More British students considering to study abroad

A survey released by the British Council has shown that the number of UK students who would consider studying abroad is increasing.

The survey of 2630 students discovered 37 percent would go overseas to get their degree, in comparison to 20 percent in 2013.

The main motivation cited for wishing to study abroad was the increase in tuition fees, with 57 percent stating this as a reason. Other reasons were a desire for academic credit and to improve language skills.

Non-academic reasons were also given, such as an opportunity to travel overseas and have an adventure. In addition, 15 percent of respondents felt studying overseas would help build self-confidence and establish international careers.

The most popular study destinations were the United States and Australia. These were followed by France, Germany and Canada.

While there is no way of establishing exactly how many British students actually study abroad, Unesco research suggests that this figure is around one percent, 28,180 students.

Around a third of respondents to the survey stated that fears of not fitting into other cultures were the biggest factor that put them off studying in a foreign country.

Dr Jo Beall, the British Council’s director of education and society told the BBC: “It is essential for the UK’s global competitiveness that our next generation gain more international skills and understanding, so it’s very encouraging to see that more UK students are considering studying abroad.”

Michael Stark, who is currently on a gap year, looked into studying in South Africa “because with the rise in tuition fees, it was appealing to study somewhere where it was cheaper (£3000 per year).

“Also living costs are a fraction of what they are in the UK. On top of this you can’t complain about living in a country which has sun for 9 months of the year!”

Emma Jones, a first-year Politics and International Studies undergraduate at Warwick, said: “I’ve chosen to do part of my degree in the United States due to the prestige of studying at Berkeley.

“The American system – of more contact hours, encouragement to think independently and US campus life as a whole – really appealed to me.”