UK Labour Shortages Shaping International Student Choices, Study Reveals

Labour market gaps in the UK—particularly in healthcare and IT—are increasingly influencing the decisions of international students, according to a new report from ApplyBoard. The study found a significant shift toward programs aligned with in-demand industries, including computing, IT, health, and medicine, which together accounted for over 20% of new international applications in the 2023/24 academic year.

“What’s most striking is how widespread this trend is,” said Justin Wood, ApplyBoard’s UK Director. “Interest in computing, for instance, surged not only in traditionally STEM-focused countries like India and Nepal but also in newer markets such as Algeria and Uzbekistan.”

Healthcare was another major draw, especially among students from emerging markets. For example, 38% of Filipino applicants chose healthcare-related courses—the highest among all the markets studied—followed by students from Zimbabwe, Jordan, and Belgium.

Workforce Demand Driving Course Selection
The findings suggest a growing awareness among international students of job market dynamics in their destination country. “Students are clearly responding to where they see career opportunities after graduation,” Wood said, pointing to the 19% rise in nursing applications for 2025 as a response to ongoing NHS staffing shortages.

This shift comes as many students now view return on investment and employability as top priorities, particularly in light of the rising cost of living and financial pressures abroad.

Graduate Route Uncertainty and Sector Reforms
The report’s release is timely, arriving as the UK government considers reducing the post-study graduate route to 18 months, as outlined in a recent white paper. The paper also proposes stricter institutional compliance rules, which Wood warned could “create friction” for both universities and recruitment agents.

“To support both student outcomes and national workforce needs, it’s vital that institutions maintain strong pipelines into healthcare and similar high-need sectors, while also securing robust post-study work opportunities,” he said.

Regional Trends in Subject Preferences
The ApplyBoard study highlighted how subject preferences vary significantly by country:

• Computing and IT were most popular among students from Nepal, Myanmar, Qatar, and India.
• Health and medicine attracted high interest from students in Ireland, Hong Kong, and Canada.
• Engineering and technology courses, by contrast, saw declining enrolments in major source countries like India and Pakistan, suggesting a pivot toward fields with more immediate job prospects.

Interestingly, students from the United States submitted a record 8,000 applications to UCAS for the upcoming academic year. This surge is thought to reflect growing dissatisfaction with domestic higher education policies and rising tuition costs in the US.

US and China Buck Subject Trends
Among American students, there was a notably strong interest in the arts, humanities, and social sciences, which made up 59% of US enrolments—a sharp contrast to Indian students, where only 10% enrolled in these fields. Still, 15% of US applicants chose health and medicine courses, showing an increasing trend of Americans pursuing pre-med and clinical training abroad.

Meanwhile, Chinese students are bucking the post-pandemic global trend of declining interest in humanities, making arts and social sciences their top subject area. In 2023/24, nearly 38% of Chinese entrants chose these disciplines.

In South Asia, business and law remain dominant, with more than half of students from India and Pakistan opting for courses in this field.

#trending #latest