Fewer international science students come to 'unwelcoming' UK

Tough immigration rules are putting science students off the UK, says report. Photograph: Reuters

An "unwelcoming UK" has seen a drop in the number of international students studying science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem subjects), according to a House of Lords report.

The report says the policy on immigration has had a negative impact oninternational student enrolments on UK Stem courses, which have fallen by more than 10% in the past two years.

Produced by the House of Lords science and technology committee, the report urges the government to rethink its policy on immigration, and remove international students from net migration figures.

Complicated rules, a constantly shifting immigration policy, expensive visas and insufficient time to seek work after study all contribute to making the UK appear unwelcoming, the report finds.

Lord Krebs, chair of the science and technology committee, says: "When we really need to send the message that international Stem students will get a warm welcome in the UK, they're getting the cold shoulder and heading elsewhere."

Krebs says changes to the immigration rules have played a direct part in putting overseas students off the UK.

"The rules are seen as too complex and subject to endless changes, the visa costs are not competitive, and the rules relating to work after study are so limiting that prospective students are heading to the US, Australia, Canada and elsewhere," says Krebs.

The report offers some key recommendations for the Home Office, including removing students from migration targets, improving the way information is provided to prospective students to ensure "welcoming and clear language is used", a two-year government review of the package for international students to make sure it's globally competitive, and reinstating the post-study work visa – scrapped in 2012 – which the report claims was "simple and effective".

Krebs says: "Allowing just four months for a student to find work after graduation is more or less tantamount to telling overseas students they'd be better off going to study elsewhere."

This follows findings from a Higher Education Funding Council of England (Hefce) report showing a drop in the number of international students studying in UK universities for the first time in 29 years. The report also shows a 50% drop in the number of postgraduate students coming from India and Pakistan.

"This is further evidence that we are losing international students to other nations due to the UK's restrictive policy on post-study work visas," says Libby Hackett, chief executive of University Alliance.

Hackett adds: "This is harming our economy as well as our universities. There is a simple fix: reintroduce two-year post-study work visas for all graduates from trusted UK universities.

"Around 83% of international students are studying in the UK so that they can get a good job. We know that international students want to ensure that in addition to their time at university they will have the opportunity to undertake in-work placements and to contribute back to the UK."

Dr Jo Beall, director of education and society at the British Council, says: "Any drop in students must be investigated as the UK cannot afford a brain drain of the world's most ambitious young people.

"We support the committee's recommendation that calls for the re-classification of students in immigration data. For the UK to remain globally competitive, the focus must be on attracting and supporting international students."

A spokesperson from the Home Office says: "We do not accept that the UK's immigration rules are deterring international students and there is no clear evidence in the report to support that argument.

"The UK remains the second most popular destination for internationalhigher education students and our universities saw increases of new enrolments from key markets, including China (+6%), Malaysia (+3%) and Hong Kong (+18%) last year.

"The student visa system we inherited was weak and open to widespread abuse. We are controlling immigration while still attracting the brightest and the best."

Other countries have also experienced falling numbers of Indian students, with the US seeing a 6% drop and Australia a 40% drop over the past five years.

Despite the UK experiencing a drop in the number of international students studying Stem subjects, new figures show that overall numbers of students studying Stem in the UK is at an all-time high.