UK universities risk financial instability and worsening outcomes for all students due to overreliance on international fees warns think tank.
The Social Market Foundation (SMF) says recent restrictions on international students have not addressed universities’ dependence on them for core funding.
In two reports published today, the cross-party think tank recommends ways to reduce this overreliance while maintaining the UK’s appeal to foreign students.
At present, international student fees account for 23% of English universities’ total income, forecast to rise to 28% by 2026/27.
Universities make an average profit of 31p for every pound spent teaching international students while losing 8p per pound on domestic students.
The SMF inform that government-driven reductions in postgraduate international numbers could seriously disrupt the sector, potentially leading to job losses and impacting all students’ educational experiences.
The recommendations come as universities warn of the economic impact of recent government restrictions on international…
