British students are increasingly turning their attention to study abroad options, as their annual tuition fees hit £9,000 this month and among fears of ending up with debts of more than £40,000.
No wonder then that students are looking beyond Britain's borders. 72% of UK students are keen to explore different study overseas options, revealed research by The Student Room, commissioned by The Student World. Just over 1,100 people aged 16-20 took part in the study between May and July this year.
Main findings
- 56 per cent of university applicants don't know how to apply to an international university.
- 86 per cent were ill-informed about study abroad options.
- Most popular destinations: North America (75 per cent), followed by Western Europe (64 per cent), Australasia (56 per cent), Northern Europe (42 per cent) and Southern Europe (39 per cent).
- Factors for studying abroad: the institution's academic reputation; employers' perception of the university awarding the degree; the standard of living.
Jamie O'Connell, marketing director of The Student Room Group, said that there was a "clear demand from students for opportunities to study overseas". He added: "It's important young people are able to make the right choices and are aware of all the options out there."
Jemma Davies, from The Student World Fair, commented: "There are challenges to overcome and benefits to enjoy from studying abroad, but students are being hampered from weighing up those considerations by a lack of information."
Deterring effect of £9,000 fees
Fewer British students applied for university places in England this year, according to UCAS figures. The University of the Arts saw a 17 per cent drop in the number of undergraduate applications, from 28,358 to 23,421.
The shortage of home students is also evident from the fact that leading universities, such as University College London and Queen Mary, University of London (both Russell Group members), have had to lower grade offers in order to fill their places. The two universities received 200 fewer British and EU applications this year.
Photo by gdoe via Creative Commons, Flickr