United Kingdom Education and Training Services Industry Snapshot
Last published date:

Capital:  London
Population:  67.8 million (2022 est.)
GDP (Purchasing Power Parity):  $2.798 trillion (2020 est., in 2017 dollars)  
Currency:  British Pounds (GBP)
Language:  English

UNESCO Student Mobility Number

The United Kingdom has 40,074 students studying abroad according to UNESCO.

CIA World Factbook

In the United Kingdom, 29.12% of the population is under the age of 25.

OVERVIEW

According to the Institute of International Education’s 2022 Open Doors Report, the United Kingdom was 14th among senders of students to the United States.    10,292 international students from the UK studied at U.S. higher education institutions during the academic year 2021-2022.  This represents a 28.2% increase from the 2020-2021 academic year number of 8,028.  The total number of international students studying in the U.S. increased by 15%.  International students contributed $33.8 billion to the U.S. economy in the 2021-2022 academic year, up $5.5 billion from the previous year.

UK students contributed over $500 million to the U.S. economy, an increase of just over 25% from the previous year.  

SUB-SECTORS

Higher Education

The United Kingdom’s education system is well-established, with a highly regarded international reputation.  The best prospects for attracting British students to the United States lie in the undergraduate and graduate levels of study.  According to the U.S.-UK Fulbright Commission, the primary motivators for British students to study in the U.S. include the quality and flexibility of American academic programs (liberal arts), the availability of scholarship funding, athletic/sporting opportunities, and the ability to experience and be a part of U.S. culture and campus life.

Undergraduate Education

According to Open Doors 2022, 47% of UK students studying in the U.S. are doing so at the undergraduate level.  This represents a 13.2% increase from last year (4,865 undergraduate students in 2021-2022 vs. 4,299 in 2020-2021).   

Graduate Education

Graduate students make up 27.0% of UK students studying within the United States.  Last year, 2,301 students made up the graduate population and in 2021-2022, there has been a 21.6% increase for a new total of 2,799 students studying at the graduate level.

Non-degree Education and Optional Practical Training (OPT)

Non-degree education enjoyed the greatest increase in UK students of any category.  From 2020-2021 to 2021-2022, non-degree students jumped from 184 to 1,405, an increase of 663.6%.  There are 1,223 UK students who are OPT students.  Non-degree students currently represent 13.6% of UK students in the U.S.

OPPORTUNITIES

As a result of widespread teleworking and online learning throughout 2020 and 2021, the UK market has become more accustomed to education and training delivered in a digital format.  In the past, online or distance learning programs looking to expand into the UK were met with limited success.  However, the adoption rates for online and distance learning have increased and this presents an opportunity for U.S. providers in these areas.

Exchange programs and partnerships with British universities are a common method of market entry.  For U.S. institutions looking to gain exposure and to test the market, there are several UK events of interest (see “Events” section below).

Changes to UK government policy have made U.S. universities more competitive in this market.  Rising university fees and active encouragement of outward mobility are both present opportunities for recruiting British students.  Tuition fees were introduced in England in 1998 and have risen steadily.  The current tuition fee of £9,250 ($11,100 using a rate of 1.2 GBP per 1 USD) in England was set in 2017 and has been frozen pending a university funding review.  Fees in England are the same for all students, whereas other areas of the UK give their domestic students a reduction in fees.  For example, Welsh students in Wales pay £9,000 ($10,800) instead of £9,250 ($11,100).  Domestic students in Northern Ireland pay £4,395 ($5,274), and in Scotland, domestic students do not pay university fees.  Following the end of the Brexit transition period on January 1, 2021, students from the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA), and Switzerland now pay international tuition rates.

In addition to university studies, UK students are increasingly taking advantage of other options available to them, including apprenticeships, graduate schemes, trainee schemes, or directly entering the workforce.  UK students are a discerning consumer group with a variety of choices and opportunities readily available.

EVENTS

RESOURCES

U.S. COMMERCIAL SERVICE CONTACT

Stephen Brown, Commercial Specialist

U.S. Commercial Service – London, United Kingdom

Email: Stephen.Brown@trade.gov

Phone: +44 20 7891 3451