London has long been one of the most popular destinations for international students. For years people have travelled from all corners of the world to receive an unbeatable level of education in the city’s world-class universities and language schools.
Since the UK’s Brexit referendum (July 2016) it has been feared that this celebrated status will end. Potential impacts of Britain's European Union (EU) exit, such as a possible rise in international tuition fees and a drop in education funding, could make London a much less attractive place to study for EU and non-EU students alike.
However, figures from last year show that these fears are so far unfounded. In 2016/2017 over 100,000 international students chose to study in London, an increase from 2014/2015’s figures and on par with those of 2015/2016. Applications from Asia and South America rose from previous years and a high number of students from across the EU continued to apply to London’s top universities.
Study abroad programmes in London also remain immensely popular with language schools, such as Education First (EF), thriving as thousands of international students continue to attend for qualitative English lessons and internships.
Why is London still such a popular study destination despite Brexit concerns? Education remains key as leading institutions, such as London School of Economics and Imperial College London, continue to flourish and provide top quality education. As for London’s language schools, there is really no better place to learn English than in Shakespeare’s city.
From its iconic monuments, rich history, world-renowned restaurants and infamous nightlife, London is a great city to study in and will continue to be so. As the chief executive of Universities UK states, London ‘remains one of the most attractive destinations in the world for talented, international students’. Brexit or no Brexit, people still want to study in London.