Record Number of U.S. Students Apply for U.K. Undergraduate Degrees For 2025-26

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many American kids apply to uk/irish/eu schools as safety schools. St. Andrews, trinity, etc. I know 4 kids going this year. For 2 kids, it was their best option- either highest ranked acceptance or just didn't like their other options. For the other 2 kids, the lower cost was the main driver. Its pretty easy for public school kids as long as they have ap courses - and the schools i mentioned don't require the ap tests. They also don't even need act or sat scores. Kids can apply test optionsl there as well. I was surprised by this. (I am not talking about oxford/cambridge which have higher academic requirements). I will also add that there has always been a decent size American expat community in these schools. It's not a new idea.

It's nice for schools like St Andrews that they don't seem to get judged on yield . . . . They can afford to accept a large number of international students know that only, say, 10% of them will yield.

They have the best dataset for US applicants. I read somewhere other universities in England asked St Andrews for help deciphering the myriad -of grading systems in the US so that they can take in more applications….
It is easier for St Andrews to be more lenient with American students because their Tariff for English and Scottish students is one of the highest in the UK on par with Oxford/cambridge for RUK and Scottish students. Just browse the StudentRoom website for those unis and you will find a ton of English applicants with A*A*A* or A*A*A that are accepted at Oxbridge and denied at St Andrews. now for internationals it is a lot easier to get in St A than Oxbridge. Consider yourself lucky!

[Anonymous]

Americans are cash cows for British universities, along with all other international students. There's only a few British schools worth leaving the US for and don't kid yourself today's UK is going to give you a unique experience. Maybe 20 years ago it would have.

The UK is bitterly divided by cultural and populist issues and there's significant pressures on universities these days from a variety of quarters. Just saying the grass isn't greener on the other side of the fence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not surprising, more transparent process, greater focus on academic achievement over ECs, greater value for the money and a host of outstanding institutions to apply to, expect the numbers to continue to grow."


Yes but none of those are really the main reason American students are now considering universities abroad. I’m going to go with the assault of freedom of speech and vast cuts to research as main reasons.

Getting away from the social engineering holistic BS was the main reason for my kid. The transparency was refreshing, so is the greater value and academic focus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many American kids apply to uk/irish/eu schools as safety schools. St. Andrews, trinity, etc. I know 4 kids going this year. For 2 kids, it was their best option- either highest ranked acceptance or just didn't like their other options. For the other 2 kids, the lower cost was the main driver. Its pretty easy for public school kids as long as they have ap courses - and the schools i mentioned don't require the ap tests. They also don't even need act or sat scores. Kids can apply test optionsl there as well. I was surprised by this. (I am not talking about oxford/cambridge which have higher academic requirements). I will also add that there has always been a decent size American expat community in these schools. It's not a new idea.

It's nice for schools like St Andrews that they don't seem to get judged on yield . . . . They can afford to accept a large number of international students know that only, say, 10% of them will yield.

They have the best dataset for US applicants. I read somewhere other universities in England asked St Andrews for help deciphering the myriad -of grading systems in the US so that they can take in more applications….
It is easier for St Andrews to be more lenient with American students because their Tariff for English and Scottish students is one of the highest in the UK on par with Oxford/cambridge for RUK and Scottish students. Just browse the StudentRoom website for those unis and you will find a ton of English applicants with A*A*A* or A*A*A that are accepted at Oxbridge and denied at St Andrews. now for internationals it is a lot easier to get in St A than Oxbridge. Consider yourself lucky!

I’m sorry but what do you mean by tariff. Tuition fee?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many American kids apply to uk/irish/eu schools as safety schools. St. Andrews, trinity, etc. I know 4 kids going this year. For 2 kids, it was their best option- either highest ranked acceptance or just didn't like their other options. For the other 2 kids, the lower cost was the main driver. Its pretty easy for public school kids as long as they have ap courses - and the schools i mentioned don't require the ap tests. They also don't even need act or sat scores. Kids can apply test optionsl there as well. I was surprised by this. (I am not talking about oxford/cambridge which have higher academic requirements). I will also add that there has always been a decent size American expat community in these schools. It's not a new idea.

It's nice for schools like St Andrews that they don't seem to get judged on yield . . . . They can afford to accept a large number of international students know that only, say, 10% of them will yield.

They have the best dataset for US applicants. I read somewhere other universities in England asked St Andrews for help deciphering the myriad -of grading systems in the US so that they can take in more applications….
It is easier for St Andrews to be more lenient with American students because their Tariff for English and Scottish students is one of the highest in the UK on par with Oxford/cambridge for RUK and Scottish students. Just browse the StudentRoom website for those unis and you will find a ton of English applicants with A*A*A* or A*A*A that are accepted at Oxbridge and denied at St Andrews. now for internationals it is a lot easier to get in St A than Oxbridge. Consider yourself lucky!

I’m sorry but what do you mean by tariff. Tuition fee?

https://www.ucas.com/applying/before-you-apply/what-and-where-to-study/entry-requirements/ucas-tariff-points

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Americans are cash cows for British universities, along with all other international students. There's only a few British schools worth leaving the US for and don't kid yourself today's UK is going to give you a unique experience. Maybe 20 years ago it would have.

The UK is bitterly divided by cultural and populist issues and there's significant pressures on universities these days from a variety of quarters. Just saying the grass isn't greener on the other side of the fence.

Americans are also cash cows for American universities, along with all international students. It is a business and you need to be an informed consumer. You can get a great education for a great price in the UK if you choose wisely.

And every country is divided by cultural and populist issues. That said, I would take the current climate in the UK over the US any day. We don’t have a government that is trying to use every lever they have to destroy the any source of opposition there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Americans are cash cows for British universities, along with all other international students. There's only a few British schools worth leaving the US for and don't kid yourself today's UK is going to give you a unique experience. Maybe 20 years ago it would have.

The UK is bitterly divided by cultural and populist issues and there's significant pressures on universities these days from a variety of quarters. Just saying the grass isn't greener on the other side of the fence.

Americans are also cash cows for American universities, along with all international students. It is a business and you need to be an informed consumer. You can get a great education for a great price in the UK if you choose wisely.

And every country is divided by cultural and populist issues. That said, I would take the current climate in the UK over the US any day. We don’t have a government that is trying to use every lever they have to destroy the any source of opposition there.

Bingo….take a uni like Exeter. Russel group. Decent on some subjects being top 10 in their League tables….for a kid who is independent and the best US school you got in is a t75-t120 OOS or Private, I would go to Exeter in a minute. Amazing campus, small town, just 2 hrs from London and you will spend ~66k Pounds in Tuition for your education…ALL of it. There is nothing this cheap in the US for the same quality unless it is an In-state option…

[Anonymous]

This is great news OP! More room for kids that want to be here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Americans are cash cows for British universities, along with all other international students. There's only a few British schools worth leaving the US for and don't kid yourself today's UK is going to give you a unique experience. Maybe 20 years ago it would have.

The UK is bitterly divided by cultural and populist issues and there's significant pressures on universities these days from a variety of quarters. Just saying the grass isn't greener on the other side of the fence.

Americans are also cash cows for American universities, along with all international students. It is a business and you need to be an informed consumer. You can get a great education for a great price in the UK if you choose wisely.

And every country is divided by cultural and populist issues. That said, I would take the current climate in the UK over the US any day. We don’t have a government that is trying to use every lever they have to destroy the any source of opposition there.

Your post shows that you have no clue what the UK is really like, which is common among most Americans. UK politics is bitterly divided, the current Labour government has collapsed in approvals in the polls and is trailing Farage's Reform Party. Part of its unpopularity is the widely held perception that it pursues a two-tier policing and justice strategy, punishing one group more heavily than others, sending people to prison for a year over a twitter or FB post. Economically moribund, it's commonly talked that young people are seeking to leave the country for places like Dubai for job opportunities. Major demographic changes with even the current prime minister worried about the UK turning into an island of strangers. Universities have seen funding cut significantly and as academic cultures go, UK universities are even more conformist and pedantic than American universities.

It's not all doom and gloom, of course. But the myopia of Americans when it comes to the UK, whether it's people thinking it's still the posh land of milk and honey and people swanning around twee villages with posh accents, or a uber progressive wonderland of socially correct beliefs and an escape from whatever your American bogeyman is only just makes me laugh.

[Anonymous]

We know an American Orthodox Jewish student at Edinburgh who doesn't tell people they're Jewish because of antisemitism, e.g. kids getting yarmulkes swiped off their heads on the street by random passersby, trouble renting apartments, etc. They had a lot of concrete examples and are not an alarmist, so I don't think this is a unique experience. I'm sure it's less common at St Andrews and other schools, but it was a factor in DC's decision not to go to Scotland.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Americans are cash cows for British universities, along with all other international students. There's only a few British schools worth leaving the US for and don't kid yourself today's UK is going to give you a unique experience. Maybe 20 years ago it would have.

The UK is bitterly divided by cultural and populist issues and there's significant pressures on universities these days from a variety of quarters. Just saying the grass isn't greener on the other side of the fence.

Americans are also cash cows for American universities, along with all international students. It is a business and you need to be an informed consumer. You can get a great education for a great price in the UK if you choose wisely.

And every country is divided by cultural and populist issues. That said, I would take the current climate in the UK over the US any day. We don’t have a government that is trying to use every lever they have to destroy the any source of opposition there.

Your post shows that you have no clue what the UK is really like, which is common among most Americans. UK politics is bitterly divided, the current Labour government has collapsed in approvals in the polls and is trailing Farage's Reform Party. Part of its unpopularity is the widely held perception that it pursues a two-tier policing and justice strategy, punishing one group more heavily than others, sending people to prison for a year over a twitter or FB post. Economically moribund, it's commonly talked that young people are seeking to leave the country for places like Dubai for job opportunities. Major demographic changes with even the current prime minister worried about the UK turning into an island of strangers. Universities have seen funding cut significantly and as academic cultures go, UK universities are even more conformist and pedantic than American universities.

It's not all doom and gloom, of course. But the myopia of Americans when it comes to the UK, whether it's people thinking it's still the posh land of milk and honey and people swanning around twee villages with posh accents, or a uber progressive wonderland of socially correct beliefs and an escape from whatever your American bogeyman is only just makes me laugh.

You are disingenuous. I’m not seeing anybody lauding the UK as a ‘posh land of milk and honey’. There are plenty of British and international students happily going to university there. Sure there are problems, largely stemming from the economic morass triggered by Brexit more than perceptions about policing and justice. But it’s far from the dysfunction witnessing here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Americans are cash cows for British universities, along with all other international students. There's only a few British schools worth leaving the US for and don't kid yourself today's UK is going to give you a unique experience. Maybe 20 years ago it would have.

The UK is bitterly divided by cultural and populist issues and there's significant pressures on universities these days from a variety of quarters. Just saying the grass isn't greener on the other side of the fence.

Americans are also cash cows for American universities, along with all international students. It is a business and you need to be an informed consumer. You can get a great education for a great price in the UK if you choose wisely.

And every country is divided by cultural and populist issues. That said, I would take the current climate in the UK over the US any day. We don’t have a government that is trying to use every lever they have to destroy the any source of opposition there.

Your post shows that you have no clue what the UK is really like, which is common among most Americans. UK politics is bitterly divided, the current Labour government has collapsed in approvals in the polls and is trailing Farage's Reform Party. Part of its unpopularity is the widely held perception that it pursues a two-tier policing and justice strategy, punishing one group more heavily than others, sending people to prison for a year over a twitter or FB post. Economically moribund, it's commonly talked that young people are seeking to leave the country for places like Dubai for job opportunities. Major demographic changes with even the current prime minister worried about the UK turning into an island of strangers. Universities have seen funding cut significantly and as academic cultures go, UK universities are even more conformist and pedantic than American universities.

It's not all doom and gloom, of course. But the myopia of Americans when it comes to the UK, whether it's people thinking it's still the posh land of milk and honey and people swanning around twee villages with posh accents, or a uber progressive wonderland of socially correct beliefs and an escape from whatever your American bogeyman is only just makes me laugh.

You are disingenuous. I’m not seeing anybody lauding the UK as a ‘posh land of milk and honey’. There are plenty of British and international students happily going to university there. Sure there are problems, largely stemming from the economic morass triggered by Brexit more than perceptions about policing and justice. But it’s far from the dysfunction witnessing here.

As an expat, educated in the UK, having attended 3 universities in the UK (1 in Scotland) and then 1 in the US, I 100% agree with this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Americans are cash cows for British universities, along with all other international students. There's only a few British schools worth leaving the US for and don't kid yourself today's UK is going to give you a unique experience. Maybe 20 years ago it would have.

The UK is bitterly divided by cultural and populist issues and there's significant pressures on universities these days from a variety of quarters. Just saying the grass isn't greener on the other side of the fence.

Americans are also cash cows for American universities, along with all international students. It is a business and you need to be an informed consumer. You can get a great education for a great price in the UK if you choose wisely.

And every country is divided by cultural and populist issues. That said, I would take the current climate in the UK over the US any day. We don’t have a government that is trying to use every lever they have to destroy the any source of opposition there.

Your post shows that you have no clue what the UK is really like, which is common among most Americans. UK politics is bitterly divided, the current Labour government has collapsed in approvals in the polls and is trailing Farage's Reform Party. Part of its unpopularity is the widely held perception that it pursues a two-tier policing and justice strategy, punishing one group more heavily than others, sending people to prison for a year over a twitter or FB post. Economically moribund, it's commonly talked that young people are seeking to leave the country for places like Dubai for job opportunities. Major demographic changes with even the current prime minister worried about the UK turning into an island of strangers. Universities have seen funding cut significantly and as academic cultures go, UK universities are even more conformist and pedantic than American universities.

It's not all doom and gloom, of course. But the myopia of Americans when it comes to the UK, whether it's people thinking it's still the posh land of milk and honey and people swanning around twee villages with posh accents, or a uber progressive wonderland of socially correct beliefs and an escape from whatever your American bogeyman is only just makes me laugh.

I am the previous poster to this screed. But I have to say that I do have some clue of what the UK is like, having lived there for thirty years or so (and having received an excellent education there, as one of my children is also currently doing). You, on the other hand, appear to get all your information sources from right-wing "news" sources. Politics is far less divided there than here. And while US wages are much higher than the UK, unemployment there is below 5 percent and the economy is not doing too badly. Indeed, the UK was the fastest growing country in the G7 this last quarter.

So please keep your apocalyptic nonsense to yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Americans are cash cows for British universities, along with all other international students. There's only a few British schools worth leaving the US for and don't kid yourself today's UK is going to give you a unique experience. Maybe 20 years ago it would have.

The UK is bitterly divided by cultural and populist issues and there's significant pressures on universities these days from a variety of quarters. Just saying the grass isn't greener on the other side of the fence.

Americans are also cash cows for American universities, along with all international students. It is a business and you need to be an informed consumer. You can get a great education for a great price in the UK if you choose wisely.

And every country is divided by cultural and populist issues. That said, I would take the current climate in the UK over the US any day. We don’t have a government that is trying to use every lever they have to destroy the any source of opposition there.

Your post shows that you have no clue what the UK is really like, which is common among most Americans. UK politics is bitterly divided, the current Labour government has collapsed in approvals in the polls and is trailing Farage's Reform Party. Part of its unpopularity is the widely held perception that it pursues a two-tier policing and justice strategy, punishing one group more heavily than others, sending people to prison for a year over a twitter or FB post. Economically moribund, it's commonly talked that young people are seeking to leave the country for places like Dubai for job opportunities. Major demographic changes with even the current prime minister worried about the UK turning into an island of strangers. Universities have seen funding cut significantly and as academic cultures go, UK universities are even more conformist and pedantic than American universities.

It's not all doom and gloom, of course. But the myopia of Americans when it comes to the UK, whether it's people thinking it's still the posh land of milk and honey and people swanning around twee villages with posh accents, or a uber progressive wonderland of socially correct beliefs and an escape from whatever your American bogeyman is only just makes me laugh.

I am the previous poster to this screed. But I have to say that I do have some clue of what the UK is like, having lived there for thirty years or so (and having received an excellent education there, as one of my children is also currently doing). You, on the other hand, appear to get all your information sources from right-wing "news" sources. Politics is far less divided there than here. And while US wages are much higher than the UK, unemployment there is below 5 percent and the economy is not doing too badly. Indeed, the UK was the fastest growing country in the G7 this last quarter.

So please keep your apocalyptic nonsense to yourself.

I lived in the UK for many years as well and keep close ties with the country. You are talking with blinders on. I'm guessing you only read the Guardian and live in a very select progressive left Labour supporting constituency in a leafier part of London? Are you totally ignorant of the mushrooming of Reform and overtaking Labour in the polls? And the implication of Farage as leader of the Reform party? And the social unrest and tension especially the riots that explode every now and then such as the one following the Southport knifing? The child grooming scandals that lasted for years out of fears of offending a certain demographic? The pervasive feelings among the young that they can never get on the property ladder, the concerns over mass migration and its implications on everything from housing to social welfare. There's a great deal of social tension bubbling underneath the surface in Britain (and in other European countries, including France and Germany). I'm just realistic about it and clearly you are not. It doesn't mean it's terrible and day to day life is certainly perfectly functional and fine but it's unquestionably a country with many, may, deep seated and regional tensions that no amount of head in the sand writers in the Guardian want to pretend. Like your comment about Brexit reveals. And American society is nowhere as divided as British society is, whether culturally or class or racially. Outside of DC and a few other cities, most Americans just get on with life regardless of politics.

An American kid going to a better university in Britain will be fine. He or she won't have the resources of the better American schools and it's a different approach to academics, with pros and cons. A lot of more affluent British kids are also coming to the US for university too, which is intriguing given how much more expensive it is for them. Just don't see the UK as a playground for whatever fantasy you have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Americans are cash cows for British universities, along with all other international students. There's only a few British schools worth leaving the US for and don't kid yourself today's UK is going to give you a unique experience. Maybe 20 years ago it would have.

The UK is bitterly divided by cultural and populist issues and there's significant pressures on universities these days from a variety of quarters. Just saying the grass isn't greener on the other side of the fence.

Americans are also cash cows for American universities, along with all international students. It is a business and you need to be an informed consumer. You can get a great education for a great price in the UK if you choose wisely.

And every country is divided by cultural and populist issues. That said, I would take the current climate in the UK over the US any day. We don’t have a government that is trying to use every lever they have to destroy the any source of opposition there.

Your post shows that you have no clue what the UK is really like, which is common among most Americans. UK politics is bitterly divided, the current Labour government has collapsed in approvals in the polls and is trailing Farage's Reform Party. Part of its unpopularity is the widely held perception that it pursues a two-tier policing and justice strategy, punishing one group more heavily than others, sending people to prison for a year over a twitter or FB post. Economically moribund, it's commonly talked that young people are seeking to leave the country for places like Dubai for job opportunities. Major demographic changes with even the current prime minister worried about the UK turning into an island of strangers. Universities have seen funding cut significantly and as academic cultures go, UK universities are even more conformist and pedantic than American universities.

It's not all doom and gloom, of course. But the myopia of Americans when it comes to the UK, whether it's people thinking it's still the posh land of milk and honey and people swanning around twee villages with posh accents, or a uber progressive wonderland of socially correct beliefs and an escape from whatever your American bogeyman is only just makes me laugh.

I am the previous poster to this screed. But I have to say that I do have some clue of what the UK is like, having lived there for thirty years or so (and having received an excellent education there, as one of my children is also currently doing). You, on the other hand, appear to get all your information sources from right-wing "news" sources. Politics is far less divided there than here. And while US wages are much higher than the UK, unemployment there is below 5 percent and the economy is not doing too badly. Indeed, the UK was the fastest growing country in the G7 this last quarter.

So please keep your apocalyptic nonsense to yourself.

I lived in the UK for many years as well and keep close ties with the country. You are talking with blinders on. I'm guessing you only read the Guardian and live in a very select progressive left Labour supporting constituency in a leafier part of London? Are you totally ignorant of the mushrooming of Reform and overtaking Labour in the polls? And the implication of Farage as leader of the Reform party? And the social unrest and tension especially the riots that explode every now and then such as the one following the Southport knifing? The child grooming scandals that lasted for years out of fears of offending a certain demographic? The pervasive feelings among the young that they can never get on the property ladder, the concerns over mass migration and its implications on everything from housing to social welfare. There's a great deal of social tension bubbling underneath the surface in Britain (and in other European countries, including France and Germany). I'm just realistic about it and clearly you are not. It doesn't mean it's terrible and day to day life is certainly perfectly functional and fine but it's unquestionably a country with many, may, deep seated and regional tensions that no amount of head in the sand writers in the Guardian want to pretend. Like your comment about Brexit reveals. And American society is nowhere as divided as British society is, whether culturally or class or racially. Outside of DC and a few other cities, most Americans just get on with life regardless of politics.

An American kid going to a better university in Britain will be fine. He or she won't have the resources of the better American schools and it's a different approach to academics, with pros and cons. A lot of more affluent British kids are also coming to the US for university too, which is intriguing given how much more expensive it is for them. Just don't see the UK as a playground for whatever fantasy you have.

Not the PP you are responding to, but quite the diatribe. How about keeping it relevant to international students studying in the UK? Most of what you mention is not particularly relevant to American kids going to the UK for three or four years to study at university. Sure there could be riots. After all, therehave been riots every decade for the last 50 years. Do young people fear they won’t get on the property ladder? Yes, exactly like they do in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and some parts of the US. Is British society more divided than American society? Obviously, our opinions differ on this. At least no one has trashed Westminster yet.