The most common type of study for international students in Wales

Dr Owain James

At what level of study do international students come to Wales?

As the graphic below highlights, international students are best represented on full-time postgradate courses in Wales. While UK based students are generally in the majority, comprising 83% of all students, international students are in the majority with 60% on full-time postgraduate courses. As the graph illustrates, these international students mainly come from non-European countries.

Why is full-time postgraduate study so popular with non-EU students compared with the other categories? Some suggestions:

  • There are often financial benefits to studying locally for your first degree, both formally through grants and subsidies, and informally through family support
  • Due to the high cost of moving to Wales for study (including flights and high tuition fees), many come after a period of working. They have received their first degree in their country of origin, have gained industry experience, and then come when they are in a financially more stable position
  • Age may be a factor. Moving to a distant country is probably a more daunting prospect for an 18 year old than someone in their twenties or older
  • For non-EU countries like Australia and the USA this is not an issue, but in many cases English is a second language for Non-EU international students. By coming at a later stage in their studies, these students have had time to improve their English language skills to study through this medium

Although international students make up a lower percentage of full-time undergraduate students, because this is the most popular category of study overall, international students are a significant minority. More than 10% of these students are international, totalling 8,980 students, when EU and Non-EU students are combined.

Interestingly, the rates of international students undertaking part-time study (at undergraduate and post-graduate level) are much lower. Studying part-time usually comes part and parcel with part-time work and / or family support - which are more likely to be available for international students in their country of origin.

However, there are some nuances to note. The percentage of EU students across the different categories of study remains relatively consistent at around the 2-3% mark.

I think this data suggests a couple of things for employers to consider when it comes to international students and their qualities:

  • They often have multiple degrees - they are a highly educated group!
  • They often come to study in the UK after gaining industry experience back home. From my experience of candidate sifting, it is striking just how much industry experience international students can have compared with students from the UK applying for the same entry-level graduate role

I also think that coming to the UK for study from another country, at any level, suggests a high degree of resilience - to learn a language, adapt to a culture, and move away from friends and family.

[Data from HESA]

English
Cymraeg

At what level of study do international students come to Wales?

As the graphic below highlights, international students are best represented on full-time postgradate courses in Wales. While UK based students are generally in the majority, comprising 83% of all students, international students are in the majority with 60% on full-time postgraduate courses. As the graph illustrates, these international students mainly come from non-European countries.

Why is full-time postgraduate study so popular with non-EU students compared with the other categories? Some suggestions:

  • There are often financial benefits to studying locally for your first degree, both formally through grants and subsidies, and informally through family support
  • Due to the high cost of moving to Wales for study (including flights and high tuition fees), many come after a period of working. They have received their first degree in their country of origin, have gained industry experience, and then come when they are in a financially more stable position
  • Age may be a factor. Moving to a distant country is probably a more daunting prospect for an 18 year old than someone in their twenties or older
  • For non-EU countries like Australia and the USA this is not an issue, but in many cases English is a second language for Non-EU international students. By coming at a later stage in their studies, these students have had time to improve their English language skills to study through this medium

Although international students make up a lower percentage of full-time undergraduate students, because this is the most popular category of study overall, international students are a significant minority. More than 10% of these students are international, totalling 8,980 students, when EU and Non-EU students are combined.

Interestingly, the rates of international students undertaking part-time study (at undergraduate and post-graduate level) are much lower. Studying part-time usually comes part and parcel with part-time work and / or family support - which are more likely to be available for international students in their country of origin.

However, there are some nuances to note. The percentage of EU students across the different categories of study remains relatively consistent at around the 2-3% mark.

I think this data suggests a couple of things for employers to consider when it comes to international students and their qualities:

  • They often have multiple degrees - they are a highly educated group!
  • They often come to study in the UK after gaining industry experience back home. From my experience of candidate sifting, it is striking just how much industry experience international students can have compared with students from the UK applying for the same entry-level graduate role

I also think that coming to the UK for study from another country, at any level, suggests a high degree of resilience - to learn a language, adapt to a culture, and move away from friends and family.

[Data from HESA]

Ar ba lefel astudio y mae myfyrwyr rhyngwladol yn dod i Gymru?

Fel y mae’r graffig isod yn ei amlygu, mae myfyrwyr rhyngwladol yn cael eu cynrychioli orau ar gyrsiau ôl-raddedig amser llawn yng Nghymru. Tra bod myfyrwyr o'r DU yn y mwyafrif yn gyffredinol (sef 83% o holl fyfyrwyr Cymru), mae myfyrwyr rhyngwladol yn y mwyafrif gyda 60% ar gyrsiau ôl-raddedig amser llawn. Fel y mae'r graff yn ei ddangos, daw'r myfyrwyr rhyngwladol hyn yn bennaf o wledydd y tu allan i Ewrop.

Pam mae astudiaethau ôl-raddedig amser llawn mor boblogaidd gyda myfyrwyr o’r tu allan i’r UE o gymharu â’r categorïau eraill? Dyma rhai awgrymiadau:

  • Yn aml mae manteision ariannol i astudio’n lleol ar gyfer eich gradd gyntaf, yn ffurfiol drwy grantiau a chymorthdaliadau, ac yn anffurfiol drwy gymorth teuluol
  • Oherwydd cost uchel symud i Gymru i astudio (gan gynnwys teithiau hedfan a ffioedd dysgu uchel), daw llawer ar ôl cyfnod o weithio. Maent wedi derbyn eu gradd gyntaf yn eu gwlad wreiddiol, wedi ennill profiad diwydiant, ac yna'n dod pan fyddant mewn sefyllfa ariannol fwy sefydlog
  • Gall oed fod yn ffactor. Mae symud i wlad bell yn debygol o fod yn fwy brawychus i rywun 18 oed na rhywun yn eu hugeiniau neu'n hŷn
  • Ar gyfer gwledydd y tu allan i'r UE fel Awstralia ac UDA nid yw hyn yn broblem, ond mewn llawer o achosion mae Saesneg yn ail iaith i fyfyrwyr rhyngwladol tu allan i'r UE. Trwy ddod yn ddiweddarach yn eu hastudiaethau, mae'r myfyrwyr hyn wedi cael amser i wella eu sgiliau Saesneg i astudio trwy'r cyfrwng hwn

Er bod myfyrwyr rhyngwladol yn ganran is o fyfyrwyr israddedig amser llawn, oherwydd dyma'r categori astudio mwyaf poblogaidd yn gyffredinol, mae myfyrwyr rhyngwladol dal yn lleiafrif sylweddol. Mae mwy na 10% o'r myfyrwyr hyn yn rhyngwladol, sef cyfanswm o 8,980 o fyfyrwyr, pan gyfunir myfyrwyr yr UE a'r tu allan i'r UE.

Yn ddiddorol, mae cyfraddau'r myfyrwyr rhyngwladol sy'n ymgymryd ag astudiaethau rhan-amser (ar lefel israddedig ac ôl-raddedig) yn llawer is. Mae astudio'n rhan-amser yn gysylltiedig gyda weithio yn rhan-amser a / neu gymorth teulu - sy'n fwy tebygol o fod ar gael i fyfyrwyr rhyngwladol yn eu gwlad wreiddiol.

Fodd bynnag, mae rhai arlliwiau i'w nodi. Mae canran myfyrwyr yr UE ar draws y gwahanol gategorïau astudio yn parhau i fod yn gymharol gyson, sef tua 2-3%.

Rwy'n meddwl bod y data hwn yn awgrymu cwpl o bethau y dylai cyflogwyr eu hystyried o ran myfyrwyr rhyngwladol a'u rhinweddau:

  • Yn aml mae ganddyn nhw sawl gradd - maen nhw'n grŵp addysgedig iawn!
  • Maen nhw'n aml yn dod i astudio yn y DU ar ôl cael profiad mewndiwydiant gartref. O fy mhrofiad o ddidoli ymgeiswyr, mae'n drawiadol faint o brofiad diwydiant y gall myfyrwyr rhyngwladol ei gael o'i gymharu â myfyrwyr o'r DU sy'n gwneud cais am yr un rôl graddedig lefel mynediad

Rwyf hefyd yn meddwl bod dod i'r DU i astudio o wlad arall, ar unrhyw lefel, yn awgrymu lefel uchel o wytnwch - i ddysgu iaith, addasu i ddiwylliant, a symud i ffwrdd oddi wrth ffrindiau a theulu.

[Data gan HESA]

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