According to the annual QS 2025 university rankings released on Tuesday, cuts to funding and stricter policies regarding international students may cause some of the UK best universities to lose some of their appeal.
In Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a benchmark ranking that is combined with the Times and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, four British universities held their positions in the top 10 of over 1,000 universities.
The previously powerful “Oxbridge” combination was overthrown for the first time, with Imperial College London, known for its science instruction, rising from sixth to second place. Oxford and Cambridge came in third and fifth, respectively.
Out of the 90 institutions included in the ranking, 52 universities in the UK saw their rankings dropped.
According to Jessica Turner, the head of QS, “this year’s results suggest that British higher education has limited capacity remaining to continue excelling in the face of funding shortages, drops in student applications,” and limitations impacting the intake of overseas students.
The Conservative administration has proposed a number of steps in recent months to lower normal migration, which it views as being excessively high.
The prohibition on international students bringing families and the increase in the minimum wage required for skilled worker visas are two examples.
Universities who largely rely on the higher tuition paid by overseas students for their funding have criticized the practices.
According to government figures, 30,000 fewer applications for student visas were filed in the first four months of this year than in the same period in 2023.
Out of the 90 institutions included in the ranking, 52 universities in the UK saw their rankings dropped.
According to Jessica Turner, the head of QS, “this year’s results suggest that British higher education has limited capacity remaining to continue excelling in the face of funding shortages, drops in student applications,” and limitations impacting the intake of overseas students.
The Conservative administration has proposed a number of steps in recent months to lower normal migration, which it views as being excessively high.
The prohibition on international students bringing families and the increase in the minimum wage required for skilled worker visas are two examples.
Universities who largely rely on the higher tuition paid by overseas students for their funding have criticized the practices.
According to government figures, 30,000 fewer applications for student visas were filed in the first four months of this year than in the same period in 2023.
