A drop in the number of international students coming to the UK cost the country nearly £3 billion, according to new estimates.
The total benefit of those who began their studies in the 2024-25 academic year has been estimated at £45.1 billion, the data produced by consultancy London Economics show.
The same cohort, numbering 685,565 students, will cost the public purse just £4.7 billion to host because of extra spending on things such as healthcare or public safety – resulting in a benefit-to-cost ratio of 9.7 to 1.
Economists crunched the numbers as part of research conducted for the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) and Kaplan International Pathways. It comes as international students continue to face political pressure after numerous rule changes over the past few years.
Although the boost applies across all parts of the UK, some constituencies fare particularly well, according to the analysis.
