UK Unveils New International Education Strategy, Drops Foreign Student Targets: To Sell Education Overseas

LONDON Jan 20: The UK government has announced a new International Education Strategy that abandons targets for recruiting foreign students to UK campuses and instead prioritises expanding British education overseas. Ministers said the shift will focus on growing “education exports” to £40 billion a year by 2030, replacing a 2019 goal of attracting 600,000 international students annually to the UK.

Under the new approach, universities, colleges and schools will be encouraged to open overseas hubs and form international partnerships, allowing students to access UK education closer to home. The Department for Education said the strategy removes numerical targets for international students in the UK while continuing to welcome them, and instead backs providers to enter new and expanding global markets.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said expanding overseas would help institutions diversify income, strengthen global partnerships and extend access to world-class UK education, while supporting economic growth at home.

Education is already one of the UK’s most valuable exports, contributing £32 billion annually—more than the automotive or food and drink sectors. Exports include UK institutions operating abroad, international students studying in the UK, and UK qualifications, training and digital learning sold overseas.

The policy follows a sharp fall in study visas. In the year ending June 2025, 431,725 sponsored study visas were granted, down 18% year-on-year and 34% from a 2023 peak. The government also introduced a £925 annual levy per international student in last year’s autumn budget. At the same time, tougher compliance rules will be imposed to ensure overseas students are genuine, with universities facing recruitment caps or licence loss if standards are not met.

Despite the visa decline, demand remains strong. Ucas data shows international undergraduate applications rose 2.2% in 2025 to 138,460, including a record 10% increase from China. Around 620,000 students are currently registered with UK universities overseas across nearly 200 countries and territories.

Ministers said the strategy will boost the UK’s global influence, noting that more than 50 current world leaders are alumni of UK universities. Trade Minister Chris Bryant described education exports as a “major UK success story”, driven by digital learning, AI-enabled innovation and future skills.

Student leaders, however, raised concerns about the impact on campus life. NUS UK president Amira Campbell said international students were integral to the UK’s global reputation and urged the government to ensure overseas campuses match the quality of teaching and student experience in the UK.

The strategy also confirms continued support for outward mobility, including a sixth year of the Turing Scheme and the UK’s planned return to the EU’s Erasmus+ programme in 2027.