Gender dynamics in international student mobility: the case of the United Kingdom

The gender composition of international student mobility (ISM) to the United Kingdom (UK) has historically favoured female students, but recent trends indicate a decline in their proportions. This paper investigates the changing trends of female international mobility to UK higher education. It utilises data from the UK Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) on international undergraduate student applications by gender. This study examines evolving patterns of ISM from both European Union (EU) and non-European Union (non-EU) countries, as well as the trajectories of specific countries of origin. Our findings reveal a decline in the share of female students from non-EU countries since 2021, alongside a reduction in female applicants from the EU post-Brexit. Additionally, we observe that countries like Pakistan and India consistently send fewer female students, remaining below gender parity. Using a Generalised Linear Model (GLM), we model the share of female students and assess the influence of demographic, cultural, and policy factors on the share of female applications. Based on these findings, we provide policy recommendations aimed at promoting gender equity in international student recruitment to the UK.