A new survey of current and prospective students across Europe shows that a majority believe the UK’s exit from the EU will have a damaging effect on their future employment prospects. Some 59% of survey respondents currently in European countries said they expect Brexit to have a negative impact on their careers.
The survey also shows the extent to which June’s referendum result is impacting on students’ decisions about where to study, with 44% of survey respondents saying they are now less likely to study in the UK. The same proportion said they believe Brexit will have a negative impact on their education.
Conducted at QS World Grad School Tour events in nine European cities during October 2016, the research sought the views of students from within and outside of the EU. Following the recently reported drop in EU applications to UK universities, the survey confirms fears that prospective students are being deterred due to concerns about possible changes to fees, visa regulations and career opportunities, combined with a perception that incomers are now less welcome.
Students unwilling to take a gamble on UK
The UK government has confirmed that EU students commencing studies at English universities in 2017 will remain eligible for current fees and financial support, with the Scottish government matching this pledge (meaning free tuition at undergraduate level in Scotland). However, doubts remain about future visa regulations for study and work, as well as uncertainties about the future health of the UK economy, and for many students this long-term picture is a deterrent.
In interviews, EU and other international students currently in the UK noted that despite the short-term benefit of cheaper fees and living costs following the pound’s fall in value, they expect to lose out overall. Aside from the fact that UK salaries have also fallen in comparative terms, many students fear that tougher regulations will make it harder for them to stay on and seek work in the UK, and/or that the country will no longer offer such bright prospects – particularly in sectors such as finance.
Unwilling to take a gamble, many students said they would now prefer to continue their education elsewhere in Europe or further afield, in a setting where their future prospects, status and welcome are more secure. In the other direction of travel, a notable number of interviewed UK students said they were keen to pursue a degree elsewhere in the EU without delay, before fees and regulations change.
Silver lining for some sectors and (non-UK) cities
While the prevailing view of Brexit is a negative one, at least some prospective students perceive potential benefits for themselves. Those pursuing careers in certain areas of legal practice, for instance, anticipate increased demand for their services, while financial professionals foresee growth in other European hubs, assuming London will become less dominant.
Students are also in general agreement that although Brexit makes the UK a less attractive study destination, its universities remain just as appealing as ever. If current regulations could be maintained and uncertainties addressed, most would be just as keen as previously to enroll in UK higher education.
Though recognizing that UK universities have limited powers over many of the factors involved, many EU students nonetheless appreciate institutions’ efforts to provide both information and reassurance. They would welcome more of this, as well as calling for increased investment in maintaining strong partnerships between UK and other European universities.
The results of this research are consistent with those of a pre-referendum survey conducted in March this year, in which 56% of UK and other EU students said they believed Brexit would harm their career prospects.
About the research
The research discussed in this article was conducted at QS World Grad School Tour events in London, Paris, Copenhagen, Oslo, Madrid, Milan, Frankfurt, Cologne and Bucharest during October 2016. A total of 951 survey responses were collected, along with more than 60 individual interviews. Participants in the research were all interested in applying for a postgraduate degree; some were currently studying, while others were returning to education after gaining professional experience. As well as the nations visited, many participants in the research came from other countries, both within Europe and elsewhere in the world.
