Is EEA interest returning to the UK?

Between 2019-2022, Studyportals saw a 28% decrease in European student interest for UK courses, largely due to the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union in early 2020.

Recent data suggests a rebound in EEA interest over the last 12 months for UK postgraduate programmes, which have experienced a year-over-year growth of 1.6%. This growth is primarily driven by students from Germany, the Netherlands, France, Portugal, Finland, among other countries.

Trend in relative EEA interest towards UK programmes, undergraduate and postgraduate 

What subjects are these students likely to be interested in? According to Studyportals data, programmes in Computer Science, Medicine, and Natural Sciences have experienced considerable year-over-year growth from the EEA region.

Year-over-year relative growth in EEA interest for UK postgraduates

While higher tuition fees may still deter prospective EEA students from pursuing undergraduate programmes in the UK, a growing interest from this region suggests interest for Master’s programmes is recovering. This interest likely stems from the recognition of the prestige, high-quality education, rich cultural experiences, valuable career prospects, and networking opportunities offered by UK universities. Consequently, it is important for UK institutions to continue to closely monitor and engage with their EEA neighbours, as indicated by student search data.

To find out more about Studyportals data insights visit https://act.studyportals.com/analytics/

Want to understand how Brexit impacted EEA student demand? Download our intelligence report