The British government has dropped numerical targets for international student enrolment in the UK, shifting its focus to expanding the global reach of British education through overseas campuses and partnerships.

Under a revised international education strategy reported by The Guardian, ministers have replaced the 2019 target of hosting 600,000 international students annually with a new goal of increasing the value of UK education exports to £40 billion a year by 2030.

The Department for Education is encouraging universities to establish branch campuses and academic partnerships abroad, allowing students to gain UK-accredited qualifications without travelling to Britain. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the approach would help providers diversify income and strengthen international partnerships.

Government data shows that around 620,000 students are currently registered with UK universities overseas, across nearly 200 countries.

The policy shift comes amid a decline in domestic study visas. In the year ending June 2025, 431,725 sponsored study visas were issued, down 18 per cent from the previous year and 34 per cent from the 2023 peak.

Alongside the new strategy, the government is introducing tighter compliance requirements for universities that sponsor international students. Measures under consideration include recruitment caps for institutions that fail to meet quality benchmarks, reviews of sponsor licences, and the introduction of an international student levy of £925 per student per year of study, announced in the autumn budget.

Ministers have said the UK remains open to genuine students and confirmed that the country will rejoin the EU’s Erasmus+ exchange programme in 2027.

UCAS figures show a 2.2 per cent increase in international undergraduate applications for 2025. However, student representatives have raised concerns about the growing emphasis on offshore provision. The National Union of Students said international students studying in the UK play a central role in the sector’s global standing and called for assurances that standards and student experience at overseas campuses would match those in Britain.

India has emerged as a key focus for expansion. Several UK universities are set to open campuses there from 2026. The University of Southampton has launched a campus in Gurugram, the University of Liverpool plans to open in Bengaluru, and the universities of Aberdeen, York and Bristol have announced campuses in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. Queen’s University Belfast is also establishing a presence in GIFT City, Gujarat.

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