The English regulator has written to 23 institutions concerning their “high levels” of recruitment of Chinese students, to ensure they have “contingency plans” in case there is a “sudden drop” in numbers.
The Office for Students (OfS) annual report on financial sustainability finds that university finances generally remain in good shape, but cites the growing risk of an over-reliance on international students.
Overseas student fees play an important role in university finances, the report says, but it cautions that any event that reduces the flow of such students to English providers could have a “significant impact”.
The OfS said it has “written to 23 higher education providers with high levels of recruitment of students from China, to ensure they have contingency plans in case recruitment patterns change and there is a sudden drop in income from overseas students”.
