The end of an era. What next for European recruitment?

Access to student finance for some of the best universities in the world was an irresistible offer for many EU students. 

In 2014, I was asked to create a strategy for EU student recruitment for a UK university. Lost somewhere in ‘home’ marketing we had previously neglected to explore the potential on our doorstep.

We were late to the party.

The modern teaching universities in the UK had already recognized the opportunity to attract quality and quantity from Europe. Massive trade shows and school tours were operating across the continent and attracting huge interest.

Despite lower ‘home’ tuition fee status, this was a market served by low cost travel, without visa restrictions and a growing agent network that could leverage large numbers of students. It was a gift.

Almost every student was eligible to study in the UK both academically and financially.

In 2018-19 an estimated 148,000 EU students were studying in the UK making it the biggest student recruitment market in the world (based on student numbers not fee income), even bigger than China (HESA data 2018-19).

Brexiteers (and curious family and friends) questioned the sense of offering European students access to UK-taxpayer backed loans with no legal means to recall payments if a student moves overseas after graduation. How is this allowed to happen?

How can we offer free education for EU students at the expense of British students and families?

But a 2019 report from the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) revealed the true economic impact of attracting EU students to the UK. It found that EU students from just one graduating cohort contributed a staggering 1.2 billion in taxes to the British economy.

Let alone the enormous financial contribution in rent, food and spending that is so vital to the local economies of university towns and cities across the UK whilst studying.

But their real value was not financial, it was cultural.

This was not low-skilled immigration. We were attracting the best and brightest minds across the continent. European students enhanced our institutions and our research. Their loss will be massive.

As the enrollments grew at my university, so did the diversity and so did the quality. I had countless instances where academics would contact me to praise the abilities and dedication of various European students. Particularly in STEM subjects. Particularly the strength of their academic English. They enhanced the courses and enriched the community. 

Just two years into my strategy the 2016 referendum indicated the beginning of the end.

A recent Study.eu survey estimated that approximately 84% of EU students would be put off studying in the UK by increased fees. Currently 69% of EU students access Student Finance through the Student Loan Company (SLC), creating a big EU-sized hole to fill in university places over the next few years when that funding is removed.

So what next for European recruitment?

Europe will emerge as a new, smaller frontier. Universities already spend thousands on recruitment markets on the other side of the globe that return only a handful of enrollments – so why not Europe?

It is still too early to talk in definite terms – so instead here are some common themes that could be explored as future possibilities.

Scholarships by domicile

It is clear some universities are planning on offering large scholarships (based on domicile) to soften the blow of higher international fees for EU students.

It will still mean that students will have to prove they have enough money to support themselves and pay for their course as stated in the new immigration bill. Lower fees will make us more competitive in a global marketplace and we may also see some private student loan providers enter the European market to help bolster accounts before visa application. 

However beware a backlash from the big international markets (India) who will rightly ask why similar scholarships are not available to them.

Opinion surveys have shown that many South Asians view Brexit as a resetting on equality of visa terms that will create more opportunities for them to work and study in the UK.

International schools

Europe has a large international school network and study abroad will always be a pursuit of the wealthy. The school tours will still exist, probably on a similar scale but no doubt intensely competitive.

Many global HE competitors will now view Europe as an open market and move in to take the UK share.

Republic of Ireland and the Common-Travel Area (CTA)

Over 10,000 students from the Republic of Ireland choose to study in UK universities, albeit many of them making the shorter journey over the border to Northern Ireland. The CTA affords Irish and UK citizens the right to access all levels of education and training, and associated student support, in each other’s state, on terms no less favourable than those for the citizens of that state.

So will UK universities increase efforts to recruit from Ireland? Clarity is needed but will this be a potential EU market with access to student finance and significantly lower domestic fees?

And if an exemption exists for the Republic of Ireland, are there other exemptions that could follow in the future? The Republic of Cyprus is reportedly increasing diplomatic efforts to find a compromise solution with the British government.

EU nationals with settled status in the UK

2.5 million Europeans have applied for settled or pre-settled status to remain in the UK. Many of these families will have children with mixture of international qualifications, credits and curriculums so will still require specialist support from universities.

Settled status allows EU nationals to access benefits of the UK like healthcare and pensions and the latest government statement noted that eligibility changes for student finance will not affect EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from Citizens’ Rights under the EU Withdrawal Agreement, EEA EFTA Separation Agreement or Swiss Citizens’ Rights Agreement.

UK university campuses in mainland Europe

There are a wide range of campuses across continental Europe where students can complete a UK degree – UCLAN, University of Kent, Middlesex University to name a few – and their progress post-Brexit will be watched carefully by the sector.

Overseas campuses are often regarded as loss-making enterprises but can they now be leveraged on a greater level to successfully export British education to mainland Europe and avoid the new immigration rules on maintenance and fee increase?

TNE and University Partnerships

A more likely scenario than overseas campuses are the rapid emergence of many UK-European university alliances. Dual awards and 2+2 programmes that share the USPs of studying in both the UK and Europe under one degree.

Safety in numbers will be a common global theme as universities pair up to share recruitment risk and benefits in a world living with the constant threat of disruption from COVID-19 outbreaks.

New National Loan Scheme Proposal

Last month Universities UK, BUILA and UKCISA submitted a wide-ranging set of proposals to the UK government to try and increase British universities competitiveness on a global stage.

One of those measures was the proposed introduction of a new national loan scheme for students from selected countries to improve international student recruitment. These loans would seemingly be for students coming from low visa risk markets such as Europe and North America.

This seems very unlikely if demand for the UK continues to grow in response to the new Graduate Route post-study work visa.

It may be an end of an era but no doubt there will be new opportunities emerging in this new world order.

My name is Nicholas Cuthbert, Director of OK Student. I promote British universities and provide opportunities for talented students to study and work in the UK. Comments and connections are always welcome - [email protected]