International students
an asset or a hindrance?

The demand for spaces in UK schools by international students is, as always, on the rise despite changes in visa requirements in the UK. According to recent figures published by the Independent Schools Council, this year, there are over 35,500 non-British students attending British schools. Whether this trend is due to relocation of families or specific educational choices, what effect does international intake have on British independent schools?

This hunger for a British education is not only concentrated on senior school level. Prep schools are now also becoming more attractive to international parents. What impact does this surge have on schools and their admissions process? How can British schools enhance the whole experience for the parents involved - current and prospective? Are foreign pupils seen as a lifeline and an asset to schools or a setback?

Surely the admission of all pupils must be seen as an asset, if not a lifeline to some schools. Parents from overseas are very keen on sending their children to study in the UK because this is seen as a gateway to a successful university career leading on to an even more prominent professional life and as certain countries in the world become more sophisticated, younger children are being sent over. They are, therefore, prepared to pay full fees, if not overseas fees in some cases. Because of the deep-rooted culture and traditions, the work ethics and the upbringing of certain children, especially those from China, Korean or India mean that their standard of study, their dedication and their respect for their priorities and elders would almost always guarantee great results. This reflects very positively on the students’ education and future career but it is also very favourable for the school attainment as a whole.

So where do the issues lie? There are in fact a number of obstacles facing the schools as well as the parents – current British nationals as well as international parents hoping for a British education for their children.

As more British parents opt for the co-education option for their children, international students can be of great help to single-sex schools. However, many schools worry that this is in fact the reason British parents stay away from single-sex schools. They feel that to get a traditional British education, the schools need to have less and less foreign nationals. Even though many prefer the social diversity, around 4 to 5 years ago, some schools were prompted to place a discreet limit of around 10 per cent on the amount of international students they would accept. As time went on and the recession started hitting schools, this limit setting seems to have been relaxed. Many schools started to realise that the admission of international students is a great opportunity that needs to be embraced and marketed correctly. They also began to realise that international parents as well as the agencies or schools overseas that help with the admissions process find many obstacles within the system and actually need help.

Anglo Schools International Services (ASIS) is a company which provides a complete service for international and UK-based families, helping them gain access to the best schools and universities in the UK. Consultants at ASIS deal with the international market on a daily basis and through their experience they feel there are many issues that need to be addressed in order to make the experience smoother for parents.

‘Schools need to cater properly for international parents taking into account cultural differences. There needs to be an open dialogue between schools and the parents otherwise it is the child who gets stuck in the middle especially if the parents do not master the English language.’

As well as school literature needing to be accessible to parents in different languages and for there to be an open dialogue, there is also an issue with the process of entry into the UK and the visa requirements. There have been a number of cases where schools as well as parents were facing problems because of miscommunication or unclear guidelines regarding the ever-changing visa applications and immigration laws.

‘We work hand in hand with parents, employers (when dealing with relocating families) and prospective schools in the UK to help bridge the gap for those families. We understand the worry of moving your child and concentrate on removing the stress from the whole process. What we would like to see though is for the UK government to drop its plan to throw out foreign students once they have finished their studies.’

David Boddy, Principal of ASIS, commented: “We have been putting pressure on the UK government to recognise the enormous financial and social contribution the international student community makes to Britain.  Only this week we put the case again to leading Conservatives, including the Chancellor.  Most quality graduates will easily qualify for a starting salary over the threshold. I hope International students will now recognise that the door is wide open to those who genuinely want to study at the best schools and universities in the world, get top class work experience when they have finished and then come back home to contribute to their own economy.”

The UK government is expecting around 600,000 international students at its universities and schools by 2020. Leading UK businesses backed the calls by ASIS and other educational groups for the threat to throw out students when they had finished their studies to be dropped. Business leaders said the policy was short sighted as the international student community provided an amazing pool of talent and energy to generate new products and business ideas. 

Are international students an asset or a hindrance? We feel the answer is clear!

Suzie Oweiss

Senior Education Consultant

PS Education and Anglo Schools International Services (ASIS)

www.pseducation.co.uk / www.angloschools.com