Jun 13, 2025

Amid policy volatility in other major markets, the UK has risen to the top global destination for international students, with two new reports confirming rebounding demand and broader confidence. The rise in the popularity of the UK comes as policy volatility sweeps the 'big four', fuelling the diversification of study destinations. Photo: iStock. The UK has taken the top spot for student demand in Keystone Education Group’s 2025 student recruitment report, while the growing diversification of study destinations beyond the ‘big four’ continues to define the global mobility landscape. The report , due to be published on June 18, captures the sector at a moment of “transformation”, said Keystone CEO Fredrik Högemark, as financial pressure fuels rising interest in non-traditional study destinations particularly in Europe and Asia. Meanwhile, new data from ApplyBoard has revealed a “promising turnaround” in international student demand for UK study visas, with Q1 2025 seeing the issuance of over 48,000 visas, up 27% from the same period in 2024. Crucially, the grant rate was 88% in both quarters, meaning the increase in visa issuance reflects stronger demand rather than changes in approval rates, ApplyBoard explained. India accounted for over 18,000 visa applications during Q1, marking a 29% increase on the previous year and maintaining its position as the UK’s top source market that quarter. This recovery is particularly promising given the softening of Indian student demand across the ‘big four’ markets throughout 2024, ApplyBoard highlighted. Pakistan and Nepal followed India as the largest source markets, with the greatest increases on the previous year seen by Bangladesh (+135%) and Nepal (122+). Despite an earlier report identifying the UK as the most attractive study destination for Chinese students, the number of Chinese visa applications to the UK fell by 8% in Q1 2025, a possible reflection of the continued growth of intra-East Asian mobility . After a period of UK policy turbulence – including a review of the UK’s post-study work visa and the crackdown on visas issued to dependants of most international students – the rising demand marks the second consecutive quarter of stabilisation in the UK. “While the UK’s international education sector appears to be on the mend, the recently released 2025 immigration white paper could have far-reaching effects,” warned ApplyBoard, highlighting the proposed reduction of the Graduate Route from 24 to 28 months. And yet, an early student interest survey indicated that interest in the UK remains “robust” and has not been significantly hampered by the white paper, likely due to the restrictions and policy volatility rocking the US, Australia and Canada. The results of this year’s survey paint a picture of a higher education sector under financial pressure and transformation Fredrik Högemark, Keystone Education Group As for Keystone’s findings, Högemark singled out South Korea’s increasing popularity, which has entered the top 10 for the first time since the inception of the survey, and is the only Asian destination in the cohort. Meanwhile, interest in European destinations at the master’s level grew by 7% from January to April this year, with Germany moving into third position behind the UK and US for master’s students. Elsewhere, the report highlighted the growing price sensitivity of students, who are increasingly expecting to be able to work alongside their studies. As such, 47% of the 42,000 students surveyed said they would work while studying, “indicating that traditional funding routes, such as scholarships, family support and government loans, are not meeting the rising costs of studying,” observed Högemark. “Students are becoming more pragmatic and outcomes-focused, prioritising affordability, employability, and practical skills over prestige and rankings,” he said, highlighting that universities can no longer rely solely on reputation to recruit international students.