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INTERNATIONALSTUDENT SURVEYGrowing Global EducationRising to the international recruitment challenge

2019ISS•UK•

2 Growing Global Education | Rising to the international recruitment challenge

UK International Student Survey 2019

About the International Student Survey

The International Student Survey is the world’s largest survey of pre-enrolment for international and EU students.

The 2019 survey was conducted by QS and ran from November 2018 to March 2019 with the participation of over

75,000 students and 71 universities globally.

This report focuses on the responses provided by 23,557 prospective international students who identified that they

are considering studying in the UK.

For more information please visit www.internationalstudentsurvey.com

Key facts

Respondent demographics:

Gender

55% male

44% female

1% other

75,000 globally

Respondents

23,557 considering the UK

Respondents

191 represented

Nationalities

Universities71 participatedglobally

http://www.internationalstudentsurvey.com

www.internationalstudentsurvey.com

Growing Global Education | Rising to the international recruitment challenge 3

Respondent demographics:

Planned study level

35% undergraduate

60% postgraduate

5% other ( incl.foundation and vocational)

Top subject areas

24% Business and Administration

15% Engineering

8% Mathematical and Computer Science

Age

31% 30% 20%

17-21 22-25 26-30

Percentage

Income

Percentage 53% 17% 4%

Under $25K $25-100K Over $100K

Get a free place for your university in the next International Student Survey

Participation in the International Student Survey is free for universities, and all participating institutions receive a free benchmarking report with useful insights for student recruitment.

For more information visit www.internationalstudentsurvey.com/take-part



Contents1. About the International Student Survey 2

2. Foreword from Rt Hon Nicky Morgan MP, Chair of the Treasury Select Committee 6

3. Introduction from Paul Raybould, Director of B2B Marketing and Marketing Intelligence 7

4. Recommendations 8

5. Section 1 – Growing British higher education in a shifting geopolitical landscape 10

How has the UK’s planned departure from the EU impacted interest from international students looking to study in the UK? 10

What are the main concerns with regards to Brexit and how have these changed over time? 14

What can be done to alleviate these concerns and what can we learn from other markets? 16

What does our Brexit Sensitivity Index tell us about the opportunities presented by Brexit? 21

6. Section 2 – Transnational education and branch campuses as opportunities to rise to the international recruitment challenge 24

How could transnational education play a larger role in the UK higher education sector after Brexit? 24

What are the levers that can be applied and barriers to be addressed to grow EU branch campuses? 26

Which EU cities would be an attractive location for an overseas campus of a UK university? 28

7. Section 3 – Assessing graduate employability 30

What are the most important career considerations for prospective international students? 30

What do prospective students value most when it comes to graduate outcomes? 32

What can universities do to help graduates plan for the future? 33

8. Section 4 – Understanding international student decision making to grow global education 34

What is the order of decision making for prospective international students when applying to universities? 34

What factors are most important when choosing a course, country and university? 35

How important is a university’s ranking in a student’s decision-making process? 37

How are prospective students influenced by the opinions of their family and friends when making study decisions? 39

Where do international education agents feature most in the decision-making process? 42



9. Section 5 – The importance of information sources and communication channels 45

How do prospective students find the information they need? 45

How do prospective international students use prospectuses? 46

What information do prospective students want to see? 48

How is the use of social media changing with regards to prospective international students? 49

10. Section 6 – Prospective international students’ understanding of university funding 53

How do students think their tuition fees are spent? 53

Which areas would prospective students be willing to accept a reduction in funding for? 54

11. About QS 56



Foreword from Rt Hon Nicky Morgan MP, Chair of the Treasury Select Committee

As Secretary of the International Students APPG and the MP for a university town, I recognise the importance of

international students to the UK.

A 2018 Universities UK report found that, in 2014/15, international students resulted in £25.8 billion in output for our

economy, were ‘responsible’ for £10.8 billion of export earnings and supported 206,600 jobs with their spending. Of

course, these figures do not include the tax income from those who subsequently entered our workforce.

Alongside the considerable economic value of international students, it is also worth noting the wealth of social and

intellectual benefits they bring to our universities, which help to enhance the academic experience of domestic students,

and the support they lend to the sustainability of many courses at a regional level – often in subjects where we need more

graduates such as STEM.

Our universities have a reputation for being high quality producers of some of the best home-grown and international

leaders in a vast array of fields. As I have mentioned, I am fortunate to have one such university in my own constituency.

Since becoming an MP, I have worked closely with Loughborough University and I have come to learn that one of its

greatest strengths is its diverse student body which consists of 2500 international students from more than 130 countries.

The university’s success in attracting international talent is due, in part, to its Students’ Union which is one of only a few to

have an International Development Officer to support international students and internationalise the campus.

As the UK prepares to leave the European Union, it is more important than ever that we remain globally facing and

open for business, within and especially beyond the EU. Despite the UK being second only to the USA as a destination

for international students, there is growing competition from many countries – including Canada, Australia and China –

creating a real risk that we lose global market share in a crucial growth industry.

Whilst the Government has already taken a significant step by publishing its International Education Strategy (IES) setting

out its ambition to increase the value of education exports to £35 billion per year by 2030 and the number of international

students choosing to study here to 600,000 per year, there remain a number of factors which prohibit us from achieving

this goal.

I, therefore, welcome Quacquarelli Symonds’ report which makes an important contribution to the discussion regarding

future policy in this area. I am particularly supportive of its recommendation that the Government extend its post-study

leave period further than the six months it has proposed in the IES. This, of course, complements the amendment to the

Immigration Bill I co-signed, laid by the former Universities Minister, Jo Johnson, which would ensure that international

students are able to work here two years after graduation.

When it comes to our enviable university reputation, we must ensure that the system continues to allow international

students to study here, contribute to our economy and enrich our universities. I would, therefore, urge Ministers to use

this report to further their discussions on what more can be done to attract the brightest and best international students

in an increasingly competitive market.



Introduction from Paul Raybould, Director of B2B Marketing and Marketing Intelligence

Brexit uncertainty and a shifting policy agenda have meant that it is vital the UK higher education sector looks ahead to

understand the new attitudes and dynamics that are emerging. As the leading strategic partner for Higher Education

institutions, QS are committed to helping universities rise to the international recruitment challenges and opportunities.

The insights outlined in this report provide a deeper understanding of these changing dynamics and the response the

higher education sector can take to help turn challenges into opportunities.

Higher education plays a critical role in the UK economy and society. Now more than ever, it is important that institutions

listen to the views of students and respond with agile recruitment strategies. With the Government pledging to increase

the total number of international students studying in the UK higher education system each year to 600,000 by 2030

through its International Education Strategy, the sector must look ahead and think strategically at how best to achieve this.

Through our annual International Student Survey, and our work to support international student recruitment, we have

built up a significant amount of insight into the interests and behaviours of international students. As part of the seventh

International Student Survey, we surveyed over 75,000 prospective students globally from 191 different countries, 23,557

of whom were interested in studying in the UK. This report doesn’t just cover the results of the survey, it also outlines

recommendations to help the sector in the UK to adapt to the changing expectations of international students and

harness the opportunities presented by the shifting global higher education market.

With the UK’s date for leaving the EU delayed until October and Brexit uncertainty set to continue, its long-term effects on

the UK higher education sector have yet to be fully realised. By using our Brexit Sensitivity Index, our research presents a

mixed picture on the effects of Brexit according to different regions across the world.

A key recommendation of this report is that the HE sector and policy-makers must work together to address the concerns

of prospective EU students regarding the financial viability of the UK as a study destination upon the UK leaving the

EU. While the impact of Brexit is mixed when analysing different regions, our findings show there is much that can be

done by institutions to communicate clearly the post-Brexit fee structure for EU prospective students. In addition, our

research found that immigration policies present one way to grow international HE exports through combatting negative

perceptions that surround Brexit. One option that was well-received was the extension of the post-study work visa,

helping to reinforce the message that the UK truly is welcoming to international students.

The UK higher education sector is world-leading and rightfully celebrated for its teaching quality and the student

experience that it can offer prospective international students. It is crucial that this continues and international students

feel welcome and inspired to study in the UK. In the midst of Brexit uncertainty and a shifting policy agenda, UK

universities must look ahead to understand the new dynamics and attitudes emerging to ensure the sector rises to the

international recruitment challenge.

We at QS will continue to play our part in providing insights and solutions, supporting the sector to grow global education.



Recommendations

1. International student recruitment strategies and solutions should be informed by the changing dynamics in demand due to Brexit, as shown by the opportunities revealed in our Brexit Sensitivity Index.

With the UK’s date for leaving the EU delayed until October and Brexit uncertainty set to continue, its long-term

effects on the UK higher education sector are still far from being fully realised. It is crucial that universities look ahead

to understand the impact on international student recruitment with new attitudes and dynamics emerging. To rise

to the international recruitment challenge, our Brexit Sensitivity Index shows that prospective students from across

North Africa and the Middle East, in addition to those from many Commonwealth countries, are in general more

likely to be interested in the prospect of studying in the UK because of Brexit. This underlines the highly dynamic

nature of UK higher education at present. As new attitudes emerge there is potential for UK universities to take

advantage of the heightened interest from international students from certain regions coming to the UK post-Brexit.

2. In an increasingly competitive higher education market, it is more important than ever that institutions listen to students’ communications preferences and respond with agile recruitment strategies.

Institutions that adapt their student recruitment strategies in an agile way to new trends will harness the

opportunities available to grow their global education offer. The way that international students – like all members

of society – seek information and use communications channels is constantly shifting. Whilst the use of social media

has become more deeply embedded in the lives of prospective students, platform use is changing, with YouTube,

Instagram, Twitter and internet forums growing in use in 2019. Meanwhile the use of Facebook as a platform has

plateaued, albeit at a high level. Furthermore, because international students value the recommendations of friends

and family so highly, universities could consider short condensed prospectuses tailored to the information needs of

parents. Introducing incentivisation schemes for friends and family could also be a way to enhance their international

student recruitment strategy. This would present a way to market their institution more effectively in the age of social

media.

3. Communicating clearly the post-Brexit fee structure for EU students could alleviate concerns about the financial viability of studying in the UK and support growth in student recruitment.

EU students are concerned about the financial viability of the UK as a study destination upon the UK leaving

the EU. The lack of any long-term agreement on the amount that EU students would have to pay presents a

significant barrier to easing financial concerns. At the same time, only 6 out of 10 prospective EU students are

aware of the Government’s announcement that they will be eligible for student loans and tuition fees at the same

rate as domestic students in the UK for courses starting in the 2019/2020 academic year. Highlighting this in

communications could help to alleviate concerns and presents itself as an opportunity to study in the UK at a lower

level of fees than in the future. To maximise the benefits of EU students choosing to study in the UK, it is important

that the Government provides clear, consistent information about the amount that EU students would be required

to pay in the future.



4. Tripling the post-study leave period and highlighting graduate employability could significantly increase the likelihood of prospective students studying in the UK and help to support growth.

Immigration policies present one way to grow international HE exports through combatting negative perceptions

that surround Brexit, helping to reinforce the message that the UK truly is welcoming to international students.

The UK Government’s recently announced International Education Strategy proposed that the post-study leave

period for the UK’s visa offer for international undergraduate and Masters students should increase from four to six

months. Extending this offer further could be an effective way of rising to the international export challenge. Over

three-quarters (77%) claim that an extension to 12 months would make them more likely to consider studying in

the UK. The value of such a group represents £2.4 billion to UK universities in first year tuition fees alone. To realise

the benefit of any policy changes, universities should communicate this opportunity to prospective students in

marketing materials.

Furthermore, graduate outcomes and skills are a key consideration for prospective international students and

choosing a course provides the first step towards a chosen career path. The fact that the course is one of the

first things which prospective students decide on shows that their future in the world of work is at the heart of

the decision-making process. Highlighting high graduate employment rates and high rates of students going into

industries relevant to their course are measures that international students are actively seeking. Furthermore, the

top skills that prospective international students are keen to gain from their time studying abroad include problem

solving, communication and leadership. Showing this in student profiles will help to highlight this to prospective

international students.

5. Now is the time for Universities, the Government and other key stakeholders to further develop transnational education strategies to grow global education.

Since the EU referendum in 2016, the concept of transnational education has garnered increasing attention amongst

UK universities. During this dynamic time in the higher education sector, it represents one potential avenue to

significantly grow global higher education exports by UK universities awarding degrees at branch campuses inside

and outside the EU. Over half of international students from outside the EU indicated that they would be

interested in studying at a branch campus of a UK university based in the EU. As new attitudes and solutions emerge,

the idea of transnational education could become a more prominent and popular way for international students to

study at a UK university.



Section 1 – Growing British higher education in a shifting geopolitical landscape

With the UK’s date for leaving the EU delayed until October and Brexit uncertainty set to continue, its long-term

effects on the UK higher education sector are still far from being fully realised. It is crucial that we look ahead to

understand the impact on international student recruitment. As Brexit developments continue, new attitudes and

dynamics are emerging. In this section we analyse how this shifting geopolitical landscape is affecting international

students’ decision-making to offer a path through to help the UK with international recruitment strategies and rising

to the international export challenge. Using our Brexit Sensitivity Index, we assess the opportunities as well as the

risks in this shifting geopolitical landscape.

Key findings: � Brexit continues to have a significant negative impact on prospective students from the EU who are interested

in studying in the UK, with one in three claiming to be less likely to study in the UK

� The main concerns are the prospect of further increases in tuition fees for EU students and how it impacts the

UK’s status as a welcoming destination for international students

� Providing clarity on how much EU students must pay whilst studying in the UK and campaigns such as

#WeAreInternational are ways to counter some of the negative connotations of Brexit

� Some markets outside the EU see Brexit as an opportunity, as they anticipate a decline in student numbers

from the EU, which they could take advantage of

How has the UK’s planned departure from the EU impacted interest from international students looking to study in the UK?

Between November 2018 and March 2019, we asked prospective international students whether the UK’s decision

to leave the European Union had affected their interest in studying in the UK. Looking at all prospective students,

the results show that 12% claimed to be less likely to study in the UK because of its decision to leave the EU. The

clear majority expressed neutrality towards the issue, with 64% claiming that Brexit had little to no effect on their

decisions about where to study overseas. These numbers are surprisingly consistent with previous iterations of the

International Student Survey in 2017 and 2018.

Given the timing of the research, which took place in the months leading up to the UK’s original date for leaving the

EU, we might expect this to be different and for the sense of unease surrounding the issue to fuel an increase in

those less interested in coming to study in the UK. The likely explanation for this is that at the time of the research,

there was still (and remains) a great deal of uncertainty surrounding the higher education sector after Brexit.



Therefore, it is unlikely that prospective students would have the information needed to inform their decisions. Now

that the process is closer to being completed, it is likely that its effects will start to make themselves known and the

views of prospective students will start to change.

More interested Less interested No difference

11%13% 14% 13% 14%

12%

69%

63%65%

Has the UK's decision to leave the European Union (Brexit) affected your interest instudying in the United Kingdom as an international student?Excludes 'don't know' responses

2017

2018

2019

One way to illustrate this is to compare the results above to those from a smaller survey we conducted more

recently. In early April 2019, we approached respondents who had previously completed the International Student

Survey and asked them the same question with regards to Brexit. This time, 21% claimed that Brexit had made

them less interested in studying in the UK, which represents a significant increase on the 12% recorded in the main

survey. This survey took place immediately after the third time the Withdrawal Agreement was rejected by MPs and

shortly before the extended deadline for Article 50 (until the 31st October). It’s unsurprising to see the fluctuations

in the data between the two surveys, as the uncertainty surrounding Brexit was at its peak at the beginning of

April. This demonstrates that the state of the Brexit negotiations can have an immediate and direct impact on

prospective students’ views towards the UK. An additional consideration to note here is that we know prospective

students from the EU begin planning where to study overseas years in advance of when they move. This means

that any fluctuations in interest as a result of how Brexit develops are likely to have a subsequent impact on future

recruitment cycles much further down the line. This is something that UK universities would benefit from being

aware of to plan for the future accordingly.

Whilst Brexit is likely to impact the UK’s international student recruitment in a number of ways, these changes

are likely to be most notable for prospective students from within the EU. When we filter the data to only look at

prospective students in the EU, the level of pessimism is far higher, with 36% of them claiming to be less likely to



study in the UK because of Brexit. Again, this figure is largely consistent with previous surveys, with over half now

claiming that Brexit has made no difference to their interest in studying in the UK. This does suggest that these

prospective students are waiting for clarification on several key challenges before coming to any concrete decisions,

meaning that their opinions are far more neutral than we might expect. Outside of the EU, the impact of Brexit is

seen to be less severe with only 10% of prospective students less likely to study in the UK because of Brexit. This

is less than the proportion who are more interested in studying in the UK, suggesting that outside the EU, the net

effect of Brexit has been more positive and that there may be an opportunity for UK universities to take advantage of.

This interpretation is consistent with the latest data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), which

shows this trend already. According to their data, 230,160 international students came to the UK in 2017/2018, of

which 55,470 were EU students. It remains difficult to predict what sort of impact this would have on the number of

students coming to the UK. However, it is possible to define the potential pool of ‘at risk’ students from the EU, who

are put off from studying in the UK.

If 36% of prospective students from the EU are put off from studying in the UK as a result of Brexit, then the number

of ‘at risk’ students is 19,969. The potential loss of such a pool of students poses a significant financial threat to UK

universities and would take the number of EU students in the UK down to their lowest levels for at least 5 years.

Even using conservative estimates of the average fees paid by undergraduate and postgraduate EU students (which

currently is the same as for domestic students), the ‘at risk’ income from first year fees alone would reach £169

million per annum. This doesn’t take into account the fees paid in subsequent years, nor the amount spent by EU

students on accommodation and other expenses. This demonstrates the extent of the threat which Brexit poses to

the higher education sector in the UK.

More interested Less interested No difference

14%

6%

36%

10%

52%

66%

Has the UK's decision to leave the European Union (Brexit) affected your interest instudying in the United Kingdom as an international student?Excludes 'don't know' responses

EU

Non-EU



It is also worth noting that the most pessimistic nations in our Brexit Sensitivity Index sit within the EU. The negativity

from these markets suggests that there is likely to be a significant short fall in EU students at UK universities once

the UK leaves the EU.

Ireland

Portugal

Spain

Poland

Germany

Greece

Italy

France

Romania

10%

46%

53%

54%

59%

47%

56%

57%

55%

56%

44%

38%

38%

33%

39%

35%

34%

33%

28%

4%

5%

5%

6%

4%

4%

5%

9%

6%

6%

5%

7%

7%

39%

34%

34%

31%

29%

29%

28%

25%

20%

Has the UK's decision to leave the European Union (Brexit) affected your interest in studyingin the United Kingdom as an international student?% selecting each option by nationality

Less interested No difference More interested Don’t know

Net loss ininterest:

Given the uncertainty surrounding the amount that EU students will have to pay in tuition fees once this happens,

this uncertainty might be even greater if they end up having to pay as much as other international students. It is

also worth noting that the last time the UK increased fees for EU students, there was a significant drop off from EU

students coming to study in the UK.

The last time there was a rise in fees for EU students studying in the UK was in 2012, when they increased from

£3,000 to £9,000 per year. According to data from HESA, in one year the number of students from the EU declined

from 64,765 in 2010/2011 to 56,195 in 2012/2013 – a drop of 13%. This is significant, as in the five years prior to

this, student numbers from the EU had steadily increased. Five years on, the numbers have only just recovered to

their pre-2012 levels 1. But if the UK’s withdrawal from the EU leads to a subsequent increase in tuition fees for EU

students, it is likely we can expect a similar decline in student numbers coming from the EU.

With the global higher education sector becoming increasingly competitive and with other markets such as Australia,

Germany and Canada all actively attempting to recruit more international students, it will prove difficult for UK

universities to rise to the international recruitment challenge. This is concerning, as recent reports suggest EU

students could be charged the same as international students from 2021.

1 https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/where-from



Communicating clearly the post-Brexit fee structure and any scholarships that are available for EU students could

alleviate concerns about the financial viability of studying in the UK and support growth in student recruitment.

2006/2007 2007/2008 2008/2009 2009/2010 2010/2011 2011/2012 2012/2013 2013/2014 2014/2015 2015/2016 2016/2017 2017/201850,000

55,000

60,000

65,000

70,000

62,270

63,035

59,100

57,81557,200

56,195

64,76565,470

64,390

60,160

57,690

55,410

Increase in fees from£3000 to £9000

EU students in UK (HESA)

The next section will explore the concerns of students and the importance of policymakers providing clarity on those

issues yet to be decided on in more detail.

What are the main concerns with regards to Brexit and how have these changed over time?

The concerns around Brexit depend largely on whether the prospective student is from inside or outside the EU.

Broadly, they fall into two major categories – firstly the financial implications and secondly, how welcoming the UK is

seen to be for international students.

We’ve already highlighted that the lack of clarity with regards to how much EU students coming to the UK would have

to pay in tuition fees is having a significant impact. Given that the potential changes could lead to a notable increase

in the amount that EU students would have to pay, it is unsurprising that the cost of tuition fees is the largest and

most prominent concern for this group.

What is also interesting to note is that last year, concerns around the UK being less welcoming to international

students and being able to get a job upon graduation were larger barriers than they are now. Concerns around the

financial viability of the UK as a study destination have remained high. This supports the view that the lack of any

long-term agreement on the amount that EU students would have to pay if they came to the UK has been a major

concern for many prospective students and obscures other concerns such as those relating to visa requirements or

job opportunities.

To maximise the benefits of EU students choosing to study in the UK, it is important to provide a clear, consistent

policy on the amount that EU students will be required to pay in the future. The UK Government has committed to



ensuring that EU students who enrol on a course starting in the academic year 2019/2020 will still pay the same

as UK students. Further commitments for future students have not yet been confirmed by the Government. The

strategy of providing short-term, yearly updates is less likely to resonate with prospective students than a concrete,

long-term policy which is easier to communicate.

It makes the UK a less financially viable option2018

2019

The UK is less welcoming to intl students like me2018

2019

Harder to get a job when I graduate2018

2019

Britain will be weaker outside EU2018

2019

Harder to get a visa2018

2019

Rather study at a university within EU2018

2019

Reduce the quality of teaching / research2018

2019

67%

65%

57%

49%

54%

47%

47%

46%

44%

42%

42%

40%

16%

17%

Why has the UK's decision to leave the EU made you less interested in studying in the UnitedKingdom?Prospective EU students

When the sample is filtered to only look at those prospective students from outside the EU, the main concern is

around the UK appearing to be less welcoming to international students. However, concerns around the ease of

getting a visa and being able to get a job once they graduate are also highly prominent.

The UK is less welcoming to intl students like me20182019

Harder to get a visa20182019

Harder to get a job when I graduate20182019

It makes the UK a less financially viable option20182019

Britain will be weaker outside EU20182019

Rather study at a university within EU20182019

Reduce the quality of teaching / research20182019

57%

49%

53%

48%

54%

47%

40%

43%

40%

39%

31%

28%

18%

16%

Why has the UK's decision to leave the EU made you less interested in studying in the UnitedKingdom?Prospective International students



This suggests that the full impact of Brexit spans a number of different areas which are not exclusively related to the

financial implications. The fact that it makes the UK appear less welcoming has had an impact on other perceptions

which relate to the ease of which international graduates can get a post-study visa and a job. It is important to bear

this mind when thinking about how the UK higher education sector will be affected.

A further consideration concerns the prospect of Brexit against a backdrop of an increasingly competitive global

higher education sector. In recent years, Canada, Australia and Germany have all taken proactive steps to increase

their attractiveness to international students, which is likely to have a knock-on effect on how the UK is perceived

given Brexit. When asked which markets prospective students are considering, what’s interesting (and possibly

concerning), is that further consideration of these other markets is increasing amongst those who claim to be less

interested in studying in the UK because of Brexit. This suggests that as Brexit draws nearer, prospective students

are actively considering a wider range of countries to study in as alternatives to the UK, something that QS will look

at in greater detail in the future.

AustraliaCanadaUnited States Germany Singapore

2018 2019 2018 2019 2018 2019 2018 2019 2018 2019

40%

47%

33%

44%

37%

43%

28%

32%

13%

7%

Where are you considering studying in the future?(Amongst those less interested in UK as result of Brexit)

The next section will look at how some of these negative concerns from prospective students can be addressed to

ensure that the UK remains a leading country as a destination for international students.

What can be done to alleviate these concerns and what can we learn from other markets?

By understanding the concerns that prospective students have around Brexit, it enables us to propose steps that

the UK Government can take to address these concerns, most notably by increasing the perception of the UK as

welcoming. There are a number of different avenues that can be explored to achieve this.

A key element to emphasise here are the commitments to EU students which have already been made by the UK

Government. We asked respondents from the EU whether they were aware that if they enrolled in 2019/2020 that



they would continue to pay the same fees as UK domestic students for the entirety of their course. Our research

shows that only 61% claimed to be aware of this fact; given that it addresses one of the major concerns for EU

students surrounding Brexit and cost, one could argue that this should be higher. Furthermore, the fact that this

is against a backdrop of a rapidly decreasing time-frame for EU students to enrol on a course beginning in 2019

provides further incentive for both universities and the UK Government to maximise awareness of the financial

commitments that have already been made.

This is further highlighted when we look at the results to this question by different age groups. Those aged 17-19 are

significantly more likely to be aware of this commitment than their older counterparts. Awareness is highest amongst

younger age groups at 68%, whilst it is only 58% for those aged 20-24 and 51% for those aged 25+. This shows there

is a clear opportunity for both the government to maximise awareness of this amongst postgraduate students, who

are likely to be in the older age groups, in order to make UK universities more appealing.

31%No

8%Unsure

61%Yes

Were you aware that the UK Government has confirmed that all EU students starting at a UKuniversity in the 2019/2020 academic year will continue to pay the same tuition fees as UKstudents and have access to existing financial support for the full duration of their course?

Last year, we asked the same question to EU students after the UK Government made the same commitment for

courses beginning in 2018/2019. The equivalent figure last year was 68%, meaning awareness of this announcement

has declined significantly in the last 12 months. This underlines the challenge of communicating the funding status

and tuition fee levels for EU students without the help of a long-term strategy which clearly sets out how much they

would have to pay. It also demonstrates how urgent it is for the Government to provide clarity and direction on this

issue so that prospective students from the EU can make informed decisions with regards to their study plans.

The other major barrier to consider is how welcoming the UK is seen to be for international students and how to

address the negative connotations associated with Brexit.

In previous iterations of the International Student Survey, we’ve evaluated the potential impact of campaigns such

as #WeAreInternational and #LondonIsOpen to see if they’re an effective tool in combatting some of the negative

perceptions of the UK that may arise as a result of Brexit. We repeated these questions this year to see whether

there had been any wear-out in the ability of these campaigns to communicate the appropriate messages. We found



that the overwhelming majority still claim to be persuaded the UK is welcoming to international students, with 86%

of respondents either fully or slightly persuaded. This is an increase on last year’s figure and suggests that whilst the

campaign may have been long-running, it has retained a great deal of its potency and continues to be a powerful

tool in addressing some of the concerns around Brexit.

2018

2019

18%

14%

37%

39%

45%

47%

Do campaigns like #WeAreInternational and #LondonIsOpen persuade you that the UK is welcoming to international students?

Yes - They fully persuade meYes - they slightly persuade meNo - they don’t persuade me

Additionally, we also split the data for this question by nationality, where we found that EU countries responded

positively to the campaign and that it continues to be well received across Europe with Romania and Greece both

showing an especially enthusiastic reaction.

Outside the EU, the campaign also continues to be viewed positively and it appears to do well in a number of African

markets. Whilst it does well across this region, it is comparatively less well received in selected East Asian markets

including China, Hong Kong and South Korea. However, it is important to note that whilst the response is slightly

more neutral here compared to other markets, the balance is still overwhelmingly positive. Given the continued

success of these campaigns and their ability to influence perceptions at a global level, it is important that they get the

support from the sector they need to reach as broad an audience as possible. This will help to reiterate the message

that the UK is a welcoming and safe place for international students.

One other prominent concern which applies to prospective international students from inside and outside the EU is

the ease of them being able to find a job in the country they study in, after graduation. Compared to other markets,

the UK has one of the strictest systems in place for international students after they graduate. The standard current

visa limits international graduates to just 4 months to find a job, a comparatively short amount of time given that

Australia and Germany give international graduates 18 months and Canada allows them 36 months to find a job.

We posed a hypothetical scenario to prospective students and asked them if an increase in the length of time they

could stay in the UK from 4 to 12 months would change how likely they were to consider studying in the UK. Over

three-quarters claim that such an extension would make them more likely to consider studying in the UK whilst only

a minority were neutral on the matter.



49%28%20%

If the UK increased the time period that international students could remain in the countryafter they graduate from 4 to 12 months to find a job, would that change how likely youwere to consider the UK as a place to study?

Much less likely Somewhat less likely No difference Somewhat more likely Much more likely

The reaction to such a hypothetical scenario is consistently positive amongst students from inside and outside the

EU and also elicits an encouraging response amongst those who are less interested in studying in the UK because

of Brexit. Over three-quarters (77%) claim that an extension to 12 months would make them more likely to consider

studying in the UK. The overwhelmingly positive response here suggests that engaging in this strategy could be an

effective tool in combatting some of the negative perceptions that surround Brexit and would help reinforce the

message that the UK truly is welcoming to international students.

This could have implications on the number of EU and international students coming to the UK. It’s difficult to

accurately predict what the actual change in the numbers of students would be if the visa length was extended, as

many of these prospective students may end up coming to the UK regardless of what the post-study restrictions

are. However, it is possible to identify the value that this group represents to UK universities. Again, using data from

HESA, we can identify the number who are more likely to study in the UK as a result of this, which amounts to some

172,526 students. Using the same estimates before of the average fees paid by EU and international students at

Undergraduate and Postgraduate level, the value of such a group represents £2.4 billion to UK universities in tuition

fees alone.



Case Study: Scotland

Given the uncertainty around tuition fees for EU students, it is important to look at strategies developed elsewhere

to see if they can inform the debate in England. One such example is in Scotland, where EU students have long been

able to study for free and stand to benefit in the future, with the Scottish Government pledging to maintain this

position after Brexit2.

We showed respondents a series of different statements and asked them whether they felt they applied to Scotland

for international students. As we might expect, the perception that Scotland offers value for money is significantly

higher amongst prospective students from the EU compared to non-EU students.

Our research also shows that the perception Scotland is welcoming to international students is significantly higher

amongst EU students. This demonstrates that a long-term commitment to EU students and the amount they will

have to pay, not only impacts perceptions around value for money and affordability, but it can also have a positive

and direct impact on the perception that the country is open and accepting of international students. Scotland

stands to significantly benefit from this strategy and reinforces the case for the UK Government to provide clarity on

how much EU students would have to pay if they were to study in England.

As our UK Domestic Student Survey published earlier this year demonstrates, the majority of applicants in the UK

don’t think EU students should have to pay as much as other international students.

Offers value for money Is welcoming tointernational students

40%

19%

32%

24%

Perception of Scotland for international students

EU

Non-EU

2 https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/scotland-free-university-tuition-brexit-eu-students-shirley-anne-somer-ville-a8190211.html

https://www.qs.com/portfolio-items/uk_domestic_student_survey_2019/



What does our Brexit Sensitivity Index tell us about the opportunities presented by Brexit?

Whilst there is a degree of pessimism regarding the issue of Brexit, it is important to note that a great deal of this

is limited to countries within the EU. Outside the EU, the reaction from prospective students has been more evenly

divided. We have developed a Brexit Sensitivity Index to assess risks and opportunities in the market.

Prospective students from across North Africa and the Middle East are in general far more likely to be interested

in the prospect of studying in the UK because of Brexit. This underlines the highly dynamic nature of UK higher

education at present, as new attitudes emerge there is potential for UK universities to benefit from an increase in

international students from certain regions coming to the UK post-Brexit.

Morocco

Algeria

Afghanistan

Iraq

Tanzania, United Republic of

Rwanda

Pakistan

Gambia

Australia

Ghana

11%

13%

13%

13%

53%

78%

16%

55% 16%

78%

30%

30%

30%

24%

22%

24%

23%

15%

20%

13%

55%

53%

48%

56%

66%

59%

8%

9%

6%

6%

4%

9%

6%

5%

8%

8%

9%

4%

27%

26%

21%

18%

17%

17%

15%

13%

11%

9%

Has the UK's decision to leave the European Union (Brexit) affected your interest in studyingin the United Kingdom as an international student?% selecting each option by nationality

Less interested No difference More interested Don’t know

Net gainin interest:

Whilst a few markets which are the largest for exporting international students to the UK aren’t represented here

(China and India are both more negative than they are positive with regards to Brexit), 6 of the top 10 most positive

markets also happen to be Commonwealth nations. It is worth highlighting that the UK still has access to some global

trade networks outside of the EU and that these networks such as the Commonwealth have the potential to provide

new opportunities for the UK higher education sector.

It is also likely that the partnerships which UK universities have established with EU institutions will come under

increasing strain after Brexit, for example the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme. If that is the case, then they will have

to forge new partnerships and it may be easier for them to establish these in countries which are also part of the

Commonwealth. It is also likely that when it comes to recruiting international students, UK universities will have to

look further afield in the coming months and years to make up for the shortfall in EU students. Leveraging the UK’s

strong links with the Commonwealth will be one of the strategies to do that.



When we come to look at why certain nations are more positive about Brexit and the reasons why they’re more

interested in studying in the UK, the results are somewhat illuminating.

Our Brexit Sensitivity Index shows that amongst non-EU students, the primary reason why they’re more interested in

studying in the UK is that they think the UK will be more welcoming to international students in a post-Brexit era. At

first glance this might be surprising and given the headlines around Brexit, it is difficult to see how anyone could see

the UK as being more open to international students from any nationality, whether they’re from the EU or not. Other

reasons why prospective students might be more interested in studying in the UK are based on the perception

that the UK will be stronger outside of the EU and that Brexit would lead to better employment opportunities for

international students due to a tighter labour market.

I think the UK will be more welcomingto international students like me

I think Britain will be strongeroutside of the EU

I think there will be better employmentprospects in the UK

I think it will improve the quality ofresearch and/or teaching

I think fewer EU students in UK universitieswill make it easier for me to get a place

The value of the pound being weaker against my homecurrency, making a UK degree less expensive

I think more of British people as aresult of the referendum

I'd rather study in a universityoutside of the EU

55%

41%

37%

36%

25%

17%

17%

10%

Why has the UK's decision to leave the EU made you more interested in studying in theUnited Kingdom?

It is clear that the perception of how welcoming the UK is to international students is a hugely divisive issue. For

students from the EU, it appears to convey a more negative tone. However, for certain groups of students from

outside the EU, they see an opportunity for themselves in a post-Brexit era.

As a follow up, we asked respondents who claimed to see the UK as being more welcoming to international students

an open-ended question on why they thought this was the case. The responses from prospective students fell into

three broad categories:

1. The UK will need international students

2. The UK has a longstanding reputation

3. The UK will have more freedom to make decisions



Taking the first theme into account, it appears that there is a significant cohort of prospective students who think

that Brexit may lead to a shortfall in students from the EU and that universities in the UK will need to try and look

elsewhere to make up for this decline. They see Brexit as an opportunity for them as they believe universities will be

forced to explore new regions outside the EU, and that they are well placed to take advantage of the new dynamics:

� “The UK will need more money from international students now they don’t have so many EU students”

� “The UK will want/need to create new relationships outside of the European Union”

� “The UK will need to fill employment gaps with skilled graduates once the UK has left the EU”

The second theme suggests that the strength of the UK’s reputation as a study destination can minimise any

reservations that prospective students might have with regards to Brexit. For this group, it is not so much that Brexit

has influenced them positively or negatively, it is simply that the reputation of the UK higher education sector carries

such positive weight that they would always look to study in the UK regardless of what they thought about Brexit:

� “Experience of friends/family/international alumni tells me that the UK is welcoming”

� “UK reputation is friendly and welcoming / UK is open to cultural differences / UK is diverse”

� “Best education system / stable society / strong Government / Theresa May said UK is open to new international

relations”

The final perception that international students hold is that the UK will have more freedom to make decisions.

Survey respondents suggested that they think this might make it easier for prospective students to obtain a visa. This

also relates to the notion that the UK will have the freedom to set its own laws and targets with regards to higher

education, which might make it easier for international students to study in the UK. Then there is the notion that any

money saved from not going on loans to EU students would then be reinvested into scholarships for international

students.

� “More places for international students / less competition once fewer EU students / easier to get a student visa”

� “More flexible / make own laws / autonomous / independence / UK will have more freedom”

� Money saved from EU loans can provide maintenance / funding / scholarships for international students

The extent to which these perceptions match up to the reality of the UK higher education sector in a post-Brexit

environment remains to be seen, however it is clear that international students from a number of regions see

Brexit as an opportunity for them and that UK universities could benefit from this, if this optimism is harnessed

appropriately.



Section 2 – Transnational education and branch campuses as opportunities to rise to the international recruitment challenge

Since the EU referendum in June 2016, the concept of transnational education has garnered increasing attention

amongst UK universities. During this dynamic time in the higher education sector, it represents one potential avenue

to significantly grow global higher education exports by UK universities awarding degrees at branch campuses inside

and outside the EU. As new attitudes and solutions emerge, the idea of transnational education could become a

more prominent and popular way for international students to study at a UK university. In this section, we evaluate

the dichotomy in the current feeling towards the idea of UK universities opening branch campuses within the EU and

outside of it. The perceived benefits and barriers of this from the perspective of the student will then be assessed to

offer a path to inform international recruitment strategies.

Key findings: � Over half of prospective international students express some degree of interest in studying at an EU branch

campus

� Branch campuses are seen as a route to a UK education, but in a country which is able to offer a lower cost of

living and as a way to circumvent some of the supposed issues associated with Brexit (such as problems getting

a visa)

� The main barrier with regards to branch campuses is a concern that the quality of education wouldn’t be as

high as at the institution’s main campus

� Paris, Berlin and Amsterdam remain the most popular cities for a UK university to open a branch campus

How could transnational education play a larger role in the UK higher education sector after Brexit?

Firstly, we asked prospective international students from outside the EU on their views towards branch campuses

– specifically whether they’d be interested in studying at a UK university branch campus located within the EU.

55% of respondents expressed either a strong or a slight interest in this concept, with the remaining 45% either

uninterested or unsure. Whilst this demonstrates that the idea of branch campuses is a polarising issue amongst

prospective students, it nevertheless represents an increase compared to last year when 52% expressed an interest.

This suggests the idea of transnational education is becoming more popular, especially as it has the potential to

address some of the main concerns that students from outside the EU have about Brexit. As highlighted in the

previous section, these are that the UK would be seen to be less welcoming to international students and that Brexit

might potentially have an impact on their ability to obtain a visa.



2018

2019

23%

24%

29%

31%

28%

27%

21%

19%

If a UK university opened a branch campus in an EU country, how likely would you be tochoose to study there?% selecting each option amongst prospective students from outside EU

Don't know Not likely Somewhat likely Very likely

There are also significant differences across nationalities when exploring the idea of a transnational education.

The countries most interested in this idea comes from Zambia, Rwanda, Brazil, Philippines and Turkey – proving

that interest comes from a diverse range of countries and isn’t limited to one geographic region. However, the

least interest for transnational education in the EU comes from some of the key markets in East Asia who export

international students to the UK, notably China, Singapore and Hong Kong. This suggests that when it comes to

recruiting students from these markets, branch campuses may not be the most effective strategy to do this or they

may be interested in transnational education just not in EU countries..

If a UK university opened a branch campus in an EU country, how likely would you beto choose to study there? % Selecting either 'very' or 'somewhat' likelyTop 5 countries & Bottom 5 countries

Brazil64%

Rwanda67%

Turkey62%

Nepal35%

China38%

Hong Kong27%

Philippines62%

Singapore38%

Zambia70%

Libya35%



In terms of students from within the EU, we find a dichotomy with non-EU students in that interest in branch

campuses is slightly broader amongst this audience. 59% expressed an interest in studying at a branch campus in

their home country, however the most popular scenario is to study at a branch campus in another EU country (not

their home country), with 65% expressing an interest in this option.

In home country

Not in home country

59%

65%

34%

27%

8%

9%

If a UK university opened a branch campus in an EU country, how likely would you be tochoose to study there?% selecting each option amongst prospective students from within EU

Don't know Not likely Very / somewhat likely

This reinforces the point that branch campuses hold the most appeal when they’re located outside the home

country of the student, which suggests that a central part of the appeal for international students is the ability to

study in another country. The option to receive a UK education while avoiding the relatively high cost of living in

the UK is a secondary factor for EU students. However, it is worth highlighting that any option which makes a UK

education more financially viable will always resonate well, given their concerns around the possibility of being

charged tuition fees which are the same as other international students post-Brexit.

What are the levers that can be applied and barriers to be addressed to grow EU branch campuses?

As a follow up, we asked prospective students why they would or wouldn’t be interested in studying at a branch

campus to see which benefits could be optimised and which barriers most needed to be resolved for universities

looking to pursue this strategy.

In terms of the benefits of studying at an EU branch campus, a number of different themes emerged. One of

the most interesting recurring points was that studying at a branch campus enables the student to immerse

themselves in a different culture, which in turn gives them the option to learn a new language that they wouldn’t

otherwise have had. As we’ve already highlighted, the ability to study in another country is a key part of the appeal

for international students and branch campuses provide a way for them to get the most out of their time studying

abroad. This is because they still get the benefit of a UK education, but they also have the additional options of

spending time in a different country and the opportunity to learn a new language.



� “Opportunity to learn a new European language through an immersion program, meet new people, have a

diverse friend group, have new experiences, get out of my comfort zone.”

� “If the language in the host country is other than English, but courses are taught in English, I’d consider

attending to either improve a language I’ve already studied, or to learn a new language.”

� “Basically, I like the UK. Also, I think that a UK university’s branch in an EU country should be more diverse than

the local universities in the EU country, since the branch is expected to offer more courses in two languages,

English and the local language, than the local universities do. If both the branch and the local universities

stimulate each other, they will be in [a] virtuous cycle and develop. Then we students will be happy, since we’ll

have more and better options to study in the EU country.”

A number of respondents also specifically referenced Brexit and viewed the opportunity to study in an EU branch

campus as a good way to circumvent some of the associated issues that may arise as a result of this. For these

people, the option to study in a branch campus is seen as one way to address one of the key concerns, namely that

they would be seen as less welcome and safe studying in the UK than before the referendum.

� “Brexit has significantly affected my view of the UK. They seem very racist and unwelcoming and unable to

cooperate with others. This would help slightly”

� “Obtaining an EU visa (and mobility) might be easier after Brexit. The reputation and the quality of UK

universities will always be attractive.”

� “If that country is cheaper than the UK in terms of visa processes, transport, living cost, accommodation etc I

would likely choose that particular country and also if the country is safer and friendlier than the UK I will likely

choose that country.”

The final theme to note is that of affordability. Prospective international students are well aware that the fees

charged by UK universities are among some of the highest of any country. Combined with the high cost of living

in many UK cities, means that any option which offers prospective students the chance to save money by living

somewhere cheaper is likely to be an attractive option. Concerns around the cost of living and the ability to find a job

are some of the factors which prospective students worry most about before moving abroad to study. Therefore, it is

logical that the option to study abroad in a cheaper city is picked up on by a large cohort of respondents.



� “The UK is very, very expensive, but if those universities want to open a campus in a place where living costs are

cheaper, I am interested.”

� “Other European countries offer a lower cost of living, hence having a UK branch in an EU country would mean

I’d be receiving the same quality of education as a student studying in the UK but at a lower cost.”

� “European countries boast a more affordable cost of living for international students and they have a high

employability rate.”

For those students who weren’t interested in studying at an EU branch campus, the largest and most prominent

barrier relates to concerns around the quality of education they would receive. This notion of quality extends across

a number of different areas, from the quality of teaching and teaching staff and reservations around the standard

of resources and facilities that they would have access to. Given the importance which prospective international

students place on teaching quality and the quality of teaching staff, it is unsurprising that this forms the main barrier

to branch campuses and that it obscures any potential benefit in relation to affordability and accessibility. However,

this does simplify the issue for UK universities, as convincing prospective students that the teaching quality on a

branch campus is as good as on their main campus, is going to be central to ensuring the strategy is successful.

� “UK universities opening another campus somewhere else does not transfer the same quality of teaching and

research.”

� “Even if UK universities open their branch in other EU countries, there is no guarantee that they could provide

the same quality of education like in the UK.”

� “There is always the perception that branch campus is inferior to the home campus in terms of funding,

facilities, quality of teaching staff.”

Which EU cities would be an attractive location for an overseas campus of a UK university?

In addition to looking at the overall popularity of branch campuses, we also asked respondents which cities would be

the best locations to host a branch campus. The most popular location was Paris, followed by Berlin and Amsterdam.

Whilst Paris has consistently emerged as the most popular destination, in previous years Amsterdam has occupied

second place by some distance. However, this year, Berlin has provided greater competition in this regard.



Which three EU cities would be your preferred locations for an overseas campus of a UKuniversity?% selecting each city in their top 3 preferences

Dublin8%

Lisbon4%

Madrid15%

Barcelona22%

Rome13%

Milan9%

Prague4%

Budapest4%

Stockholm8%

Athens5%

Paris44%

Frankfurt7%

Vienna7%

Berlin38%

Brussels11%

Munich8%

Amsterdam38%

Hamburg5%

Copenhagen9%

This is likely to be the result of a number of policies introduced by the German Government to actively attract and

retain international students in greater numbers. These policies include increasing the number of English taught

Masters courses, which combined with a reputation for a relatively affordable cost of living compared to the UK,

appears to have driven up the popularity of Germany as a study destination for branch campuses. It is also worth

mentioning that these options closely follow the rankings of the most popular European travel destinations in

2018/2019 and they present an interesting insight into the considerations made by prospective international

students.



Section 3 – Assessing graduate employability

We know that an important consideration when choosing a course is that it provides the student with their first step

towards a chosen career path. The fact that the course is one of the first things which prospective students decide

on proves that career considerations take place right at the start of the decision-making process and that these

considerations are at the forefront of the student’s mind as they progress through their studies. In this dynamic time

in the higher education sector, graduate outcomes and the skills debate in general remain high up on the political

agenda. In this section we assess how understanding what skills prospective international students want to gain

to take into the world of work can inform international recruitment strategies that support growth and address

challenges in the sector.

Key findings: � The most important career considerations for prospective students are that they get international experience

and have the opportunity to learn new skills

� Prospective students not only expect universities to have a high graduate rate, but also that they will be able to

enter a career in their preferred industry and in a timely manner

� They see problem-solving, communication and leadership skills as the most valuable attributes they could gain

from their time at university

� However, there is a mis-match between students and employers in terms of what they believe the most

valuable skills are for a graduate to have

What are the most important career considerations for prospective international students?

We asked respondents specifically what considerations they have with regards to their future career. We found

that the most popular consideration was that it gives said student international experience. Since this is a survey of

prospective international students, it is unsurprising that this comes up so highly, however it is worth noting that it

forms such a vital component of their consideration set. It suggests that the option to put ‘international experience’

on their CV is an important factor which many prospective students consider when deciding to study abroad and

that they think it affects how they appear to potential employers. Another important consideration was that it

allows them to learn new skills. It is important to note that for prospective students, they view their time studying

abroad as the period when they can most effectively add to their skill-set and make themselves as attractive as

possible to potential employers. The third most popular answer was that it allows them to progress to a higher level

qualification, suggesting that for many prospective students, they view their time abroad as the start of a continual

learning process. It also implies that they want to build up the number of higher education qualifications they have to

ensure they have the credibility they need when speaking to employers.



It will give me international experience

It allows me to learn new skills

It allows me to progress to a higher level qualification

It will help me to build a professional network

It allows me to progress in my current career path

It is necessary for me to work in the field/job I want

It improves my employment prospects

Allows me to take up a general management position

It will help me start / further my own business

It allows me to pursue a career in academia

It will help to boost my salary

It will help me to change my career

67%

65%

58%

53%

46%

42%

41%

37%

26%

25%

23%

15%

And thinking specifically about your future career, what five considerations are mostimportant to you when choosing a course at university?% of respondents placing each item in their top five

As we’ve just seen, upskilling is seen as an important consideration for prospective students when thinking about

their future careers. To follow up, we asked respondents what skills they most wanted to leave university with to

help them appear attractive to employers. The top three answers were problem-solving skills, communication

skills and leadership skills. These skills embody the types of jobs which many prospective students aspire to, which

encompass management-level roles within the professional services sector. It is important that universities take note

and are able to equip graduates for the careers they’re pursuing. Given the priority that prospective students place

on finding the right career after graduation, it is equally important that this is reflected in the way that universities

communicate with students via their marketing communications. These should emphasise the skills which graduates

would gain from studying at the university and how these can help them when finding work. We know from previous

iterations of the International Student Survey that over half of students want to go into work immediately after

graduating (52%) and that many of them have their sights set on a career in large multinational organisations (51%)

or in Government sector roles (48%). These are the types of job where these desired skills would be most useful,

both to employers and graduates. Therefore, it is important that career planning offices within universities are able

to help guide prospective and current students in this regard and shows they can add value by helping them to plan

for their lives after graduation.



Commercialawareness

44%

Data

51%

Flexibility

60%

Organisational63%

Creativity

66%

Work in a team68%

Technical

70%

Leadership73%

Communication

75%

Problem solving

78%

Which of these skills would you expect a university to provide you with to help you becomeemployable?

What do prospective students value most when it comes to graduate outcomes?

We also asked prospective students what was most important to them when considering graduate outcomes. The

most important factor was a high graduate employment rate. We know that this is a priority for many when choosing

a university and it has the potential for universities to demonstrate their career planning credentials by distilling it

into a single figure.

The second most important factor was the ability to find work in their industry of choice. The importance of going

into their preferred industry cannot be overstated, given that one of the most popular subject areas amongst

prospective international students is Engineering. It is vital that career planning departments are able to link up

international graduates with the appropriate roles given the shortage of domestic graduates in this particular field.

The third most important factor was the speed with which international graduates can find work. This is an urgent

consideration for international students in the UK, given the relatively tight timelines with which they’re able to find

a job before their student visa expires and they need to return to their home country. We’ve highlighted how UK

restrictions in this area are significantly tighter than in other leading global markets for higher education and this

factor reflects this reality. Given the current restrictions on international students in the UK, it is crucial that UK

universities are able to demonstrate their ability to help international graduates find work quickly.



High graduate employment rate

High rate of students going into preferred industry

How soon students find work after graduation

High rate of students going into further study

High rate of students going to preferred employer

61%

59%

59%

47%

44%

Which of these are important to you when thinking about graduate outcomes?

What can universities do to help graduates plan for the future?

As we’ll go on to show, a high graduate employment rate can be an important factor when choosing a university

for many prospective students. However, it isn’t as important as other aspects, such as the ability of the university

to demonstrate high quality teaching and the availability of scholarships. What this question shows is that there

are other aspects of graduate outcomes which universities can focus on to help attract prospective students.

It is important to highlight the ability of the university to find jobs for students in the right industry, not just any

industry and to demonstrate the speed in which graduates can find work. This suggests that there are multiple

measures which universities can use when communicating with prospective students to prove their career planning

credentials. Not only is it important to communicate this, but it also represents an opportunity for careers services

within universities to add value by helping students plan for their graduate lives.

The need for careers services at universities to provide relevant and appropriate assistance to students cannot

be overstated. From our own Employer Survey, we know that there is a mis-match between expectations amongst

students and employers (pre-request your copy of the Global Skills Gap report here). We know that students tend

to overvalue the importance of creativity and leaderships skills and underestimate the importance of flexibility and

teamwork when working in an organisation. Given the importance that prospective international students place on

‘upskilling’ whilst studying, there is a need for universities to identify the most valued skills by organisations and to

clearly communicate these to their student audiences.

Get your free copy of The Global Skills Gap 2019 report at www.qs.com/globalskillsgap

Using data from the QS Global Employer Survey and the International Student Survey, the report examines the difference between the skills students value versus the skills identified as important by recruiters. The insights can help your university in preparing students for the world of work.

http://www.qs.com/globalskillsgap



Section 4 – Understanding international student decision making to grow global education

A theme we examine as part of the International Student Survey every year concerns the order in which prospective

international students make decisions and what their priorities are at each stage of the decision-making funnel.

During this dynamic time in higher education, it is important to continue to assess how international students

make decisions to ensure that we meet the global education export challenge. In this section, we analyse how close

prospective students are to making a final decision on a range of aspects, before going on to look at how they make

these decisions and the individuals that influence them during this process that help to inform international student

recruitment strategies.

Key findings: � High quality teaching, a welcoming location and future career considerations are the most important factors for

prospective students when making decisions about where to study

� A university’s ranking is only one factor amongst a myriad of priorities for prospective students and few are

aware of exactly how ranking scores are calculated

� Family members are most likely to influence prospective students when they’re choosing which country to study

in, however school staff are most likely to advise them on which course is best

� International Education Agents are becoming more widely considered by prospective students and they’re

viewed as a helpful resource with university, scholarship and visa applications

What is the order of decision making for prospective international students when applying to universities?

Within the survey, one of the first things we ask respondents is how advanced they are in deciding on a range of

different aspects with regards to their studies. The chart below gives an indication as to the order in which the

majority of prospective international students make decisions. It suggests that for the most part, students will initially

decide on their chosen subject or course and then they will move onto the question of which country they would

like to study in. The final part of the decision-making process concerns the university they would want to study at.

Since for many, the subject and course they want to study go hand in hand, it is a reasonable assumption that these

decisions are made at the same time.



Choosing the subject

Choosing the course

Choosing the country

Choosing the university

57%

55%

41%

30%

29%

32%

41%

43%

12%

11%

15%

21%

3%

3%

3%

7%

For each of the following, please choose the option that best describes your stage in thedecision-making process

Not yet considering Considering lots of options Considering a few options Decided on preferred option

What factors are most important when choosing a course, country and university?

Once the process for how prospective students make decisions around their studies has been established, the next

step is to look at what their biggest priorities are at each stage of the decision-making funnel. The way we do this

involves presenting respondents with a list of potential priorities and factors that might be important to them when

choosing a course, country and university. We then ask them to select their top five most important factors and then

to rank these based on their order of importance. This enables us to gain a huge amount of detail on the relative

level of importance attributed to each aspect.

The most important factors when choosing a course revolve around said course leading to the student’s chosen

career. This reiterates the point that prospective students are thinking about their future careers right at the

beginning of the application process, before they’ve even started studying and this importance should be reflected in

the way that universities communicate with prospective students. Another important factor is that the student has a

personal interest in the subject. Whilst we might expect this to emerge as a popular answer, what’s interesting is that

when we ask respondents to identify the qualities that they think make a ‘good’ lecturer or teacher. One of the most

highly cited qualities here is that the teacher has a ‘passion for the subject they teach’. This suggests that students

expect their interest in the subject matter to be reciprocated by their teachers and lecturers, which forms a key

component of how effectively they judge the standard of teaching they receive.

It leads to my chosen career

I have a personal interest in the subject

The course offers high quality teaching

It’s at a university with a good reputation

It has affordable tuition fee options

It has a high graduate employment rate

The course is well structured

It is well-ranked

It includes a work placement

I can easily meet the entry requirements

I will be studying with like-minded people

It has good student satisfaction ratings

Offers the opportunity to study abroad for semester

It has flexible hours and delivery

It was recommended to me

62%

59%

51%

50%

46%

37%

35%

28%

28%

26%

22%

21%

16%

10%

7%

What five things are most important to you when choosing a course?% of respondents placing each item in their top five



We asked respondents to perform the same exercise with regards to choosing a country to study in. The most

important consideration with regards to this is that the country is seen to be welcoming to international students.

Given the steps taken in recent years by Australian, Canadian and German Governments to appear open and

inviting, it is important that the UK takes similar steps so as not to alienate prospective students in large numbers.

Campaigns such as #WeAreInternational can play a useful role in this regard, however a more holistic approach

is needed to convince students of the UK’s openness and willingness to host international students post-Brexit.

This involves providing clarity on the level of tuition fees that all international students would have to pay and

changing post-study visa limitations so that they’re more aligned with those of other countries. Another important

consideration is that the country has universities with high quality teaching. This bodes well for any country which

is able to prove their teaching credentials to a global audience – something which the UK higher education sector is

well placed to do.

It is welcoming to international students

It has universities with high quality teaching

It has an affordable cost of studying

It has a good reputation as a place to study

It has an affordable cost of living

It has well-ranked universities

The culture / lifestyle appeals to me

It will help me build a network of connections

It has good graduate employment options

I can get a visa to work after graduating

I can get a visa to study there

I can improve my language skills

I have friends or family living there


It’s near to my home country / country of residence

I already live there

59%

56%

44%

43%

43%

36%

36%

34%

34%

34%

32%

30%

7%

6%

5%

2%

What five things are most important to you when choosing a country?% of respondents placing each item in their top five

We asked prospective international students the same question on the final stage of the decision-making funnel

when it comes to choosing a university. Here, teaching quality was selected as the most important factor. This further

reiterates its importance to prospective students and demonstrates that it is something they think about continually,

as it has emerged as an important priority at each stage of the application process. As a follow up, we then asked

respondents how they define teaching quality and found that up-to-date technology and the teaching staff were the

biggest indicators of this. These are the areas which universities should focus on to enhance their teaching quality

credentials and suggests that they should promote their lecturers as an asset when communicating with prospective

students. The second most important factor when choosing a university was that the university offered scholarships.

Given the relatively high level of tuition fees that international students have to pay in the UK, it is unsurprising that

this has emerged as a priority, however it does suggest that universities should pay close attention to the types of

scholarships they offer to international students.



Respondents were also asked which they’d prefer: a higher value scholarship only available to a limited number

of students, or a lower value scholarship which was more widely available. We found that whilst a higher value

scholarship was the more popular option (55% for the former versus 45% for the latter), there is an even split in

terms of overall preference, suggesting that universities should seek to offer a range of scholarships (if possible) to

entice prospective students.

It offers high quality teaching

It offers scholarships

It is welcoming to international students

It offers a specific course I am interested in

It has a good reputation for my chosen subject area

The overall reputation of the institution

It has a good careers service

It is well-ranked

It has a high graduate employment rate

More affordable course in my chosen subject area

It has affordable university-owned accommodation

Make friends with people from different countries

It is in my preferred town/city/country

It has well known or famous alumni


Friends or family have been to that university

59%

58%

54%

50%

44%

32%

32%

31%

31%

30%

24%

21%

16%

7%

6%

3%

What five things are most important to you when choosing a university?% of respondents placing each item in their top five

How important is a university’s ranking in a student’s decision-making process?

Our research shows that when it comes to choosing a university, teaching quality and the availability of scholarships

are of the utmost importance. That the university is well-ranked is only the eighth most important factor for

prospective students at an overall level. Nevertheless, it is important to note that the importance of a university’s

ranking varies hugely across different nationalities and any change on this measure is likely to have a greater impact

in some markets more than others. For example, out of the top ten markets for exporting international students

to the UK, being well-ranked is far more important in Saudi Arabia, China and Hong Kong than it is in others. By

contrast, in North America, a university’s ranking is of relatively little importance. In Canada, prospective students

show a greater focus on a high graduate employment rate and in the US, students are more focused on the

university being able to offer a specific course that they’re interested in. This emphasises the point that universities

should consider targeted recruitment strategies that reflect the different priorities of students in specific territories.



'It is well-ranked' is in top five list of priorities when choosing a university

Canada28%

Nigeria28%

Saudi Arabia57%

India35%

China51%

Hong Kong52%Thailand

32%

Singapore37%

Malaysia37%

USA30%

As a follow up, we also asked prospective international students what a ‘good’ ranking indicated to them. To

prospective students, the ranking of a university is largely indicative of the quality of the teaching staff and the

reputation of the institution. This confirms the point that to prospective students, a university’s ranking and

reputation go hand in hand and that it is difficult for them to separate the two. It also suggests that if a university

is well-ranked, then that in turn gives the university a stronger reputation. What’s also interesting to note is that a

number of options which are more directly related to how a university’s ranking is calculated, such as the staff to

student ratio, the number of citations in academic journals and being held in high regard by employers aren’t as

closely tied to a university’s ranking in the mind of the student. Not only does this apply at an overall level, but it also

holds true in markets where students place a great deal more importance on a university’s ranking (such as China

and Hong Kong), suggesting these are universal misconceptions. This suggests there is a low level of understanding

with regards to how a university’s ranking is calculated amongst the student population. It is important to better

educate prospective students on this so that they can use the rankings scores in an informed way and make

accurate judgements with regards to their study decisions



High quality teaching staff

Has a good reputation

Has world-leading academics

Is well-known for its research

Has world-class facilities

Has a high graduate employment rate

Performs well on student satisfaction surveys

Is well regarded by employers

Is renowned for success of alumni

Is held in high regard by other universities

Is highly cited in academic journals

Has a high number of international students

Has won industry awards

Has a high staff to student ratio

Has a high number of postgraduate students

Has been in existence for a long time

77%

71%

60%

59%

56%

53%

52%

45%

43%

41%

40%

33%

30%

27%

23%

23%

And if a university performs well in independent rankings/ratings, what do you think thatindicates?

How are prospective students influenced by the opinions of their family and friends when making study decisions?

In this section we look at who influences the decisions of prospective students about what and where to study. Our

research has emphasised the importance of prospective students’ personal network of contacts – over two-thirds

of them know either a friend or family member who is currently or has previously studied overseas. This proves that

the custom of studying overseas is deeply embedded within certain communities and this has the potential to be a

hugely important factor in the decision-making process. From other research we’ve conducted, we know that word of

mouth recommendations, especially ones from their own peer groups tend to carry far more weight in the mind of

the student than anything they might be told via more official channels, such as from the university itself.

As a way to market their institution more effectively in the modern age of social media, universities could consider

introducing incentivisation schemes for friends and family as a way to enhance their international student

recruitment strategy.



Do you have any friends or family that have previously or are currently studying as aninternational student?

31%No

69%Yes

As a follow up, we then asked prospective students who did know friends or family studying abroad, whether they

had been directly influenced by these individuals. Over two-thirds claim to have been influenced at one point in the

decision-making process with over half having taken their opinion on board when it came to choosing a country and

over a quarter when it came to choosing a university. This demonstrates the importance of international alumni

communities to universities as they have the potential to attract new international students through word of mouth

recommendations. Universities should ensure they’re able to provide a welcoming environment for international

students during their studies, with the long term aim of enhancing their word of mouth reputation through

established alumni networks.

Yes - choice of country Yes - choice of university Yes - choice of course No

51%

27%

21%

33%

Has the experience of your friend(s) and/or family influenced your choice?

In addition to this, we examined who prospective students are speaking to when making decisions about where to

study. Our research has found that two-thirds will speak to their parents and two-fifths will speak to their siblings.

Whilst it is perhaps unsurprising to see the strong influence of family connections, two-fifths will also speak to



advisors at their current place of study (whether that’s their school or college), over a third will speak to ambassadors

from a university they’re interested in and a fifth will speak to international education agents. This suggests that

prospective students gather information from a range of different individuals and aren’t necessarily limited to their

immediate network of close friends and family for recommendations. Universities need to be aware of this and if

possible, extend their influence to as many potential sources of information for prospective students to ensure

they’re at the top of the student’s consideration list.

Have you or will you discuss your study options with any of the following:

Parents

Advisors at school /college

41%

66%

Siblings

Student ambassadorsfrom university

34%

40%

Other family

International EducationAgent

28%

21%

Prospective students also show a tendency to discuss different things with different individuals. At the start of the

application process when they’re thinking about which subject to study, the people whose advice they value most

are advisors at their school or college. It is likely this is because they feel these people are most knowledgeable

about what courses are appropriate for their chosen career path and are best placed to advise them which courses

they should be applying for. When it comes to deciding on the right country, they’re more likely to listen to their

parent’s views on the matter. We know that parents are a key influence on their children when it comes to making

decisions about studying overseas, what is less well known is how exactly they exert this influence. Based on the

data from this survey, it appears that parents are at their most influential when it comes to answering the question

of where and not what to study. In future iterations of the survey, we will look at how parents influence their children

with regards to their choice of country. At the final stage of the funnel, we come to prospective student’s choice

of university. Unsurprisingly, this is the stage where international education agents are at their most influential,

however the subject of agents and how they are used by prospective students is a complex issue which merits

further consideration.



Choice of course

63%61%

54%

70%

64%

58%

Choice of country

83%

76%

70%

52%

41%

63%

Choice of university

67%64%

58%

63%

57%

74%

What have you discussed with these people?

Legend

Parents

Siblings

Other familyAdvisors at school

Student ambassadors

Agent

Where do international education agents feature most in the decision-making process?

International education agents appear to play a comparatively small role when it comes to influencing prospective

international students in their decision making and only a fifth admit to having discussed their study plans with an

agent. This suggests that it is only in the latter stages of the decision-making funnel when students come to choose

a university that the influence of agents is truly felt. Nevertheless, in the last year we’ve seen increasing numbers of

prospective students turn to agents to help them to study overseas, suggesting that their influence is growing and

that it is becoming increasingly important for universities to establish and maintain positive relationships with their

international agents.

2018

2019

13%

15%

20%

21%

45%

40%

23%

25%

Are you planning to, or have you already used an international education agent?

Unsure Not planning to use Planning to use Have already used

Furthermore, of those who have previously used or are planning to use an agent, they’re having an increasingly

significant effect. Whilst agents are viewed as a trusted information source, prospective students have up to now,

taken the view that they don’t have any influence on any of their own decisions with regards to studying overseas.

Whilst this is still the prevailing attitude amongst the majority, around two-fifths of them do admit to international

education agents having a direct impact on their choice of country and university. This represents a small but

significant rise on previous years and suggests that agents are becoming increasingly influential on prospective

students.



Agents influence my choice of country to study in

2018

2019

27%

31%

30%

31%

25%

20%

13%

12%

5%

6%

Agents influence my choice of university

2018

2019

35%

37%

28%

29%

21%

18%

10% 6%

7%9%

Agents are a trusted source of informationon international study

2018

2019

16%

16%

47%

47%

26%

27%

6%

6%

6%

4%

Agents are useful in helpingme study overseas, but theydon't influence my decisions

2018

2019

22%

23%

47%

47%

17%

18%

7%

7%

6%

5%

Do you agree or disagree with the following statements about international educationagents?

Strongly disagree Disagree Neither Agree Strongly agree

The reasons for using an agent are often complex and multi-layered. When asked whether an international

education agent had introduced them to a university that they’d never heard of, over half (54%) claimed that this was

the case, suggesting that agents provide a vital gateway to a number of lesser known universities, connecting them

to pools of prospective students that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to reach. When asked why they opted to use

an agent, the most popular answer amongst prospective students was that they were recommended to use one by

their friends or family. We often directly compare agents to friends and family and see family as being the dominant

influence on the prospective student, however the interplay between the two groups adds a new layer of complexity

for universities to think about when dealing with agents.

In addition to this, there is clearly a demand from prospective students to get help from agents across a number of

areas. When asked which areas they would like help with, the services most desired were help with their university,

visa and scholarship applications. This suggests that there is the demand for international education agents to

expand their sphere of influence beyond simply helping prospective students with their choice of university, but also

to help them at multiple stages of the decision-making funnel.



Has an international education agent ever made you aware of a university you hadn’t previously heard of or considered?

Why did you / are you planning to use an international education agent?

And which of the following services would you most like to receive from an international education agent?

Don’t know

13% 54%33%

No

Yes

Recommended to use one by friends / family

45%

Help with uni application

74%

Help with visa application

72%

Help with scholarship application

69%

Guarantee I would get admitted to uni

42%

Met agent through school fair

25%

Uni required students from my country to use one

19%



Section 5 – The importance of information sources and communication channels

As well as examining what influences prospective students in their study decisions, it is important to look at how

students get access to the information they want, so that they can make those decisions. The way that international

students – like all members of society – seek information and use communications channels is highly dynamic and

constantly changing. To support universities in developing international recruitment strategies that enable growth

in global education, we need to consider how best to reach international students when they are making their

decisions about where to study. In this section we analyse how international and domestic students differ in their

information sources, what information internationals student want to see in communications and how social media

use is changing.

Key findings: � Online sources tend to be the first and only port of call for many prospective students when searching for

information

� Prospective international students show a preference for online-only prospectuses which are offered in English

and a fifth will also show them to their parents

� The most valued information subjects are teaching staffs’ experience and qualifications, accommodation

information and practical tips to help with an application

� Social media is being increasingly used throughout the enquiry and application process and prospective

students are visiting a wider number of platforms than ever before.

How do prospective students find the information they need?

We asked respondents which five sources of information they found most useful when researching a university.

Unsurprisingly, online sources tend to dominate this list with university websites and online searches emerging as

the top two information sources. This reflects the importance for universities to ensure that their websites are easy

to navigate and clearly signposted with the information which prospective students might need. It is worth noting

that nearly half of all prospective students claim to use rankings as an information source, however, only around

a third of them claim that it is important when choosing a university. This suggests that while a large proportion of

prospective students will research a university’s ranking, there are a number of other elements which are of greater

importance to them when choosing a university, such as teaching quality, having a strong reputation in their chosen

subject and being seen to be welcoming to international students. These are all aspects which universities can focus

on to attract prospective students and demonstrates that a university’s ranking is only one component amongst a

myriad of priorities and sources of information.



Official university website

General online search

Rankings

Course-finder websites

Social media channels

Institution information sessions / events

Printed university prospectus / brochure

Discussions with admissions staff

Family and friends

Other websites

Advertisements

Online forums / chat rooms

Non-institution websites about higher education

Discussions with alumni

Independent agency / consultants / education agents

Phone calls with institutions

79%

64%

48%

41%

35%

32%

27%

27%

25%

21%

21%

20%

18%

16%

14%

12%

Which five sources of information have you found most useful when researching auniversity?

Interestingly, only a quarter of prospective international students list a university prospectus in their top five most

useful information sources. From our work on our Domestic Student Survey in the UK earlier this year we know that

this contrasts significantly with domestic students, for whom university prospectuses are seen as a vital information

source. In the next section, we look at how they are used by international students and question whether universities

need to adopt different strategies with regards to their domestic and international audiences.

How do prospective international students use prospectuses?

There are a number of different elements to explore with regards to how international students use prospectuses.

Firstly, we found that there is relatively little demand for universities to provide prospectuses in more than one

language. The majority (88%) prefer to read through them in English and whilst there is unsurprisingly, a higher

preference for the option to have prospectuses in their native language in countries where English isn’t the official

language, the balance here is still overwhelmingly for prospectuses to be in English. This suggests that universities

don’t need to offer them in multiple languages to attract students and that for the most part, English will suffice.

Secondly, we asked those respondents who had requested a prospectus, who else apart from themselves read

through them. The majority of respondents claimed that it was only read by them, however, for nearly a quarter of

prospective students their parents read through the prospectus as well.

As we’ve already highlighted, two-thirds of prospective international students are influenced by their parents in their

choice of university. It is clear that prospectuses represent another avenue for these parents to exert their influence.

Universities need to bear in mind that when creating their prospectuses, those who read them may not necessarily

be the prospective student and that parents will also use them as a way of inputting into the student’s final decision.

In future, universities may consider creating guides for parents / guardians in local languages that could prove more

financially viable than producing a full prospectus.

https://www.qs.com/portfolio-items/uk_domestic_student_survey_2019/



Finally, we asked respondents what medium they preferred to read through prospectuses in. We found that 49%

actively preferred to read through prospectuses in an online format, whilst only a minority of 20% preferred to read

through them in print form. The remaining 31% didn’t express a preference. Once again, this suggests a different

mentality amongst international students compared to domestic students who are more likely to prefer physical

copies of a prospectus, on the basis that it is easier for them to compare institutions and course offerings in this

manner than it is online. However international students are the opposite, suggesting that they merit a different

strategy from universities and that offering prospectuses in an online only format presents a comparatively low risk

for international students.

Do you prefer to read through university prospectuses in your native language or in English?

Nopreference

8% 88%4%

Native

English

And who tends to read through the prospectuses, is it yourself or is it parents / other family members?

Myself

96%

Parents

25%

Other family

9%

Do you prefer to use a printed prospectus or an online prospectus?

Online

49%

No preference

31%

Printed

20%



When asked why they prefer an online format over a physical one, a number of diverse themes emerged. The most

popular element was that it gave them faster and more immediate access to the prospectus, rather than waiting for

it to be delivered (which presents a more significant time delay for international students than for domestic).

� “An online prospectus is easily accessible. It is readily available. Can be read anywhere and at any time it’s

quicker to give feedback if needed”

� “Easy to view or read and also check the links available in the prospectus. Storage is convenient and can be

accessed anywhere”

� “I prefer online because of the flexibility. I can easily access it on my mobile phone anywhere I please”

Another prominent theme was concerns around the environmental impact of ordering a physical copy of the

prospectus – these ranged from the use of materials and ink to produce one, to the carbon footprint of delivering

a copy overseas, again something which is likely to be of far greater concern to international students than it is

for domestic. This does suggest that for universities who wish to appear environmentally friendly to their student

population, offering online-only access to their prospectuses is preferable for many students and represents a

meaningful commitment to being carbon-neutral.

� “Because the use of more paper will result in environmental pollution and to reduce impact on climate change I

need online media”

� “Because it is more environmentally friendly, more flexible, and more efficient”

� “It is eco-friendly, no point of killing a tree just for the sake of reading it on paper, when it is already online”

What information do prospective students want to see?

Taking into account what information sources are most influential for prospective international students, it is

important to look at what pieces of information they find most useful to help them complete their application. We

asked respondents which subjects in marketing communications were most likely to have an impact on them with

regards to their decision-making. The most influential subject was information about teaching staffs’ experience and

qualifications. This reflects the importance of teaching quality when prospective students are choosing a university

and underlines the importance of universities ensuring that lecturer profiles on their website are comprehensive and

up-to-date and to actively promote lecturers via their email campaigns that go out to prospective students.

The second most popular answer was accommodation information. From previous iterations of the survey, we have

seen that concerns around accommodation are one of the biggest sources of worry for prospective international

students. Therefore, it corresponds that information about accommodation is seen as one of the most useful and

influential marketing communications. Universities should ensure that they’re actively promoting the quality of their

accommodation via email campaigns that go out to prospective students to help reassure them.



Other popular answers included practical tips to help with their application and the ability to connect with current

international students in order to ask questions. The latter option is something which prospective students claim

would help to reassure them about their concerns before they begin studying overseas. This suggests that it is

important for universities to provide avenues for prospective and current students to connect and that any content

which enables them to do this is likely to resonate well.

Information about teachings staffs' experience

Accommodation information

Practical tips to help with your application

Connect with existing intl students to ask q's

Information on work placements / links to industry

Visa guidance

Stories about current / former international students

Meetings with Admissions Staff at Fairs

Virtual tours of the university

Imagery / photographs of the university

Live' online chats with university staff

Photo / video 'Stories'

Live' videos

62%

61%

61%

61%

58%

53%

53%

51%

39%

38%

35%

26%

25%

Which of the following marketing communications are influential in helping you to choose auniversity?

The most popular answers here suggest that marketing communications play a huge role in addressing some of the

worries that prospective international students face, particularly with regards to accommodation and being able to

connect with people before they move to a different country. Framing email campaigns from the point of view of

being able to help prospective students with these concerns is one way to ensure they’re more positively received.

The fact that practical tips to help with their application emerges as a useful subject also suggests there are areas

which universities can actively help their prospective students. Currently, a number of them are receiving help from

agents to guide them through the process, however any organisation which is able to assist prospective students in

this way is likely to be well received.

How is the use of social media changing with regards to prospective international students?

With the increasing proliferation of social media platforms, it is important to track how these are being used as part

of the information gathering process undertaken by prospective international students.

In previous years, we’ve highlighted how a large scale social media presence and international recruitment are

closely related and that many universities are actively judged by their social media offering. When we look at the

overall proportion of students who use social media when researching universities, at first glance it would appear

their use has plateaued in recent years (albeit at a very high level), following a significant increase between 2016 and

2017.



2016 2017 2018 2019

Year of Year

84%83%83%

64%

Do you use social media as part of the research process when deciding where to study?

However, those who are using social media are using it in more stages of the research process than they have

done in previous years. This is a reflection on the growing pervasiveness of social media and its status as the first

port of call for many prospective students when looking for information across a range of subjects. Social media is

increasingly used both before and after making an enquiry to a university and is also used during the application

process and their decision on whether to accept the offer or not. This shows that social media has quickly become

an inherent part of the entire enquiry and application process and for many it is a vital part of how they make

decisions on what and where to study.

When finding infobefore an enquiry

20182019

After an enquiry20182019

When making anapplication

20182019

Deciding whether toaccept an offer

20182019

After accepted to helpme plan to move

20182019

65%

68%

19%

21%

28%

33%

22%

26%

21%

24%

Do you use social media as part of the research process when deciding where to study?

This factor is also reflected in the increasing use of specific social media platforms. When asked which sites

prospective students are using, a number of key trends emerge. Whilst Facebook remains the most used platform,

the proportion of students using it as a source of information has also plateaued in recent years. Facebook’s

dominance is now being challenged by the likes of YouTube, Instagram and other internet forums, all of which have

seen an increase in usage compared to 2018. In addition to this, Weibo has also seen an increase in usage within

China. This suggests that not only is social media being used in more stages of the application process, but students

are also going to a wider range of platforms than they have in recent years. It is likely that this reflects the increasing

amount of investment that universities are directing towards these channels, both in terms of time and resources,

however it is also more broadly reflective of the way in which prospective students access information. In previous



iterations of the International Student Survey, we’ve highlighted that the use of these platforms varies considerably

across different nationalities. This trend has continued in 2019, meaning it is important that universities continue

to invest significant levels of resource in social media, as their presence will need to stretch across a multitude of

platforms and services to reach as diverse a global audience as possible.

Weibo (Chinaonly)

Facebook Youtube Instagram Internetforums

LinkedIn Twitter Pinterest Reddit

57%

64%

56% 57%

40%

52%

31%

38%

20%

38%

25%

30%

18%

24%

5%7%

3% 4%

Which of the following types of social media do you use for research when makingdecisions about studying overseas?

Legend2018

2019

Whilst it is clear that the use of social media has become more deeply embedded in the lives of prospective

students, it is important to clarify at what point in the process it is best for universities to communicate with students

via these platforms. It is clear that social media still has to sit alongside the more established channels of

communication such as email, phone and even letters. There is a role for each of these channels and it is important

to identify when that is.

We asked respondents which channels they’d prefer to use to communicate with universities at each stage of the

enquiry and application process. The results suggest that social media needs to be utilised alongside the more

established channels of communication such as email. Whilst there is a sizeable proportion of prospective students

who are happy to use social media, for many, email remains the default and only channel they would use to contact

universities. What’s interesting is that for those who are happy to use social media, it doesn’t matter which stage in

the decision-making process they’re at: they’re equally happy to use social media at the enquiry or the application

stage. This suggests that universities are able to incorporate more of their communications via social media

throughout the application cycle.



Email WeChat (Chinaonly)

Facebook Messenger WhatsApp Twitter Snapchat

90%

86%89%

69% 69% 69%

43%41%

38%

31% 31% 31%29%

27% 28%

12% 12% 12%

Which of these would you like to use to communicate with a university you are consideringstudying at?

Legend

To make enquiry

To chat after enquiry

After applied



Section 6 – Prospective international students’ understanding of university funding

The funding of the higher education sector in the UK has been the subject of much scrutiny in recent years. As

we highlighted in Section 4, 58% of international students cite the offering of scholarships as a key consideration

when choosing a university. This shows there is an acute concern with how they are going to fund their university

education. Given that the UK Government have set targets to grow international student numbers, it is now more

important than ever to look at the perceptions of international students and to look at what areas they think

benefit most from their tuition fees. During this dynamic time in higher education with a greater focus on value for

money and greater interest in how fees are spent, it is also important to take these perceptions into account when

communicating how fees are used to invest in universities. In this section we will analyse how students think their

tuition fees are spent and where they would be willing to see a reduction in funding.

Key findings: � The perception amongst prospective students is that over a quarter of their tuition fees is allocated towards

wages for teaching staff and funding for academic research

� The areas where prospective students are most willing to accept a reduction in funding are on-campus

transport, sports facilities and university accommodation

How do students think their tuition fees are spent?

We presented respondents with a range of areas which universities allocate funds towards and asked them how

much of their tuition fees they thought were spent on each of them as a proportion. The research shows that the

perception amongst international students is that wages for teaching staff account for the largest proportion of

tuition fees. This suggests that universities may need to consider how they can be more open and transparent with

regards to how they allocate funds and will have to make the effort to communicate this to students to maintain

their credibility in the future. The area perceived to be the second largest beneficiary from tuition fees was funding

for academic research. The fact that academic research is seen as such a large beneficiary is an indication that

the reputation of the research of a university is also something which prospective students are focused on and

is something they will research before deciding on a university. Other areas perceived to benefit are the study

and course facilities at the university. This suggests that prospective students expect investment in their learning

environment.



How much of your tuition fees do you think universities spend on the following areas?

Wages for teaching staff15%

Academic research13%

Study facilities12%

Course facilities11%

Course content10%

Student accommodation10%

Training for teachingstaff8%

Support services forstudents

7%Sports facilities

6%

On-campustransport

5%

Students union4%

Given that teaching and research are known to account for a significant proportion of where universities invest their

income, this suggests that prospective students have a realistic perception of how universities spend their money.

Universities should therefore strive to make this information available to support in decision making and further

educate students on how their money is being spent to allow prospective students to make more informed choices.

As we’ve already highlighted, there are a broad range of priorities when it comes to deciding on which university to

study at and prospective students should be allowed to see which universities prioritise the areas that are important

to them by allocating greater levels of funding.

Which areas would prospective students be willing to accept a reduction in funding for?

We then asked prospective students which areas they would be prepared to accept a reduction in funding for,

if it meant that they could have a reduction in the amount they pay in tuition fees. Interestingly, when asked this

question, the top three answers were sports facilities, on-campus transport and student accommodation. Given

that sports facilities and on-campus transport are seen to be relatively small beneficiaries of tuition fee money, this

suggests that prospective students are happy with the status quo, which allocates significantly greater amounts



of universities funding towards teaching and research. This view is supported by the fact that fewer than 10%

would be prepared to accept a reduction in funding towards wages or training for teaching staff. This suggests that

whilst these areas are seen as a significant beneficiary of tuition fees, international students wouldn’t want to see a

reduction in funding in this area and implies that they see this as being a worthwhile investment that delivers them

value for money in the long term.

Sports facilities

On-campus transport

Student accommodation

The Students Union

Improving links with institutions overseas

Facilities / resources

Support services (including mental health)

Research budgets for academic staff

Improving links with employers

Training for teaching staff

Wages for teaching staff

None of these

29%

26%

26%

23%

19%

15%

15%

14%

14%

10%

10%

26%

If UK universities were to reduce their tuition fees for international students, what wouldyou want them to decrease their investment in?

It is interesting to note that over a quarter of prospective students wouldn’t expect any reduction in investment in

exchange for a decrease in international tuition fees. This suggests that a number of prospective students are not

willing to see a decrease in the current level of investment in teaching, research and campus facilities at universities.

This view is most prominent in African markets, such as Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana and Tanzania.



About QS

With offices around the world, QS is a global market leader for research and understanding of international and

domestic students. Each year we deal with hundreds of thousands of students globally, giving us a unique insight

into the student recruitment market. Our research, strategy, enquiry, admissions and enrolment services mean we

have hands-on experience of the obstacles and opportunities within specific countries and regions, helping clients

mitigate risk, benefit from our existing relationships, and build sustainable recruitment strategies in an increasingly

complex marketplace.

To access other resources from QS visit www.qs.com

For more information please contact:

Paul Raybould

Director of B2B Marketing & Market Intelligence, QS

[email protected]

Acknowledgements and copyright notice

Research for this report was conducted in November 2018 – March 2019 and the report was published in May 2019.

Analysis and data visualisation by Alex Berka, Market Research and Data Manager; layout and graphic design by Izam

Buhan and Jasreen Gill. With thanks to the many other contributors, the 71 participating universities, and all who

responded to our survey.

All information contained in this report is believed to be correct and unbiased, but the publisher does not accept any

responsibility for any loss arising from decisions made upon this information.

QS © 2019

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission of the publisher.

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