Accordingto a new Higher Education Policy Institute and Kaplan report, 74% of international students want to stay in the UK after graduation to find employment. Students from outside the EU were more likely to wish to find work in the UK than EU students (64%).
Non-EU students were also more concerned than EU students about earning enough to support themselves, while postgraduate students were more concerned than undergraduates about their financial security.
Postgraduates were more likely to want to stay in the UK and also had a better understanding of UK visa restrictions.
The report highlighted that career support and employability skills are more important for international students when choosing a university.
HEPIs director Nick Hillman said that the primary reason why most students pursue higher education is to obtain a rewarding career and enhance the quality of their careers and employability support.
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Some international students further believe that they are paying more but getting less in return as support seems to be targeted more towards domestic students, he added.
The Careers Research and Advisory Centre and Cibyl, a polling company conducted the research for the report, surveying a total of 31 international students - a focus group of undergraduates, postgraduates and foundation pathway students.
The report further found that 39% of international students obtained no work experience during their study at university. Of those who had obtained work experience, 23% had joined a paid job unrelated to their degree, while 19% joined work related to their degree and 16% had joined unpaid work related to their degree and only 3% had undertaken work experience unrelated to their degree.
It also found that 82% stated that careers support was significant while 92% stated embedded employability skills was important whose choosing their institution.
Managing director of Kaplan International Pathway, Linda Cowan, stated that the UK could set itself apart from other countries if it ensures that international students would get support for their future careers in the UK or their home country.
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CRACs director of research and intelligence, Robin Mellors-Bourne, said that even though international students generated gains worth 28.8 billion in the UK, they have often had to overcome these challenges.
Despite this data, only 2% of recent international graduates, according to Universities UK Internationals International Graduate Outcomes report in 2019, found employment through their universitys careers advisory service.
Source:The PIE News
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