Almost 700,000 people from abroad study in UK universities according to statistics. This is a trend mirrored in the number of Students. According to the ISC 26,000 students, whose parents reside abroad, go to boarding school in the UK.
I spoke to a Chinese student from Shrewsbury School regarding his experience, both of the transitional period and his life in England.
When asked how the transitional period was getting here 5 years ago he answered ‘it felt hard to interact with local people in the beginning, there was a clear language barrier which I knew would erode over time, but that did not make the experience any less challenging, considering my clear and obvious homesickness as a result of moving abroad at such a young age.’
However, now at Shrewsbury School, he revealed how he has become more comfortable, describing it as his “second home”. He attributed this newfound sense of homeliness to the “very welcoming” and “very friendly” nature of everyone he has encountered.
A sizeable number of these 26,000 are likely to continue their path in the UK, having become adapted to the British education system. This individual in particular expressed an intense desire to continue his like in the UK, hoping to go to Manchester University. Then go on to work here.
This comes amidst Government attempts to slash immigration number, even going so far as to disincentivise applications for student visas. From 1 January 2024, international students could no longer bring family members to the UK. However, my interviewee insisted that the UK was still an “immensely attractive prospect” for university students.
