The number of international students in Wales has increased by 83 per cent since 2022

There has been an 83 per cent increase in the number of international students choosing to study in Wales compared to in 2022.

The data compiled by Enroly has compared the numbers from the January 2022 intake to the recent January 2023 intake.

This figure was over 50 per cent higher than universities in London and the South East who had a 32 per cent increase in internal students enrolling this year. Also, according to the data, Wales surpassed the UK average of 40 per cent.

Head of international and partnership development at University of South Wales, Joe Paley explained: “The data reflects what we’re seeing this year. While fees, scholarships and entry requirements all have an influence on where overseas students choose to go to university, much more emphasis is being placed on things like the cost of accommodation, transport and food.

He continued by saying: “Cardiff has the accolade of being the most affordable city in the UK for students and this adds to the list of reasons why Wales is such an attractive option for students coming from overseas. Our intake of international students has increased again this year and many come to experience all the beauty and rich cultural heritage Wales has to offer.”

Furthermore, Aberystwyth Uni has also been named the most affordable university for students in the UK, whilst Cardiff Uni has been ranked one of the top universities in Europe for women in STEM. These are all potential things that could draw international students to Wales.

Enroly’s CEO, Jeff Williams said: “Overseas students not only generate significant funding and jobs for Welsh universities, they also contribute to local economies through spending on items such as accommodation and in shops, cafes and bars.

“The international student success story in Wales has not happened by chance. Many Welsh institutions have launched a major push to attract more overseas students in recent years and our data suggests these efforts have paid off.”

This increase in international students is welcome news for Cardiff University as Colin Riordan, Cardiff Uni’s VC announced that all of Cardiff’s degrees would be making a loss without international students.

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