Questionnaire: The International Student Experience

The UK’s strategy ‘International Education: Global Growth and Prosperity’ was launched in July 2013 and focuses on both the direct contribution education exports make to economic growth and the indirect contribution that comes from international education partnerships and political relationships. An International Education Council of sector representatives oversees implementation of the strategy and is setting up a working group to examine the various factors affecting the international student experience. Council members and the wider sector are invited to share their experience through this short questionnaire which will inform the recommendations of the working group.

Organisation Name: / Click here to enter text.
Your Name: / Click here to enter text. / Position/role: / Click here to enter text.
email address: / Click here to enter text / Contact phone number: / Click here to enter text.
Please tick here if you would like the information you provide to be anonymised before being considered by the working group:
Please indicate whether you are willing to participate in a more detailed telephone follow up, if more information is required. If so, please provide your contact number:
NB. The International Education Council has previously considered the UK’s visa system through a working group on international student recruitment; migration issues will therefore not be covered by the student experience group.
1. Of the following categories, which would you most closely align your own organisation? / ☐ Schools
☐ FE colleges
☐ HE institutions
☐ Alternative providers
☐ English language training
☐ Other (please state)
2. Do you think there is something that can be done nationally by Government or by the sector to improve the experience of international students studying in the UK in the areas listed below. If yes, please explain your answer.
a) Pre arrival information and support services
b) The official welcome
c) Accommodation
d) Social integration
e) Academic experience, e.g. quality of teaching, reputation of qualification and institution
f) Post course advice
g) Employability
h) Other (please explain)
3. Are there issues (such as those above) which are currently unregulated, or subject to insufficient standards or guidance in the UK but where international students’ experiences might be improved if changes were made? If yes, please be as specific as possible.
4. Have you seen examples of the UK’s overseas competitors working with international students which the UK might learn from? If yes, please explain.
5. What steps have you taken to improve the experience of international students at your organisation? (If appropriate, please use the space overleaf to provide a case study)
6. Have you conducted any surveys/ collected any data on the issues raised in this questionnaire? If yes, please provide details and indicate if you are willing to share results with the working group.
7. Is there particular information or data about international students which you are not currently able to access and which it would be useful for you to do so? If yes, please describe the data gap and the impact having the data would have.

If required, please use the space below to expand your answers, or to provide further information relevant to the international student experience, for example case studies. Completed questionnaires should be sent to by Thursday 17th April.