According to an analysis of new data from the U.K.’s Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) released on January 29, Indian student numbers in London grew by 34.7% in 2018-19, marking the largest numbers since 2011-12. This ranks India third in London’s overseas students tally.
India’s rise up one rank comes at the expense of Italy, which slips one place down to fourth, followed by France in fifth place — marking a rise of students from outside the European Union (EU) ahead of Brexit Day on January 31.
“It marks an impressive period of growth for India, which returned to being London’s third largest international student market after falling to fourth position three years earlier,” said London and Partners, the Mayor of London’s official promotional agency.
Applications may have been encouraged by the recent reintroduction of the two-year post-study visa for international students by the U.K. government, allowing overseas graduates a longer period of time to look for employment after their studies, it noted. The data reveals the total number of international students at London’s universities in 2018-19 was 1,25,035, up 5.8% from 2017-18 and a rise from last year’s growth rate of 5.3%.
China remains London’s largest international student market, with 25,650 students enrolled at universities in the U.K. capital. The U.S. saw growth of 5.8% to maintain its rank of second place with 7,460 students, followed by India at 7,158 students. The top five is completed with Italy at 5,625 students, down 1.2% over the previous year, and France at 4,650, up 3.9%.
“I’m delighted to see so many young people from across the world choosing London to pursue their higher education. In doing so, they’re becoming part of a global community that has produced some of the world’s most exciting and innovative companies, said Rajesh Agrawal, the Indian-origin Deputy Mayor of London.
With its world-leading universities, thriving business ecosystem and unrivalled cultural landscape, studying in London offers the opportunity to be part of a city at the forefront of creativity and innovation, he said.
London and Partners also highlighted that the U.K. capital holds the crown as the world’s best city for students, according to the QS Best Student Cities Ranking, by global education consultancy QS Quacquarelli Symonds. London beat international cities Tokyo (2nd) and Melbourne (3rd) to first place for the second consecutive year in July 2019.
