Fewer Indian students coming to UK: Report

LONDON: Over 65,000 fewer students are now coming to study in Britain from Commonwealth countries such as India and Pakistan, according to an immigration report published on Thursday.

The Office of National Statistics confirmed a steep decline in students from India and other Commonwealth countries following new visa rules imposed by the UK. “The number of overseas students coming to study in Britain from Commonwealth countries such as India and Pakistan had fallen from one lakh to 35,000 in the past three years,” the report said.

A majority of Indian students have admitted to feeling highly unwelcome in Britain recently. A study of the attitudes of 3,100 international students by the National Union of Students revealed almost 50% feel the UK government was either “not welcoming” or “not welcoming at all towards overseas students”.

Britain earns £7.9 billion a year from international students.

By 2024, one in every three outbound higher education students across the globe is expected to be from India and China.