Total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying was 38,986 number in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
38,986 number
Change on year
up 6.7%
World rank
30th
of 205 countries
All-time high
38,986 number
in 2018
All-time low
21,270 number
in 2000
Years of data
21
1998–2018

Total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying in United Kingdom, 1998–2018

010.0k20.0k30.0k40.0k1998200820181998: 27.0k number1999: 26.6k number2000: 21.3k number2001: 27.1k number2002: 28.9k number2003: 29.6k number2004: 23.4k number2005: 22.6k number2006: 22.8k number2007: 24.7k number2008: 22.1k number2009: 23.9k number2010: 24.8k number2011: 28.9k number2012: 26.6k number2013: 28.6k number2014: 30.1k number2015: 31.5k number2016: 34.5k number2017: 36.5k number2018: 39.0k number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

The most recent figure for total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying in United Kingdom is 38,986 number, measured in 2018. That is the highest value across all 21 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.7% on the previous year and up 76.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying in United Kingdom peaked at 38,986 number in 2018 and was at its lowest, 21,270 number, in 2000.

United Kingdom ranks 30th of 205 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.

Total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying in United Kingdom, year by year

Annual values for Total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying abroad, all countries, both sexes (number) in United Kingdom, 1998 to 2018.
Year number Change
1998 27,004 number —
1999 26,614 number -1.4%
2000 21,270 number -20.1%
2001 27,069 number +27.3%
2002 28,905 number +6.8%
2003 29,626 number +2.5%
2004 23,404 number -21.0%
2005 22,648 number -3.2%
2006 22,837 number +0.8%
2007 24,663 number +8.0%
2008 22,120 number -10.3%
2009 23,884 number +8.0%
2010 24,826 number +3.9%
2011 28,857 number +16.2%
2012 26,601 number -7.8%
2013 28,619 number +7.6%
2014 30,063 number +5.0%
2015 31,479 number +4.7%
2016 34,498 number +9.6%
2017 36,536 number +5.9%
2018 38,986 number +6.7%

United Kingdom compared with similar countries

  • United Kingdom's 38,986 number is above the median for high income countries, which is 10,395 number, 3.8× the median. (75 countries reporting)
  • United Kingdom's 38,986 number is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 15,973 number, 2.4× the median. (53 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 26,809 number 26,614 number 27,004 number 2
2000s 24,643 number 21,270 number 29,626 number 10
2010s 31,163 number 24,826 number 38,986 number 9

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 27 Azerbaijan 43,767 number compare
  2. 28 Spain 42,034 number compare
  3. 29 Greece 39,096 number compare
  4. 31 Egypt 38,667 number compare
  5. 32 Romania 37,534 number compare
  6. 33 Uzbekistan 36,909 number compare

See the full ranking of 250 places →

More education data for United Kingdom

All data for United Kingdom →

Frequently asked questions

What is total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying in United Kingdom?
Total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying in United Kingdom was 38,986 number in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying recorded in United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 38,986 number in 2018.
What is the lowest total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 21,270 number in 2000.
How does United Kingdom rank for total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying?
United Kingdom ranks 30th out of 205 countries with data for 2018.
Is total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is up 76.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying abroad, all countries, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 21 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying in United Kingdom. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 27 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/total-outbound-internationally-mobile-tertiary-students-studying-abroad-all-countries/united-kingdom/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://education.statizoid.com/stat/total-outbound-internationally-mobile-tertiary-students-studying-abroad-all-countries/united-kingdom/">Total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying in United Kingdom</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Total outbound internationally mobile tertiary students studying abroad, all countries, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
250 places, 5,215 data points, 1997–2018
Last refreshed

Students who have crossed a national or territorial border for the purpose of education and are now enrolled outside their country of origin.