Written question asked by Juliet Campbell (Labour) on Thursday, 10 July 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 14 July 2025. It was answered by Janet Daby (Labour) on Friday, 25 July 2025 on behalf of the Department for Education.

Higher Education: Immigration

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of recent immigration policy changes on the higher education sector.

Answer

The government has been clear that we welcome international students who meet the requirements to study in the UK. International students come from all over the world and benefit UK higher education (HE) and our society, boosting our economy by more than £21 billion a year.

The government expects the UK’s HE sector to remain highly attractive. We have four UK universities in the world’s top 10 and 17 in the top 100, alongside a wide array of other high-quality institutions.

The system must, however, ensure that international students make a positive contribution to the communities in which they study. We will not permit anyone who seeks to exploit the system.

The Immigration White Paper, published in May, sets out a balanced approach which helps the government achieve our manifesto commitment of reducing net migration while maintaining the UK’s global competitiveness.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 66703
Session: 2024-26
Related items: Restoring Control over the Immigration System
Monday, 12 May 2025
Command papers
House of Commons
House of Lords
Subjects: Immigration Higher education
Link: View this Written question on www.parliament.uk

Higher Education: Immigration

Secondary information

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