Recommendation 47

In early 2020 there were major fears that international students would stay away from UK universities due to the pandemic. In July 2020 there were forecasts that 12% to 61% of Chinese students (who make up the biggest single contingent of overseas students) could cancel their places at UK universities for the following academic year.112 Universities Scotland calculated that a 50% drop in Scottish universities’ intake of international (non- EU) students in would have resulted in Scottish universities losing £435m in 2020–21, and that there would be a multi-year effect.113