Sri Lanka, Feb. 11 -- New data from the UK's Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) shows a major shift in international student trends. While the number of overseas students studying inside the United Kingdom has declined, enrolments in UK education programs delivered abroad are rising strongly.

According to HESA's latest statistics, the UK hosted 685,565 international students in 2024/25, a 6 per cent decline compared to 2023/24.

UK Home Office data shows that in the year ending September 2025, there were 439,924 sponsored study visa grants, similar to the previous year but 31% fewer than the peak in the year ending September 2023. This included 419,558 main applicants - 7% more than in the year ending September 2024 - and 20,366 d...