Anti-migrant protests and Britain’s “flag wars” risk deepening the financial crisis sweeping UK universities by driving away lucrative international students, higher education insiders are warning.
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.
But the flagging has been worrying international students joining UK universities later this month, The i Paper can reveal. One asked whether they would need to take “any precautions” before coming to study in London.
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”.
The warnings come with a major “free speech” march being staged by right-wing activist Tommy Robinson planned for Saturday in London. Overseas students have already been alarmed by the news coming out the UK this summer.
“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.
“Going to start UCL next week and everyone painting flags and stuff everywhere is mad. Is it just the countryside that’s doing it or is central London bad? It will be fine right? Is there any precautions I should take?”
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)Asked about the impact of “flag wars” and anti-immigration protests, Vanessa Wilson, chief executive of The University Alliance – which represents 17 universities including Oxfords Brookes, Coventry and Brighton – said she thought “a sense of students not feeling that they’ll be welcomed” would “definitely” have an impact on international student numbers.
“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
Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a global higher education analytics company, also warned that anti-immigration rhetoric could hit student numbers in the 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
Jessica Turner, CEO of QS, said: “Anti-immigration rhetoric stemming from leaders could dampen interest in studying in the UK and it is vital international students are made to feel welcome.”
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.
Greenwich and Kent universities announced a merger this week and more are expected to follow as budgets are squeezed.
Overseas students pay higher fees than their domestic counterparts but their numbers have already been cut by government immigration clampdowns.
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University groupings, including the Russell Group, the University Alliance, and MillionPlus, are all warning that a further fall in international students could push institutions closer to the brink.
They say that overseas students generate tens of billions of pounds for the UK economy as well as providing vital subsidies for home students.
The Labour Government has proposed a 6 per cent levy on international student fees – which could cost universities £600m a year according to the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) – and a crackdown on students overstaying their visas.
‘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.”
Another universities’ source said: “I’m worried that Reform might turn on international students at some point in the context of net migration.” They predicted it could involve “capping numbers of international students that can come and just being quite hostile”.
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.
“These attacks are having a severe impact on the financial health of the sector.”
The hostility of Donald Trump’s administration towards migrants in the USA has already led to a downturn in international student applications.
Professor Ewart Keep, chair in Education, Training and Skills at the Department of Education, Oxford University, suggested that the UK should take this as a warning sign.
He said: “In the USA, a hostile policy approach to overseas students created by the federal government has depressed applications to American universities.
“We may be in danger of seeing the same thing here with a tightening of the rules on student visa overstays, a tightening of the rules on overseas students bringing dependents with them, coupled with a febrile debate about migrants, refugees, immigration, and ‘raising the colours’ and national identity.
“Taken together, these may put off some prospective overseas students at a time when universities are desperate for their fee income.”
James Pitman, chair of Independent Higher Education (IHE), a group with 90 member higher education providers, said flag wars would be a “small factor” in putting off students, but added that anti-immigration more widely would “indirectly, inevitably” cause a reduction in international income to universities
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.”
However, the University of Sunderland’s Vice-Chancellor, David Bell, insisted that the UK is still an attractive study destination.
“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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