United Kingdom - Education and TrainingUnited Kingdom - Education and Traini
UNESCO Student Mobility Number 34,025
CIA World Factbook:29.3% of the UK population is below the age of 24
Market Overview
According to the Institute of International Education’s 2018 Open Doors Report, the United Kingdom has maintained its rank of 14th among senders of students to the United States. The UK has consistently ranked in the top 15 for many years and has continued to be the number one sender in Europe for the past 4 years. After last year’s decline of 1%, the number of British students has again declined slightly by -0.3% to a new total of 11,460 in the academic year 2017/2018. The majority of British students studying within the United States continue to be undergraduates (49.7%). Graduates make up 22.8%, followed by remaining students categorized as Non-degree at 16.7% and Optional Practical Training (OPT) at 10.8%.
Although there is a slight decrease in the number of British students studying within the United States (-0.3%), UK students contributed $485 million to the U.S. economy, an increase of 3.2% compared to last year. There are strong U.S.-UK study abroad ties, which are often leveraged to form a partnership entry strategy. The UK continues to be the leading destination for American study abroad students.
Sub-Sectors
Higher Education
The United Kingdom’s educational 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 education), 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 2018, undergraduates studying within the United States make up 49.7% of students. The number of British students has declined by 1.5% for a new total of 5,691 undergraduate students compared to last year’s total of 5,779.
Graduate Education
Graduate students make of up 22.8% of students studying within the United States. Last year, 2,727 students made up the Graduate population and in 2018, there has been a decline of 4.1% for a new total of 2,614 students studying at the Graduate level.
Although there has been a decline of Undergraduate and Graduate students, Non-degree and Optional Practical Training (OPT) has seen an increase of students. Non-degree students make up 16.7% of the student population and has seen an increase of 1.9% bringing the new total of 1,915. OPT students make up 10.9% of the population and has seen a substantial increase of 12.3% from 2017.
Opportunities
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 Trade Events section below).
In recent years, changes to UK government policy have made U.S. universities more competitive in this market. Rising university fees and active encouragement of outward mobility both present opportunities for recruiting British students. Tuition fees were introduced in England in 1998 and have risen steadily since. The current tuition fee of £9,250 ($12,025) was set in 2017 and has been frozen pending a university funding review. Students from Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales are assessed tuition fees at a considerably lower rate than their English counterparts. Students from the European Union currently pay the same tuition as British students, but this is likely to change after the UK exits the EU in March 2019.
In addition to university studies, UK students are increasingly taking advantage of other options available to them, including apprenticeships, graduate schemes, trainee schemes, or indeed directly entering the work force. UK students are a discerning consumer group with a variety of choices and opportunities readily available. Interest in U.S. study programs is high, but challenges are expected in the years ahead as the UK exits the European Union in March 2019.
Events
Student World www.thestudentworld.com
What Career/What University Live www.whatcareerlive.co.uk/
USA College Day 2019 www.fulbright.org.uk/events/usa-college-day-2019
Resources
U.S.-UK Fulbright Commission http://www.fulbright.org.uk/
EducationUSA https://educationusa.state.gov/
U.S. Commercial Service Contact
Chrystal Denys, Commercial Specialist
U.S. Commercial Service – United Kingdom
Chrystal.Denys@trade.gov
Tel: +44 20 7891 3432
Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.
CIA World Factbook:29.3% of the UK population is below the age of 24
Market Overview
According to the Institute of International Education’s 2018 Open Doors Report, the United Kingdom has maintained its rank of 14th among senders of students to the United States. The UK has consistently ranked in the top 15 for many years and has continued to be the number one sender in Europe for the past 4 years. After last year’s decline of 1%, the number of British students has again declined slightly by -0.3% to a new total of 11,460 in the academic year 2017/2018. The majority of British students studying within the United States continue to be undergraduates (49.7%). Graduates make up 22.8%, followed by remaining students categorized as Non-degree at 16.7% and Optional Practical Training (OPT) at 10.8%.
Although there is a slight decrease in the number of British students studying within the United States (-0.3%), UK students contributed $485 million to the U.S. economy, an increase of 3.2% compared to last year. There are strong U.S.-UK study abroad ties, which are often leveraged to form a partnership entry strategy. The UK continues to be the leading destination for American study abroad students.
Sub-Sectors
Higher Education
The United Kingdom’s educational 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 education), 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 2018, undergraduates studying within the United States make up 49.7% of students. The number of British students has declined by 1.5% for a new total of 5,691 undergraduate students compared to last year’s total of 5,779.
Graduate Education
Graduate students make of up 22.8% of students studying within the United States. Last year, 2,727 students made up the Graduate population and in 2018, there has been a decline of 4.1% for a new total of 2,614 students studying at the Graduate level.
Although there has been a decline of Undergraduate and Graduate students, Non-degree and Optional Practical Training (OPT) has seen an increase of students. Non-degree students make up 16.7% of the student population and has seen an increase of 1.9% bringing the new total of 1,915. OPT students make up 10.9% of the population and has seen a substantial increase of 12.3% from 2017.
Opportunities
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 Trade Events section below).
In recent years, changes to UK government policy have made U.S. universities more competitive in this market. Rising university fees and active encouragement of outward mobility both present opportunities for recruiting British students. Tuition fees were introduced in England in 1998 and have risen steadily since. The current tuition fee of £9,250 ($12,025) was set in 2017 and has been frozen pending a university funding review. Students from Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales are assessed tuition fees at a considerably lower rate than their English counterparts. Students from the European Union currently pay the same tuition as British students, but this is likely to change after the UK exits the EU in March 2019.
In addition to university studies, UK students are increasingly taking advantage of other options available to them, including apprenticeships, graduate schemes, trainee schemes, or indeed directly entering the work force. UK students are a discerning consumer group with a variety of choices and opportunities readily available. Interest in U.S. study programs is high, but challenges are expected in the years ahead as the UK exits the European Union in March 2019.
Events
Student World www.thestudentworld.com
What Career/What University Live www.whatcareerlive.co.uk/
USA College Day 2019 www.fulbright.org.uk/events/usa-college-day-2019
Resources
U.S.-UK Fulbright Commission http://www.fulbright.org.uk/
EducationUSA https://educationusa.state.gov/
U.S. Commercial Service Contact
Chrystal Denys, Commercial Specialist
U.S. Commercial Service – United Kingdom
Chrystal.Denys@trade.gov
Tel: +44 20 7891 3432
Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.