UK universities are losing ground in the race for international students because of high costs, visa difficulties and limited marketing in the face of rising competition from other countries, its officials have warned.
An analysis by Universities UK International, the body that represents higher education abroad, said that Britain’s position as the most popular destination after the US was under threat from institutions elsewhere doing more to encourage applications.
Universities in Germany, France and the Netherlands have been among those offering an expanding range of courses in English at far lower cost to international students, together with a jump in foreign students into other nations, including in Canada, Russia, China and Turkey.