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Where do HE students come from?: Transnational education

HE Student Data Where do HE students come from?

10 February 2022

On this page: Transnational education by HE provider

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Important - Changes to transnational data from 2019/20
Changes to aggregate offshore data mean that the latest data differs from previous years' data. Expand this box for more information.

The table below shows information from the HESA Aggregate offshore record, capturing students studying wholly outside the UK who are either registered with a UK HE provider or who are studying for an award of a UK HE provider. Notable changes to the record from 2019/20 mean this data should be interpreted with caution.

In 2018/19 and earlier years, the Aggregate offshore record included all publicly funded HE providers in the UK and the University of Buckingham. From 2019/20, coverage expanded to include all English providers registered with the Office for Students’ (OfS) in the Approved (fee cap) and Approved categories and all publicly funded HE providers in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Oxford Brookes changed their reporting practices for the 2019/20 academic year around which students they include in their Aggregate Offshore return. This led to a significant drop to the overall number of student enrolments based wholly overseas.

Transnational education by HE provider

This table looks at students who study for awards or courses of UK universities, but study overseas without coming to the UK. These students are counted separately from the HESA Student record population. See the Aggregate offshore definitions for more information.

Key fact: Between 2014/15 and 2018/19 student numbers at Oxford Brookes accounted for between 39% and 45% of the total population of the Aggregate offshore record. Following a change in reporting practices, this has dropped to 1% in 2020/21

Table 21 - Aggregate offshore students by HE provider and level of study

Academic years 2014/15 to 2020/21

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