Further rise in Spanish students in UK

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Place in the Sun: Queen’s College at the University of Oxford

THE number of Spanish students accepted onto British courses has risen again.

Figures released by the UK-based Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) show Spaniards are the fourth most likely EU nationality to be offered a place at a British university.

2,250 Spaniards were accepted this year, with 3,455 students applying.

By the number of acceptances, Spain is the seventh best-represented country this year – ahead of American and German students, among others.

British universities accepted far more Chinese students (9,215) than any other nationality, followed by those from Hong Kong (3,700), France (3145) and Malaysia (3,090).

In the EU, only France, Cyprus (2,635) and Italy (2,505), beat Spain’s total (2,250).

Yet Spaniards are only eleventh in the list of foreign students applying to Britain. That suggests Spanish students are more attractive to institutions than compatriots from the likes of Ireland, Singapore, India, the USA and Poland – who apply in greater numbers but receive less offers. 

However, the figures only apply to full time courses and do not count Erasmus students, or those doing shorter exchanges.

The quality of institution applied to is also not specified.

Britain has seen a steady increase in the number of applications (and acceptances) from Spanish students. In 2008, just 725 Spaniards were accepted – but the total has risen every year in between and doubled since 2010.

However, this year’s rise in acceptances was significantly lower than the previous two years. This is the first year cycle of applications since Brexit.

In a statement, UCAS said: “There were also notable increases from Lithuania (up 12 per cent proportionally), Poland (up 6 per cent proportionally), and Spain (up 5 per cent proportionally).

“However, the number of acceptances fell for most EU countries.”

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