Northern Ireland international student boom adds £1bn to economy - report

The number of international students in Northern Ireland has nearly quadrupled in four years

The number of international students at Northern Irish universities has almost quadrupled in just four years.

That is according to a new report on the economic impact of international students in the UK.

It also suggested that, in total, international students are worth nearly £1bn to Northern Ireland's economy.

The Department for the Economy (DfE) has suggested there were about 15,000 international students at Queen's and Ulster University in 2021/22.

That's compared to about 4,000 international students in 2018/19.

However, some of the rise is down to Ulster University (UU) courses in Birmingham and London, and a part-time module for overseas nurses and midwives seeking registration in the UK.

The new report into the benefits and costs of international students to the UK economy has been published by the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) and Universities UK International (UUKI).

Financial contribution

It looked at the overall economic benefits and costs associated with about 381,000 new international students from inside and outside the European Union (EU) in higher education in the UK in 2021-22.

The analysis of the economic impact of international students was carried out by London Economics, an economy and policy consultancy group.

It calculated the financial contribution of international students, including how much they spent on tuition fees, accommodation and other living costs during their studies.

It balanced that against costs including university teaching and the extra pressure on public services.

The HEPI and UUKI report said that international students who began courses at Northern Ireland's universities in 2021/22 would provide a total contribution of £0.95bn to the economy over the course of their studies.

The report said that the UK was a popular destination for international students for a number of reasons, including the status of UK degrees, with postgraduate qualifications especially popular.

It also said that they brought more than economic benefits by "diversifying campuses" and "enriching the learning environment".

'My own little family'

Julien Kolta said Belfast is a home from home

For Julien Kolta, an Egyptian-born 21-year-old medical student at Queen's University Belfast (QUB), the idea of moving to the city seemed perfect.

She was raised in Dubai but said she found Belfast "inviting, big enough to do a lot of different things" but with a centre small enough to not be overwhelming.

"I wanted to be in the UK. I had four options and Queen's was the perfect fit," she added.

Ms Kolta said that while it can be a struggle to move to a new place, Northern Ireland has become a home away from home.

"I have friends from here and other international students that chose to come here and they are my own little family.

"When I go back to Dubai, I miss the people here so much. They are so kind."

Those words were echoed by Chaudhary Hamza Riaz, 21, who moved to Northern Ireland from Pakistan to study law, politics and international studies at UU.

Chaudhary Hamza Riaz said people are more inclusive and welcoming in Northern Ireland than he has felt anywhere else

"I said let's go to where the opportunities are, and they are here," he said.

"The people are inclusive and welcoming, much more than anywhere else in the UK.

"When you try and be respectful and helpful to people in Northern Ireland, it's paid back and multiplied by two."

Both now say they could see themselves staying in Northern Ireland long term.

"Right now, I want to stay here after I finish university," said Ms Kolta. "I've made a community for myself here now; I hope to stay."

"If the opportunities remain as good as they are for me now, I will stay here," said Mr Riaz. "But you have to follow the opportunities, wherever they take you."

Increase in non-EU students

In Northern Ireland the number of students from the Republic of Ireland has remained relatively flat, at about 2,200, over the past four years.

But while there are relatively few students from elsewhere in the EU, the number from outside the EU has increased significantly.

Figures from the Department for the Economy for 2021/22 show that more than one in five students at Northern Irish universities were from outside the EU.

In 2021/22, there were more than 14,500 international students out of 69,500 students overall.

In all, students from over 135 different countries were enrolled in Northern Ireland, with the highest numbers from India, China and the Philippines.

Non-EU students typically pay much higher tuition fees than local, EU or UK students, spending between £15,000 to more than £30,000 a year for courses in Northern Ireland.

The HEPI and UUKI report also contains a breakdown of the economic effect of international students by each UK region and parliamentary constituency.

In Northern Ireland, south Belfast was the constituency judged to benefit most as the highest number of international students lived there.

Figures previously published by Northern Ireland's two main universities show that international students account for almost £70m of their income in fees and grants.

QUB accounts show international students generated £57m in fees and grants in 2021-22, while UU received just under £12m in overseas student fees in the same period.