part of their degree. In 2020-21, only 113 higher education institutions sent students abroad.

Consequently, the 2020-21 data shown in the following section does not truly represent the longitudinal trends in outbound student mobility across the sector. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of mobility instances grew, increasing by 32.1% from 2015-16 to 2018-19. This demonstrates the excellent impact of UUKi’s 2017-20 Go International campaign.

Despite the international challenges, 14,000 students had a period of mobility during their degree in 2020-21. 0.5% of the total UK student population had a period of mobility during the 2020-21 academic year (HESA, 2021).

Note: some students have several instances of mobility as part of their course outside the UK. Consequently, in 2020-21, there were 14,000 students with a period of mobility and 15,915 instances of mobility.

Note: students who worked or studied remotely from the UK because they could not travel to their placement due to the coronavirus pandemic were still considered to be working/studying abroad for HESA reporting purposes. This was subject to the student studying/working with their intended host institution/employer and paying the same fee that would apply had the student gone abroad. For more information please see the HESA collection guidance .

Where are mobile students based and where do they go?

The top three destinations for instances of mobility in 2020-21 were France, Spain, and Germany – together these countries received 28.4% of all mobilities from the UK.

Most destinations received fewer mobile students than before the pandemic.

What kind of international experiences do UK students have?

Overall, 66.7% of instances of mobility in 2020-21 were for studying abroad, 29.1% were for working abroad, and 4.1% were for volunteering. Most mobility periods (67.7%) were long-term – that is, more than 14 weeks’ duration.

Note: this data predates the Turing scheme, which was not launched until the 2021-22 academic year.

Transnational education (TNE) is the delivery of an educational award in a country other than that in which the awarding body is based. It includes but is not limited to online and distance learning, joint and dual degree programmes, fly-in faculty for short courses, and international branch campuses.

In 2020–21, 162 UK universities delivered some form of TNE to 510,835 students in over 225 countries and territories worldwide. The UK is a world leader in this field (HESA, 2021).

Historically, Oxford Brookes University students accounted for over 40% of all UK TNE student numbers, due to a partnership with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). However, in 2019–20 Oxford Brookes University changed its reporting practices, resulting in a 256,450 reduction in the total number of students reported to HESA for the Aggregate Offshore Record (AOR) between 2018–19 and 2019–20.

To accurately reflect sector-wide trends over time, this section excludes Oxford Brooks University in analyses examining 2016-17 to 2020-21 but includes it in analyses examining 2019-20 and 2020-21.

Overview of UK higher education TNE provision

Between 2019–20 and 2020–21, the total number of UK TNE students increased by 12.7%. Most students (67.2%) were studying for undergraduate degrees. Collaborative provision accounted for 39.1% of the global UK TNE student population, making it the most popular provision. TNE by other arrangements and registration at an overseas partner organisation saw the largest percentage growth out of all types of provision, up 22.1% and 17.6% respectively from 2019-20 ( HESA , 2021).

Where are UK higher education TNE students based?

In 2020-21, UK TNE delivery was concentrated in Asia. The region accounted for around half the total of UK higher education TNE students. This was followed by the EU, the Middle East and Africa. The top five host countries and territories for UK TNE in 2020-21 were China, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Singapore, and Egypt. The top five host territories accounted for 39.0% of all UK higher education TNE students.

In 2021, UK universities continued to excel in research, producing high-quality, globally collaborative research.

The UK produced the third-largest research output in the world – rivalled only by the US and China. Moreover, the UK boasts the largest share of internationally co-authored publications. 60.4% of the UK's research output was internationally co-authored in 2021 (SciVal, 2021).

The UK is a popular partner for research collaboration, ranking first for Ireland and Greece, and second for most of its top partners.

The UK receives an exceptionally large volume of research funding from abroad. EU funding, which forms over half of the UK’s international funding, decreased by 11.0% between 2018–19 and 2019-20. Non-EU funding has increased by 3.3% during the same period. (HESA, 2020)

Note: the following section uses 2019-20 data to discuss the UK’s research funding. We will update this section once HESA release their Finance Record for 2020-21 in July 2022.

How does the UK publication rate compare internationally?

In 2021, the top three countries by research output were China, the US, and the UK. China overtook the US as the top country by publication output in 2019 and continues to grow in this regard. In 2021, the UK retained its spot as the third-largest research output producer globally. However, the UK was closely followed by India with a difference of just 2,986 papers. India's research outputs grew the most out of the top 10 countries, increasing by 14.05% from 2019-20.

The proportion of internationally co-authored publications has increased over the past ten years and the UK has seen the largest growth. In 2011, 41.0% of UK publications had an international co-author. This proportion increased to 49.2% in 2016, and 60.4% in 2021.

What is the impact of UK research?

The population of the United Kingdom represents 0.9% of the global population.

Between 2018-21, 3.9% of the world's publication authors were from the UK ( SciVal , 2021).

In 2021, the UK produced 6.4% of the world's publications ( SciVal , 2021).

In 2021, 9.3% of the UK's publications were in the top five percent of the world's most-cited publications ( SciVal , 2021).

In 2021, the UK received 10.4% of the world's citations ( SciVal , 2021).

157 higher education institutes made submissions to REF 2021. 84.0% were considered world-leading or internationally excellent. 87.2% had an impact that was world-leading or internationally excellent ( REF, 2021).

In 2019, total expenditure on R&D was £38.5 billion , equivalent to 1.7% of the UK’s GDP ( House of Commons , 2021, p.9) .

Which countries are the UK's top collaborative partners?

The UK’s most frequent collaborative research partners between 2018-2021 were the US, China, and Germany, with 19.6%, 8.7% and 36.7% of publications respectively, featuring one or more UK co-authors.

Research collaborations with India and China have increased by 38.2% and 34.7% respectively since 2018.

The UK itself is a popular partner, ranking first for Ireland and Greece, second for most of its other partners, third for Australia, Canada, Switzerland, and Austria, and fourth for Japan.

What are the sources of UK research funding?

In 2020-21 21.6% of UK research funding came from international sources. EU funding, which forms over half of the UK's international funding, decreased by 4.6% between 2019-20 and 2020-21. The net EU contribution to the UK from Horizon 2020 was 2,042 billion (13.31% of the total Horizon 2020 budget). The current uncertainty over the future of the UK's association to Horizon Europe is likely to impact funding in the years to come.

In 2020-21, international industry investment in UK university research and innovation fell by 9.5%. In the five years previous, international industry investment grew steadily, with total funding for 2019-20 up by 26.1% compared with 2015-16. While industry funding from outside the EU exceeds EU funding, EU industry investment exceeds its economic weight, accounting for around a sixth of the global economy but around a third of industry investment in UK university R&D. Moreover, EU industry investment grew more rapidly than non-EU investment before the 2020-21 decline, increasing by 49.9% between 2015-16 and 2019-20, compared with 15.0% for non-EU industry.

Source: Horizon 2020 dashboard; HESA Finance Record, 2020-21

In which subject areas does the most international collaboration take place?

In 2021, Earth and planetary sciences as a subject area had the largest share of publications with one or more UK co-author(s) (78.6%). Earth and planetary sciences' has been the top subject area for international collaboration since 2016.

Within the top 10 subject areas for internationally co-authored publications, pharmacology, toxicology, and pharmaceutics saw the most rapid year-on-year growth, with collaboration in this field increasing by 55.1%.

Arts and humanities publications ranked last out of the 27 subject areas for proportion of international co-authored publications. International co-authored publications made up just 26.9% of arts and humanities publications in 2021.

Africa was the fastest-growing market for student recruitment, sending 29.8% more students in 2020-21 compared to 2019-20.

Nigeria remained the top sending African country for students coming to the UK in 2020-21. Moreover, Nigeria was the fastest-growing market for students on the continent and third-fastest globally. The Nigerian student population in the UK grew by an astonishing 63.3% between 2019-20 and 2020-21. Student numbers from Ghana also grew significantly over the past academic year, increasing by 21.9%.

The number of African academics working at UK institutions increased by 8.81% between 2019-20 and 2020-21.

The growing importance of African research partners is shown by the substantial rise in the number of co-authored publications from the region, co-authored publications between the UK and African countries grew by 58.5% in 2018-2021. Nigeria, Ghana and Egypt saw the highest percentage growth in publications; however, South Africa remains the UK's main research partner in terms of the number of co-authored publications.

Despite decreasing between 2016-17 and 2018-19, UK TNE student numbers in Africa recovered and exceeded their 2016-17 total in 2020-21, reaching 56,475 students. Egypt remained the continent's largest TNE market with 23,805 students.

Mirroring other regions, UK outward mobility to Africa declined in 2020-21.

Total number of international students from Africa in the UK in 2020-21: 41,895 (up 29.8% on 2019-20)

Total number of international academic staff from Africa in the UK in 2020-21, 3.460 (up 8.81% on 2019-20).

Total number of students on UK higher education TNE in Africa, 2020-21: 56,475 (up 16.7% on 2019-20).

Main type of TNE provision: collaborative provision.

Outward mobility

Co-authored publications.

Total UK publications with an African co-author, between 2018-2021: 39,446 (growing 58.5% between 2018-21).

Asia remains a distinctly important market for student recruitment.

Students from China and India represented 32.4% and 18.3% of all non-EU enrolment respectively in 2020-21. Nevertheless, Pakistan was the region's fastest-growing market, increasing by 62.1% between 2019-20 and 2020-21.

The number of international staff from Asia grew by 5.29% in 2020-21. However, there was a small decrease in staff from Japan.

Research collaboration with Asia remains strong, with the number of co-authored publications in the region growing by 46.3% in 2018-2021. UK research collaboration with India and China was particularly notable, growing by 38.2% and 34.7% respectively in 2018-2021.

Asia continues to represent the largest market for UK TNE, with rising student numbers in China and Sri Lanka driving growth. In contrast, Malaysia saw a slight decrease of 1.9% in TNE student numbers compared to 2019-20. TNE student numbers in Singapore fell slightly in 2019-20, but stagnated in 2020-21.

Total number of international students from Asia in the UK in 2020-21: 304,260 (up 11.5% on 2019-20).

Total number of international academic staff from Asia in the UK in 2020-21:13,940 (5.29% since 2019-20).

Total number of students on UK higher education TNE in Asia, 2020-21: 252,845 (up 11.2% on 2019-20).

Outward mobility

co-authored publications.

Total UK publications with an Asian co-author, between 2018-2021: 151,960 (growing 46.3% between 2018-20).

The number of TNE students in Australasia grew in 2020-21, increasing by 9.0% to 3,100 students. This is particularly significant given the year-on-year decrease in TNE students in the region between 2016-17 and 2018-19.

Australasian students represent the smallest regional cohort of international students. The number of students from Australasia decreased by 8.5% between 2019-20 and 2020-21. Students from Australia and New Zealand, the top two domiciles for Australasian students, fell by 8.7% and 4.7% for this period.

The total number of Australasian staff grew marginally in 2020-21. This was driven by staff from Australia, while the number of staff from New Zealand declined.

Research collaboration with Australasia remains strong. Australia is the UK's main research partner in the region in terms of number of co-authored publications, reaching 54,908 between 2018-2021.

Total number of international students from Australasia in the UK in 2020-21: 2,550 (down 8.5% on 2019-20).

Total number of international academic staff from Australasia in the UK in 2020-21: 1,940 (up 0.26% on 2019-20).

Total number of students on UK higher education TNE in Australasia, 2020-21: 3,100 (up 9.0% on 2019-20).

Main type of TNE provision: distance, flexible or distributed learning.

Total UK publications with an Australasian co-author, between 2018-2021: 83,129 (growing 20.0% between 2018-20).

The 2020-21 academic year was the last year in which EU students enjoyed home fee status and access to student finance.

The number of students from Europe increased marginally in 2020-21 (up 3.0%). Students from the top four major sending countries (Italy, France, Romania, and Spain) all increased compared to 2019-20. Between 2016-17 to 2019-20, Germany was one of the top three European sending countries. However, after declining steadily over the past five years, the UK's German student population continued to decrease in 2020-21, making Germany the 5th largest domicile for European students.

The number of European academic staff declined in 2020-21 (down 0.28%) for the first time since 2004-5.

Europe remains the UK’s second largest TNE market after Asia, with 96,500 students (up 8.8% since 2019-20). The number of TNE students in Cyprus fell by 12.1%, after falling by 1.4% in 2019-20. However, European TNE demonstrates a strong growth in demand among the other top destinations.

Total number of international students from Europe in the UK in 2020-21: 170,200 (up 3.0% on 2019-20).

Total number of international academic staff from Europe in the UK in 2020-21: 41,135 (down 0.28% on 2019-20).

Total number of students on UK higher education TNE in Europe, 2020-21: 96,500 (up 8.8% on 2019-20).

Outward mobility

Total UK publications with a European co-author, between 2018-2021: 295,300 (growing 20.9% between 2018-20).

In the Middle East, trends in student recruitment from previous years continued in 2020-21.

Saudi Arabia continued to send the largest number of students to the UK, while the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait showed the strongest growth, with student numbers increasing by 17.8% and 13.9% respectively compared to 2019-20.

The number of academic staff from the Middle East grew in 2020-21, with staff from Iran representing over half of this group.

The region is an established TNE hub, behind only Asia in TNE student numbers. Despite the decrease in TNE students between 2016-17 and 2018-19, TNE students in the Middle East grew by 18.9% in 2020-21 to reach 70,400. While the United Arab Emirates and Oman were the largest markets for UK TNE, the most rapid growth of 64.5% was seen in Saudi Arabia. Kuwait and Bahrain also saw substantial growth, increasing by 45.6% and 25.5% respectively in 2020-21.

The Middle East is the fastest-expanding region in terms of research collaboration with the UK, with co-authored publications growing by 68.7% in 2018-2021.The primary research partner in the Middle East was Saudi Arabia, followed by Turkey by a difference of 81 publications. However, collaborations with the UAE increased the most, growing by 62.9% between 2018 and 2021.

Total number of international students from Middle East in the UK in 2020-21: 29,580 (7.5% since 2019-20).

Total number of international academic staff from Middle East in the UK in 2020-21: 2,465 (up 5.34% on 2019-20).

Total number of students on UK higher education TNE in Middle East, 2020-21: 70,400 (up 18.9% on 2019-20).

Main type of TNE provision: registered at an overseas partner organisation.

Total UK publications with a Middle Eastern co-author, between 2018-2021: 43,618 (growing 68.7% between 2018-21).

The number of international students from North America decreased by 6.5% in 2020-21 after falling by 0.8% the previous year.

Students from Bermuda remain consistent but the remaining five sending countries in the region all saw a decline in student numbers. The US - the region's majority sender - sent 18,470 students to the UK, down 7.4% from 2019-20. Students from Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago saw considerable decreases of 17.8% and 19.1% respectively.

The number of North American academics working at UK institutions increased marginally by 1.89% between 2019-20 and 2020-21.

Despite the fall in TNE students in the region between 2016-17 to 2018-19, North American TNE has recovered in the past two years and grew by 16.5% between 2019-20 and 2020-21. The United States continues to grow as the region's largest TNE market.

The UK has long-standing research relationships in North America, and the number of research collaborations continues to grow across the US, Canada and Mexico. The US remains the UK's top collaborative research partner worldwide at 146,197 co-authored publications.

Total number of international students from North America in the UK in 2020-21: 29,580 (down 6.5% on 2019-20).

Total number of international academic staff from North America in the UK in 2020-21: 6,995 (up 1.89% since 2019-20).

Total number of students on UK higher education TNE in North America, 2020-21: 27,010 (up 16.5% on 2019-20).

Total UK publications with a North American co-author, between 2018-2021: 174,080 (growing 19.9% between 2018-20).

The UK's South American student population is much smaller than other regions. This population has declined since 2017-18 and dropped by 12.4% in 2020-21.

However, South America remains the fastest-expanding region for TNE provision with TNE students in the region increasing by 21.9% between 2019-20 and 2020-21.

South America was also the fastest-expanding region for international staff in terms of growth. The number of South American academics working in UK higher education institutes grew by 12.36% in 2020-21.

South America also demonstrates strong research collaboration with the UK, particularly in Peru where the number of co-authored publications increased by 51.6% between 2018-21.

Total number of international students from South America in the UK in 2020-21: 4,520 (down 12.4% on 2019-20).

Total number of international academic staff from South America in the UK in 2020-21, 1,545 (12.36% since 2019-20).

Total number of students on UK higher education TNE in South America, 2020-21: 3,065 (up 21.9% on 2019-20).

Total UK publications with a South American co-author, between 2018-2021: 43,618 (growing 68.7% between 2018-21).

In 2020-21, there were 171 higher education institutions in the UK that returned data to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

For further information on higher education institutions visit HESA’s website .

The HESA student record in HESA’s data analytics service Heidi+ omits students from alternative providers and institutions that restrict the use of their data in Heidi+. Consequently, we have used the Heidi+ total of 584,120 international students on full-time, part-time, and sandwich courses in our analyses. According to HESA, the true total for international students on full-time, part-time, and sandwich courses in 2020-21 was 605,130 students.

In 2019-20, Oxford Brookes University changed their reporting practices around which students they include in their aggregate offshore return. This resulted in a drop of 256,450 students between 2018-19 and 2019-20 for Oxford Brookes, resulting in a significant drop to the overall number of student enrolments based wholly overseas. Consequently, we have excluded Oxford Brookes University from analyses considering the years 2018-19 and before.

We have continued to disaggregate EU students in the data as in the relevant year they were still treated as home students.

HESA Student, Staff, Finance and Aggregate Offshore Records are a copyright of Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited. Neither the Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited nor HESA Services Limited can accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from data or other information obtained from Heidi+.

All HESA figures quoted in the publication that relate to student, staff, mobility and TNE numbers have been rounded to the nearest five in accordance with HESA data protection protocols. Unknown domiciles and nationalities were excluded from HESA figures and percentages.

All percentages have been calculated using raw figures and rounded, therefore rounded figures may not sum precisely and vary by figures of five Due to the nature of this publication, data is collated from several sources published on different dates. All data in this publication is correct as per the date it has been accessed.

Collaborative provision

A type of TNE provision. Applies to students registered at the reporting provider who are undertaking joint and dual degrees and/or franchised provision.

Distance, flexible or distributed learning

A type of TNE provision. Applies to students registered at the reporting provider who study for a UK higher education provider award via distance, flexible and/or distributed learning overseas. For example, programmes delivered online.

Higher education provider

Higher Education Statistics Agency

Instances of mobility

Some students have a number of mobility experiences as part of their course outside of the UK. These are counted separately and not aggregated together.

Internationally co-authored publications

A publication on which a UK researcher has collaborated with at least one overseas institution.

Nationality

The country of legal nationality of staff.

The net impact (benefits minus costs) is an estimate relating to the on- and off- campus spending of the 2015-16 cohort and their visitors over the entire course of their studies.

Other arrangement

A type of TNE provision. Applies to students studying overseas for an award of the reporting provider in a manner not covered in other TNE types of provision. For example, via multiple UK or international partners delivering a programme, or through a combination of other types of provision.

Overseas campus

A type of TNE provision. Applies to students registered at the reporting provider who study for a UK HEP award at an overseas campus.

Overseas partner organisation

A type of TNE provision. Students register with an overseas partner organisation in order to study overseas for an award of the reporting UK provider. The majority of teaching is delivered in-country; this arrangement includes validation and franchise arrangements.

Sandwich placement

A sandwich placement is a type of validated work experience, part of a degree course. It usually takes place in the penultimate year of a four-year degree.

SciVal is a research information tool that offers easy access to the research performance of 7,500 research institutions and 220 nations worldwide. Produced by Elsevier it uses bibliometric information from the Scopus database from 1996 onwards

London Economics, HEPI and UUKi, 2021: The costs and benefits of international higher education students to the UK Economy: https://londoneconomics.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/LE-HEPI-UUKi-Impact-of-intl-HE-students-on-the-UK-economy-Summary-Report-September-2021.pdf

HESA, 2022: Higher Education Student Statistics: UK, 2020/21 - Where students come from and go to study: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/news/25-01-2022/sb262-higher-education-student-statistics/location

HESA Aggregate Offshore record, 2020-21: Available at: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/collection/c19052

HESA Finance record, 2020-21: Available at: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/collection/c19031

HESA Student record FPE, 2020-21: Available at: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/collection/c19051

HESA Staff record FPE, 2020-21: Available at: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/collection/c19025

SciVal, 2021: Available at: https://www.scival.com [Accessed April - September 2021]

UUKi, 2021: Why aren’t we second? Pt.2, available at: International student recruitment: Why aren't we second? Part 2 (universitiesuk.ac.uk)

UNESCO Institute of Statistics, 2021: Education- Outbound internationally mobile students by host region. Available at http://data.uis.unesco.org/

International Facts and Figures 2021

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Award details

The stability of east antarctica’s “weak underbelly” from data and modelling. ref: 5142, about the award, supervisors.

Dr Edward Gasson , Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter

Dr Kate Littler, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter

Dr Taryn Noble , Institute for Marine and Antarctic Sciences, University of Tasmania

Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, Exeter

The University of Exeter’s Department of Earth and Environmental Science is inviting applications for a PhD studentship fully-funded by the Royal Society and the University of Exeter to commence on 23 September 2024 or as soon as possible thereafter. For eligible students the studentship will cover Home or International tuition fees plus an annual tax-free stipend of at least £20,034 for 4 years full-time, or pro rata for part-time study. The student would be based in Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences in the Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy at the Penryn Campus in Cornwall.

Project Description:

The biggest unknown in future sea level projections is how the Antarctic Ice Sheet will change as the climate warms. Antarctica has the largest body of ice on Earth, enough to raise sea level by 58 metres if completely melted. This is very unlikely to occur and would take many thousands of years, however there are parts of the ice sheet that we are more concerned about and could raise sea level more quickly. These parts sit on land that is far below sea level in subglacial basins, some of which are vulnerable to a warming ocean. Two of the largest are the Wilkes Subglacial Basin and the Aurora Subglacial Basin (ASB) in East Antarctica. Ice from the ASB ice flows to the ocean via the Denman and Totten Glaciers. If these glaciers retreat enough, then there could be a runaway collapse into the basin, raising sea level by around 5 m. To try and find out how likely this is and under what level of warming, this PhD project will investigate the geological past to find out how the ice sheet changed when the climate was warmer than present.

The PhD project will involve both computer modelling and geochemical analysis. As part of this PhD project, you will work with two ice sheet models to explore the conditions under which collapse of ice into the East Antarctic subglacial basins can occur. The results of these experiments will be compared with paleoclimate proxies for key past warm intervals (Pleistocene interglacials, Miocene) with potential retreat into the subglacial basins. In addition to comparing with existing published records you will have to opportunity to produce new data to determine the source of sediment eroded and transported by the ice sheet, using isotope geochemistry.

The award will provide funding for a 3-month research visit to the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Sciences in Tasmania to collaborate with Dr Taryn Noble and the potential to join an Antarctic research cruise during austral summer 2026. Note that participation in the research cruise is not a requirement for successful completion of the PhD nor can participation be guaranteed.

Previous experience of computer programming would be highly advantageous, although training can be provided. This project will involve considerable computer work so an aptitude and desire for this type of working is essential. This award provides annual funding to cover Home or International tuition fees in full and a tax-free stipend of at least £20,034 per year.

The studentship will be awarded on the basis of merit for 4 years of full-time study to commence on 23 September 2024. International applicants need to be aware that you will have to cover the cost of your student visa, healthcare surcharge and other costs of moving to the UK to do a PhD.

Entry requirements

Applicants for this studentship must have obtained, or be about to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class UK Honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, in an appropriate area of science or technology.

If English is not your first language you will need to meet the required level as per our guidance at https://www.exeter.ac.uk/pg-research/apply/english/

How to apply

In the application process you will be asked to upload several documents. • CV • Letter of application (outlining your academic interests, prior research experience and reasons for wishing to undertake the project). • Transcript(s) giving full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained (this should be an interim transcript if you are still studying) • Names of two referees familiar with your academic work. You are not required to obtain references yourself. We will request references directly from your referees if you are shortlisted. • If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country you will need to submit evidence of your proficiency in English.

The closing date for applications is midnight on 14th July 2024 . Interviews will be held virtually / on the University of Exeter’s Penryn Campus in the week commencing 29th July 24.

If you have any general enquiries about the application process please email [email protected] or phone 0300 555 60 60 (UK callers) +44 (0) 1392 723044 (EU/International callers) Project-specific queries should be directed to the main supervisor.

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Discover a world-class education in the UK, a renowned global hub for excellence in education and research.

The United Kingdom (UK) is home to some of the world’s oldest universities and colleges having their roots in the 12th and 13th centuries. Coming from such a strong legacy, study in UK has become a benchmark for other countries.

Student visa requirements for the UK

Here’s an overview of the types of study visas and their application requirements:

*For detailed information, please visit the Gov.UK website

Cost to study in UK

Your expenditure on tuition fees depends on the type of qualification and university or school you opt for. There are many high-ranking universities and colleges in the UK with their own fee structures. Here’s the basic cost of studying.

*Please note that: all figures are indicative and PhD costs might differ as fully funded options are also available in the UK

If you want to bring down your educational expenses, it is best to apply to various scholarships available for Indian students.

Scholarships to study in UK

For Study in UK , the amount of money available and the type of award varies between institutions. Certain research programs may provide up to 100% of the tuition fee besides covering a part of your living expenditures.

Here are some popular government scholarship programs you can apply to study in UK as an Indian student:

*This is an indicative list, speak with your IDP counsellor for details and the best available options suited to your profile

Intakes in the UK

Colleges and universities in the UK offer two major intakes, but few of the universities also offer summer intakes.

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Top courses to study in UK

With world-class universities, experienced faculties, and multiple opportunities in different fields, the UK is a top choice among international students. Know all the popular study abroad courses of UK universities so you can make the best of your career choice

Business management

Engineering and technology

Social Sciences

Media and communication

Top universities to study in UK

When deciding which university to study in UK at, it is crucial that you also look at the world university rankings. This helps you compare and understand where a university ranks and how your desired institution fares on the global map. Here are the top UK universities according to QS World University Rankings 2023

Check where these UK universities rank on the Times Higher Education charts .

Job prospects in UK

The UK is a hub of opportunities for international students. According to the data from the World Bank, the UK is the 5th largest economy in the world, which makes it a perfect place for building a successful career.

Highest paying degrees in the UK

With a huge job market, UK universities offer some popular degree courses that are in demand in the job market, and professionals in the fields are paid well. Here are the highest-paying degrees in the UK.

Executive MBA

Masters in finance

Popular sectors with job opportunities in the UK

There are various career opportunities post-graduation for international students study in UK. Here are the popular fields you can opt for higher education:

Cost of living in the UK

Here’s a list of the minimum monthly amount you should expect for living expenses in the UK:

Please note that all figures are indicative

FAQs related to Study in UK

We know you have a lot of questions in your mind, so have answered common questions students as you raise about study and living in the UK.

1. Is CAS letter needed for UK?

The Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) is a crucial document required to obtain a student visa for studying in the UK. It is an electronic document provided by your university to support your student visa application. As an international student, you must request a CAS letter before applying for the visa. Generally, the CAS is issued after accepting an offer and paying the specified deposit* to secure your place. The letter includes your personal information, details of the course you will be studying, the duration of the study, and a unique CAS number.

2. Why apply for a Pre-Masters program?

Every year, a significant number of international students apply to UK universities to enhance their academic abilities. However, entry requirements for courses can pose challenges to their study abroad plans. This is particularly true for students who:

Wish to switch fields after their undergraduate program, where the old and new fields may not align well. Struggle to meet the English proficiency test requirements. Lack a strong foundation in their chosen field.

If you fall into any of these categories, a pre-masters course is tailored for you. This course provides the necessary theoretical concepts and practical tools to prepare you for the master's program. It is advisable to refine your academic writing skills, enhance your language proficiency, and familiarise yourself with academic terminologies before embarking on your postgraduate journey.

3. What are the different law degrees in the UK?

Law is a highly sought-after course among UK universities, offering two distinct types of Law degrees for aspiring students. Let's delve into a brief description of each:

Type 1: Barrister Type 2: Solicitor

4. How to Study in the UK after 12th with the Pathway program?

Pathway or foundation courses are primarily designed for students who do not meet the academic entry requirements, have not attained the desired score in the English language proficiency test, or wish to switch their field of study. These courses aim to support international students in enhancing their language proficiency and acquiring the necessary skills to pursue higher education in UK universities. Typically lasting for a year, some pathway courses have a narrow focus, while others offer a more general curriculum.

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International students : 2319

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International students : 4000
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New measures to tackle student visa abuse

New proposals will further crackdown on student visas, ensuring only genuine students can come to the UK; route will be kept under review.

Image of Home Office building.

The Home Secretary and Education Secretary have announced new proposals to ensure the UK’s world-leading higher education sector is used for education, not as a gateway to immigration, with options to go further remaining under consideration.

This will deliver on the commitment to lower overall levels of migration while maintaining the UK’s leading status as a world-class destination for higher education and attracting the brightest and best international students.

It comes as the latest statistics published by the ONS show net migration has dropped by 10% since 2022. These figures do not take into account changes made by the government which are expected to bring migration down further. The latest figures since the changes came into effect show a 25% drop in visa applications. The Office for Budget Responsibility has previously forecast that net migration will halve from its 2022 peak in the next 12 months.

The proposals would regulate the recruitment of international students, cracking down on rogue recruitment agents who encourage people to apply to British universities by mandating universities to sign up to a stringent framework for agents. 

Tougher compliance standards for institutions recruiting students from overseas will be introduced. Those who accept international students who then fail to pass our visa checks, enrol or complete their courses, will risk losing their sponsor licence.

Financial maintenance requirements will be raised, so international students will have to prove their financial self-sufficiency. The government is already reviewing English language assessments with the objective of standardising independent assessments, ensuring all international students are equipped with the skills to understand their course materials – or they shouldn’t expect a place at a UK university.

Restrictions on remote delivery will also ensure all overseas students are predominantly undertaking face-to-face courses.

Home Secretary, James Cleverly, said:   

We have taken decisive and necessary action to deliver the largest cut in legal migration in our country’s history. Applications are already falling sharply, down by almost a quarter on key routes in the first four months of this year compared to last, with the full impact of our package still to be seen.  But we must go further to make sure our immigration routes aren’t abused. That’s why we are cracking down on rogue international agents and, building on work across government, to ensure international students are coming here to study, not work.

Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan, said:   

I am proud that British universities have a fantastic reputation both at home and abroad, and it is testament to the quality of education they offer that so many people aspire to study in this country. It is right that we strike the balance between controlling immigration and making sure the UK remains the ‘go to’ place for students around the world, supporting our brilliant universities and enabling the best and brightest to study here.

The reforms form part of the government’s overall plan to cut legal migration, which would mean 300,000 who arrived last year would be unable to do so under the new rules.

These measures, which came into force in the first few months of this year, are already having an impact on migration levels, with the latest monthly statistics published yesterday showing that applications across key routes affected by the changes fell by 25% in the first four months of 2024, compared with the same period last year.

To protect the integrity and quality of the UK’s higher education sector and ensure it works in the country’s best interests, the Home Secretary commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to conduct a rapid review of the Graduate visa.

The MAC warned that rogue recruitment agents pose a threat to the integrity of our immigration system, with poor practices exploiting student and graduate visa holders mis-sold UK higher education. Since migrants on the student route transition directly to the Graduate route, immediate action is necessary.

The government also remains concerned that the route is not attracting the highest earners who contribute to our economy. after analysis from HMRC and the Home Office showed that more than a quarter of Graduate visa holders were not found to be in PAYE employment at any point during financial year ending 2023, and of those that were, the majority (63%) were not in PAYE employment for the full year.

The UK’s world-leading universities rightly attract some of the brightest students from around the world and the government remains committed to the International Education Strategy which recognises the important benefits that international students bring to the UK, including their economic contributions.

Taken together, the Home Secretary’s package to reduce legal migration will mean approximately 300,000 people who arrived in the UK last year would no longer be able to. The following measures are already in force:  

increasing the salary threshold for Skilled Worker visas by 48% to £38,700

restricting care workers from bringing dependants with them and requiring care providers acting as sponsors in England to register with the industry regulator, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), to crack down on worker exploitation and abuse within the sector

abolishing the shortage occupation list and replacing it with a new immigration salary list, with employers no longer able to pay migrants less than UK workers in shortage occupations

raising the minimum income requirement for the family visa, to reach the level of the Skilled Worker visa, currently £38,700 by early 2025

Delivery of this comprehensive series of measures comes as the government cracks down on rising migration, both legally and illegally, and reforms the immigration system.

We have worked successfully with international partners and clamped down on criminal gangs with stepped-up enforcement.

The Safety of Rwanda Act was passed in April and the Treaty with Rwanda has been ratified.

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Graduate visa route stays, as UK government proposes ‘crackdown’ on abuses and migration

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The UK government has proposed new measures to ‘further crack down on student visas’, but has stopped short of closing the graduate visa route. Many in the higher education sector have expressed relief that the graduate visa will stay after the government conducted a rapid review of the route as part of a series of measures to reduce net migration.

Universities had been worried that the UK government would close the graduate visa route making it harder to attract people to fill PhD posts

‘We welcome the news that the graduate route remains in place,’ said Tim Bradshaw , chief executive of the Russell Group, a body that represents 24 of the country’s top research universities. ‘As recognised by the [migration advisory committee’s (MAC)] recent report, international students bring huge value to our universities, our communities and our economy.’

The uncertainty caused by the decision to review the visa has been toxic Vivienne Stern, Universities UK

Concerns over the future of the graduate visa were raised after Home Secretary James Cleverly wrote to the MAC in March to request a rapid review of the graduate entry route. Earlier this month, the leaders of seven higher education groups wrote to Cleverly arguing that: ‘Any changes would be extremely damaging to the UK’s reputation and standing as a leading global study destination and research powerhouse, with a severe impact on the economy both nationally and across the regions.’ They also highlighted a significant decrease in the number of international students applying to study in the UK, adding that changes to the graduate visa route ‘could turn a sharp contraction into a collapse’.

The MAC filed its report in mid-May, noting that it found ‘no evidence of any significant abuse of the graduate route’ and recommending that the route remain in place in its current form. However, it did raise concerns over the use of some recruitment agents that provide ‘misleading information to prospective international students’.

Important and welcome

The chief executive of Universities UK, Vivienne Stern, described the report’s finding that the graduate route should remain as ‘extremely important and welcome’. ‘The uncertainty caused by the decision to review the visa has been toxic,’ she said.

‘What is needed now is stability – we need the government to provide much needed reassurance to both universities and international students that the graduate route is here to stay,’ she added.

It’s very, very hard to bring in non-UK PhD students Steve Howdle, University of Nottingham

Following the publication of the MAC report, the government announced that the graduate route would be ‘kept under review’. It also proposed a number of measures to further regulate the recruitment of international students including ‘cracking down on rogue recruitment agents’, tougher compliance standards for institutions recruiting overseas students, restrictions on remote delivery of coursework and raising the requirements on international students’ financial self-sufficiency.

Earlier this year, the government raised the salary threshold for skilled worker visas by 48% to £38,700. In certain circumstances , science graduates can obtain a skilled worker visa if their salary is over £30,960. However, this figure is 12% higher than the average starting salary of a chemistry graduate in the UK (£27,661).

PhD student shortage

Steve Howdle , head of chemistry at the University of Nottingham, takes issue with policies that have made it harder to bring researchers to the UK. ‘I’ve had a career of 30 years now. I’ve graduated 60 PhD students and helped in the development of around 20–25 postdoctoral researchers,’ he says. ‘And many of those have come from outside the UK into my group and helped me and UK plc to do new science and create new opportunities that have been very valuable. And what I see at the moment is that pathway has become incredibly more restricted – and I think that’s a really difficult thing to get our heads around.’

‘What we’re talking about here is highly-skilled scientists who come to the UK and contribute very positively,’ he adds.

According to Howdle restrictions on recruitment of international talent will make it harder for the UK to maintain its reputation as a global science leader. ‘At the moment, because of the visa situation, it’s very, very hard to bring in non-UK PhD students,’ he notes. ‘And so there is already a dearth of PhD students, we’re starting to see it’s more and more difficult to fill the roles to do [research]. The UK is positioned as punching above its weight in terms of research in the world – that’s going to be damaged if we carry on the way we’re going.’

In January a review conducted by accounting firm PwC on behalf of Universities UK highlighted that ‘increasing financial pressures’ on the UK higher education sector had led to an overreliance on international students to ‘cross-subsidise domestic teaching and research activities’. Howdle believes that making it harder for universities to recruit foreign students will create additional financial strain.

‘We all know that tuition fees are the main mode of funding into higher education and those tuition fees have not increased at all over the last decade … so universities have been pushed to take more overseas students who can and do pay higher fees,’ he says. ‘And that’s been the way that universities have stabilised and have run for the last decade – that’s all going to get very much harder.’

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UK Graduate visa: How will it impact Indian students?

Even russell group has stated that a 10% reduction in international student numbers would reduce their universities’ collective income by over £500m a year..

The UK government led by PM Rishi Sunak will retain the graduate visa route, which permits international students to work or look for a job for two years after graduation.

The recently released Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) report too has recommended that the UK’s graduate visa route “remains in place in its current form.”

Why the change of heart? Experts claim that if Sunak cancels the graduate route visa, universities across the UK will experience substantial financial difficulty leading to job losses, course closures and a reduction in research, and in the extreme it is not inconceivable that some institutions would even shut down.

“Majority of the UK universities’ financial stability depends heavily on the tuition fee paid by the international students (mainly postgraduate/ masters students), and without that the universities can collapse,” said Lord Karan Bilimoria, the chancellor of the University of Birmingham told indianexpress.com .

Universities lose money on teaching domestic students and on research activities. The fee from international students mitigates (at least in part) the current funding gap for domestic students and research. “We have not received any indication in our discussion with ministers, either in Westminster or the Devolved Administrations, that there is any plan in place to address this structural under-funding. In such circumstances, any policy change to the Graduate route intended to reduce student numbers would need to explain how the financial consequences for the sector would be addressed,” the report further stated.

What the numbers tell

The MAC 2024 report also suggests that growth in the total number of visas has been faster for postgraduate study.

As per the data provided, in the first full year of the Graduate route (year to Q2 2022), there were 66,000 Graduate visas granted for main applicants and dependants. This doubled to 144,000 visas in 2023.

UK graduate route visa changes by Rishi Sunak

Of the 114,000 main applicant visa holders in 2023, 99% held a 2-year visa as they had completed an undergraduate or Master’s degree (or equivalent), whilst 1% (1,500 visas) held a 3-year visa having completed a PhD/other doctoral qualification or equivalent. There were 30,000 dependent visas issued in 2023.

2-year visas: Representing 99% of the main applicant visas, which amounts to 112,860 visas.
3-year visas: Representing 1% of the main applicant visas, which amounts to 1,140 visas.
Dependent visas: Representing 30,000 visas.

Of these graduate visa holders, Indian nationals made up a higher proportion of Graduate visas (42%) compared to their proportion of student visas (26%).

Statistics show that the higher education sector directly employed 513,600 workers in the UK in 2022, spread relatively evenly across the country. The areas where the higher education sector supported 10,000+ jobs were the surrounding major universities. The top three areas are — Oxfordshire, Camden and City of London, and the City of Edinburgh.

Moreover, the total UK revenue from education-related exports and transnational education (TNE) activity was estimated to be £27.90 billion in 2021, having risen 7% since 2019 based on current prices, indicating that the 2030 target will be met. International students are a key component of this export success, the MAC report and the September 2018 MAC Report on ‘Impact of international students in the UK’ shows.

International fees are a large component of the UK’s HE institutions’ total fees, accounting for 45% of total fees across the sector. There is a clear pattern across universities of a higher share of fees being paid by international students at higher-ranked universities: 69% of total fees for the top 100 ranked universities, and 31% for those ranked 1000+.

To further explain the point, take a look at this data: In the academic year 2021-22, international students studying at UK universities in the top 100 ranked universities paid £21,490 and £24,040 in average annual fees for undergraduate and postgraduate (taught) study respectively, compared to the £9,250 maximum for domestic undergraduate fees. For universities ranked 1000+ average fees paid were lower, at £13,740 for undergraduate study and £8,480 for postgraduate (taught) study.

Meanwhile, domestic undergraduate fees for UK students in England have been frozen at £9,250 since 2017 and will continue for the 2024-25 academic year.

Further, international fees are just one part of total income. The total income is made up of many streams including teaching and research grants, donations, and investment income. International fees account for 22% of total income for those ranked in the top 100 and slightly higher at 23% of total income for the 1000+.

How do international students’ affect a university’s profit/loss?

— Universities make on average 31p for every pound spent on teaching international students, whilst domestic teaching makes an 8p loss for every pound spent.

— In line with higher average fees, universities with high research income made 78p for every pound spent on international teaching. These research-intensive universities use a substantial portion of the surplus made on international teaching to subsidise research, which accounts for a significant proportion of their activities, and on which they lose 27p for every pound spent.

Even Russell Group has stated that a 10% reduction in international student numbers would reduce their universities’ collective income by over £500m a year. “Income from international students has enabled our universities to grow the number of places for UK undergraduates over time despite the shortfalls in government funding: between 2019/20 and 2021/22, the number of UK students at our universities grew by 10%, while international student numbers grew by 11%,” Dr Tim Bradshaw, CEO of the Russell Group, said in an official release.

Interestingly, this concept is also understood by the general public of the UK. Survation recently conducted a poll for the Russell Group, where they asked 1,064 locals about their views on higher education and international students. Over half (51%) were concerned that cutting international student numbers would lead to an increase in tuition fees for UK students, and 58% believed that universities should be able to use international student fees to support the sector – with just 7% disagreeing.

Instead, 57% think tackling illegal immigration should be the UK government’s immigration priority.

Alternate measures

On controlling immigration in the country, Lord Bilimoria, the first Indian-born Chancellor of a Russell Group university, suggests that the UK government needs to “remove international students from the net migration figures.”

“Adding international students to the net migration figures has a damaging effect and inflates the figures unnecessarily. Other countries such as the United States of America and Australia exclude international students from the net migration because then they treat them as temporary migrants — which is what they are considering that some of them leave after studying for 1, 2 or 3 years of programmes,” he explains.

The same is proved in the recent MAC report too.

The report quotes the QS International Student Survey, which draws responses from 110,000 prospective international students. As per this data, 53% of prospective international students expect to remain in their chosen country after their studies, though only 13% expect to stay permanently.

If not UK, then what?

Even though the UK government has been having an internal and external conflict regarding international students, it remains a popular choice for Indian students. Quality of education and trust that the UK offers a high standard of education are usually seen as the main reasons, says Gaurav Batra, Founder & CEO of Infinite Group. Some experts believe that students should keep the UK as one of their top options.

“We believe those with admission offers for September intake must not waste time and act before it’s too late. They must proceed to make deposits, secure accommodations, and plan their travel ahead of their landing in the UK in September,” Saurabh Arora, CEO & founder, University Living advised students.

However, in the UK’s Home Office survey, among the surveyed international students who considered other countries, the most commonly were the United States (US) (51%), Canada (42%) and Australia (34%).

Alongside the US, multiple European countries such as Ireland, Germany, France, and Italy are also emerging as attractive options for international students due to their student-friendly and welcoming visa policies, study abroad experts suggest.

Deeksha Teri, Deeksha Teri articles, Indian Express

Deeksha Teri covers education and has worked with the The Hindu (print division), WION and Stonebow Media. She is an alumnus of The University of Lincoln and The University of Delhi. ... Read More

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1,409 EUR / module. 4 years. This Crime, Policy and Security programme from London Metropolitan University make a difference to the criminal justice, national and international security sectors, while having the opportunity to enhance your career. Ph.D. / Part-time / On Campus. London Metropolitan University London, England, United Kingdom.
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