According to the report, the number of Nigerian students who enrolled in the 2020/2021 academic session stood at 21,305, which represents almost a 64% increase from the 2019/2020 figures.
The number of Nigerian students enrolled in universities in the United Kingdom has reached the highest of all time, according to a report by education search platform, Erudera.com.
According to the report, the number of Nigerian students who enrolled in the 2020/2021 academic session stood at 21,305, which represents almost a 64% increase from the 2019/2020 figures.
From the data analysed, a total of 13,020 Nigerian students pursued higher education in UK Universities during the 2019/20 academic year, skyrocketing to over 21, 000 the following year, “a growth that did not occur ever before,” the report said.
In previous years, 10,685 Nigerian students were enrolled in UK Universities in the 2017/18 session, while in the 2018/2019 session, 10,810 Nigerian students enrolled.
The report further noted that of the 21,305 Nigerian students who were admitted to UK Universities, about 16,980 settled in England; 2,655 in Scotland; Wales - 935 and Northern Ireland - 740.
By universities, majority of the Nigerian students (1,155) enrolled in University of Hertfordshire, followed by Coventry University with 935 Nigerian students.
855 Nigerian students enrolled in the Robert Gordon University while Ulster got a share of 690 students. Sheffield Hallam University - 610; Teesside University - 575; The University of Salford - 535; Birmingham City University - 495; University of the West of England, Bristol - 485 and the University of Portsmouth - 415.
“It is worth noting that Nigeria is the number one country in Africa, with the highest number of students sent to the United Kingdom. Right after Nigeria, the African countries with the highest number of students sent to the UK by the last academic year are Egypt (3,260), Ghana (2,795), Kenya (2,640), South Africa (2,060), Morocco (1,265), and so on.”
Alma Miftari a representative of Erudera attributed the increase in enrolment to the prestigious reputation of UK universities, their history, quality education, and the multicultural environment they offer.
“The UK is the second most popular study destination in the world, counting 605,130 international students by the last academic year, the highest it ever had. The reputation of universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, and the UK higher education system continues to engross ambitious people who want to make a bigger impact,” Miftari said.
The report further stated: “The United Kingdom is the world’s second most popular study destination among international students, just after the US, by 2020/21 the UK hosted up to 605,130 international students.
“The majority of international students in the UK come from China, India, the United States, Pakistan among others. A 13.08% increase in the international student enrolment at the postgraduate level occurred between 2019/20 and 2020/21.
“Three top subjects of study for international students in the UK were Business and Management, Engineering and Technology, and Social Sciences.
“The largest number of international students in the UK study Business and Management (177,715). Engineering and Technology is the second most chosen subject of study for international students in the UK (with a total of 63,375 students).
"Social Sciences and Computing rank third and fourth in the number of international students enrolled in such disciplines (51,930)."