European students shun the UK

The campus of Queen Mary University in east London.

©Queen Mary University

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

Consequence of Brexit which put an end to the freedom of movement and residence of citizens of the European Union on British territory, the phenomenon is bad news for the country.

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With our correspondent in London,

Students from the European Union are half as likely to start a university course since the entry into force of Brexit.

They were 67,000 in 2020 and more than 30,000 in 2021, according to data from the Statistical Agency for Higher Education.

The licenses, especially, suffer from this exodus.

Main reason: registration fees.

While a young European paid a maximum of 10,000 euros before, and could apply for financial aid, he can now pay up to four times more for a year.

However, foreign students represent a real godsend.

On average, each European student would bring more than 80,000 euros per year to the British economy.

And the students from outside the EU, mainly the Chinese, may come in greater numbers, but they often only stay for a year, when the Europeans finish an entire course, three to four years. 

 Another problem, in the longer term this one: according to the universities, the desertion of European students could threaten diversity in the classrooms.

Institutions also fear that they will no longer have as many profiles available for their research positions.

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