UK universities lead in international student satisfaction

Research released by the UK HE International Unit at Universities UK today shows that the UK has the highest satisfaction ratings amongst our comparators at 91%, and that a higher proportion of international undergraduates would recommend the UK over our major English-speaking peers including the USA, Canada, Australia, Germany and New Zealand.

The research, International Undergraduate Students: The UK's Competitive Advantage, demonstrates that our undergraduate education ‘excels in teaching and learning’ and that 85% of international students who study here would recommend the UK undergraduate experience.

Professor Sir Steve Smith, Vice Chancellor of the University of Exeter said: "The results of this survey show the exceptionally high quality of the UK's university experience as rated by the most important people - our students.

“The UK's universities provide an outstanding learning environment for international students. The rich diversity of excellence amongst UK universities means that students can find the right course for them and, most importantly, have a world-leading experience during their time here. Reputation matters, but what matters most is how our international students rate us. This survey gives a definitive answer to that question".

Amongst the key findings within the research, results also show that satisfaction has increased in every area of the learning experience, demonstrating the ability of UK universities to deliver world-class teaching and making the UK a clear top choice for international students.

Jo Johnson, Universities and Science Minister commented: "International students are very welcome in the UK and play an important role in making our education system one of the best in the world. These results show that in return they can expect a truly world leading standard of teaching and learning. Our Higher Education reforms are putting students at the heart of the system, making sure that all students are getting a high quality education wherever they are from".

Vivienne Stern, UK HE International Unit Director said: " The evidence in this report endorses our universities' hard work to continuously improve the student experience. Whilst the UK's improving results and higher satisfaction with the cost of living than main alternative countries suggest we are heading in the right direction, we cannot remain complacent. Other countries are increasing their efforts to attract international students and are enjoying faster growth. The UK must jointly capitalise on its obvious strengths in order to drive sustained growth for this critical component of the UK's higher education system and its broader economy".

The findings from International Undergraduate Students: The UK's Competitive Advantage, are based on international student experience data derived from i-graduate's International Student Barometer (ISB). This data is supported by statistics on international student recruitment and enrolment in the UK, as well as high level analysis of other major destinations government policies on recruitment, support and post-study employment.