The article analyzes legal framework of social and pedagogical support for international students in the higher education system of the UK. It is emphasized that in 2023, more than 679,970 international students chose to study in Great Britain, which indicates a high level of training. It is stated that there are a number of legal documents regulating the socio-pedagogical support of international students in higher education in Great Britain, which ensures equal opportunities for all students regardless of their origin. National policies on socio-pedagogical support of international students from 1999‒2023 are described. The author notes that national policies on international students can be broadly grouped into four main stages: the Prime Minister’s Initiative (PMI) 1999–2004; the Prime Minister’s Initiative (PMI2) 2006–2011; the Coalition’s International Education Strategy (IES) 2013–2017; the International Education Strategy 2019 – till now (with updating in 2021, 2023). The author underlines the considerable consistency with which the four phases of policy emphasize the importance of recruiting and attracting more international students, offering a warm welcome, recognizing the benefits of international students. It has been summarised that the policy changes are not sudden but gradual, and trends established under one administration are sustained, reinforced and developed by successive governments. The consensus that international students should be recruited only to the extent that they benefit the UK, however, is not changing radically.