Operation “raise the colours” has seen lampposts and roundabouts covered in Union Jacks and the St George’s cross in many towns and cities in recent weeks, a phenomenon applauded by Nigel Farage at Reform UK’s conference last week.
The University and College Union (UCU), representing academics, said that many international staff and students were “disturbed by the recent rise in anti-migrant sentiment”.
“Anyone else a bit worried about what uni is going to be like?” asked one contributor to a Student Room online forum for international students in the UK.
Another replied: “I’ve also got the same concern, mean[t] to be going to uni in a week. Has anyone been to Manchester recently and how are things? Has there been any problems in train stations or on trains?”
Prospective international students concerned about coming to UK universities (Photo: The Student Room)“The tone of the narrative here does get reported overseas,” she told The i Paper. “Anecdotally, we know that students are picking up on that internationally.”
Anti-migration could ‘dampen interest’ in UK
It conducted a survey of more than 68,000 students in 2024 which found that 52 per cent said that a country being welcoming was an important factor when choosing where to study
Further falls in international students would have major consequences for universities which have been relying on their income to survive in a sector under severe financial pressure.
Overseas students pay higher fees than their domestic counterparts but their numbers have already been cut by government immigration clampdowns.
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They say that overseas students generate tens of billions of pounds for the UK economy as well as providing vital subsidies for home students.
‘These attacks have a severe impact on the sector”
But there are fears that Reform UK would hit the sector even harder. Nick Hillman, founder of the Higher Education Policy Institute, said: “The closer Nigel Farage gets to being in government, and the more negative rhetoric that comes out from him and his party about international students, then that could have an impact.”
UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: “Unfortunately, we have a Labour government seemingly determined to outflank Reform on immigration, threatening to introduce a levy on international students, and attempting to deter them from claiming asylum.
The hostility of Donald Trump’s administration towards migrants in the USA has already led to a downturn in international student applications.
He said: “In the USA, a hostile policy approach to overseas students created by the federal government has depressed applications to American universities.
“Taken together, these may put off some prospective overseas students at a time when universities are desperate for their fee income.”
He added: “If the Government was really serious about growth, they would be promoting international students and international education, and decoupling them from the immigration debate and treating it as a growth industry.”
“There is no evidence that the UK is any less attractive now than it has been in previous years,” he said. “UK higher education is still one of the country’s greatest assets and is viewed as such overseas.”
The Government, Reform and UCL were approached for comment.
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