Antecedents to international student inflows to UK higher education: A comparative analysis

Abstract

This study explores the antecedents of international student flows into UK higher education and the variations in the antecedents between home countries of origin. The results suggest that home country economic wealth and demographics, historic/linguistic link and UK government preferential policies are the important antecedents for international students from worldwide flows into the UK. However, a comparative analysis shows that a wide variety of economic, social and political factors are all important to the UK international students originally from developing economies, while home country economic wealth and population, and bilateral trade are more important than other factors in determining the students from developed countries studying in the UK. The UK government should formulate effective and flexible policies and UK HEIs should develop specific marketing strategies to attract a growing number of international students in general and from key target countries and regions in particular.