Millions in lost revenue from international students revealed as Ulster University announces axing 450 jobs
Millions of pounds in lost revenue from international students due to new UK Government visa restrictions is significantly to blame for Ulster University’s precarious financial position, as the institution announced the cutting of 450 jobs.The announcement of the jobs cuts, in a presentation to employees on Wednesday morning, was described as “devastating news” for staff, students and the wider public.Ulster University, with a current staff of 3,100 and undergraduate enrolment of 21,000, reported a deficit of £20m over the year to the end of July 2025, an increase from £5m the previous year.In the presentation, the university said it plans to “enact a role reduction scheme to reduce ongoing staff costs - this needs to return around £25m per year, estimated at around 450 ... job roles".The university, along with many other higher education institutions, has suffered from restrictions on visas for international students to their bottom line.But senior UU management have also called for the cap on tuition fees for Northern Ireland resident students and from the Republic, currently £4,855 a year, to be increased substantially. Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald has said the fees will not increase above inflation.Tuition fees for most undergraduate international students are £17,000 a year, and UU has, over a considerable numbers of years, cultivated and based its forecasts on that lucrative “market”. Ulster University Vice Chancellor Professor Paul Bartholomew.PICTURE LIAM MCBURNEY PA Income from international students dropped from £31.6m to just over £26m in a single year, according to the university’s most recent financial report. The number of international students has been around 2,000 in recent years. But crucially, university management is also looking forward and predicting continued difficulties attracting international students in the future due to government policies and “market conditions”, which likely will curb “income diversification opportunities”.“Redundancies across the higher education sector have become unavoidable,” a UU spokesperson said. “To date, more than 100 institutions across the UK have downsized their staffing complement.Management is hoping the redundancy scheme will be entirely voluntary.Ulster University international student revenue has dropped by millions “Ulster University has sought to hold off on making redundancies while continuing to work with the Department for the Economy, through their reviews, on possible changes to the HE funding model in Northern Ireland,” the spokesperson added.“It has recently been made clear to us that a sustainable funding model is not going to be forthcoming, and regretfully, we must now act to reduce our costs.” As the number of international students has dropped, the number from the north paying far less in tuition fees has increased. Students from the Republic are regarded as being from “home” while those from Britain paid fees of £9,535 in 2025/26.The university, in its accounts, also blamed the rise in national insurance costs and government grants failing to keep pace with inflation for its financial difficulties.Ulster University has approximately 21,000 undergraduates at its campuses in Belfast, Coleraine and Derry, with just under 12,000 enrolled at postgraduate level in 24/25. It reported a total income of £304m in 2025, up from £293m the previous year, largely due to increases in government and research grants.Wages and salaries increased from £128m to £140m over the year. The total for 2025, with pensions and social security included, was £175m. More than 70 of its staff earned over £100,000.The university is also saddled with a huge debt from the building of its Belfast campus, still owing £154m in 2025, down from £160m the previous year.In its annual report published in December, the university said: “Exacerbating this regulated funding position were challenges in international student recruitment as a consequence of Government immigration policy and restriction on visas for students and foreign workers.” It added: “UK Government policy on immigration and international students, with a proposed 6% levy being applied to all international students as well as a reduction of 6 months in the duration of graduate visas.” From January 2027, international undergraduate students will only be allowed to stay in the country for 18 months instead of two years. The UK government previously restricted students from bringing family members unless enrolled in postgraduate research programmes.Foyle MLA Sinéad McLaughlin described the announcement of job cuts as “devastating news”.
