Independent (private) K-12 schools belonging to the Independent Schools Council (ISC) are hosting 57,200 non-British students in the UK this year. This volume represents a notable decline (-8%) from the total of 61,750 non-UK students in ISC schools in 2025.
The findings are the result of a January 2026 census that 1,455 ISC schools completed, 604 of which hold a license to sponsor international students.
While no direct correlation can be made, a policy change that went into effect in January 2025 is likely a contributor the decline. Before that time, private school education and boarding fees had been exempted from the value-added tax (VAT). But since January 2025, those fees – including advance payments on them – have been taxed at the standard rate of 20%. This makes private K-12 education much more expensive for families.
The ISC divides “non-UK students” into two categories: one where students do not have parents living with them in the UK (about 40%) and the other where students live with a least one parent in the UK (about 60%). The first group declined by -11.0% in 2026 to 22,940, while the second was down -5.5% to 34,270.
The ISC notes:
“In particular, the introduction of VAT on independent school fees and increased difficulty in obtaining student visas are likely to have had an impact on recruitment in 2025 and 2026. While it is not possible to attribute changes in pupil numbers to specific causes, these factors are likely to have contributed to the recent downward trend.”
Including domestic students, the number of students across all ISC schools is down -3.5% in 2026 vs 2025.
China weakens as source country
Mainland China and Hong Kong account for the lion’s share of international K-12 students living without their parents to attend school in the UK, with the vast majority in boarding arrangements. But the number of Mainland Chinese students fell to 5,580 in 2026 (-11% year-over-year), the first dip in two years. The number of Hongkongers fell even more significantly (see chart below).
The largest volumes of international students living in the UK without their parents in 2026 come from:
- Mainland China: 5,580
- Hong Kong: 3,620
- Germany: 1,960
- Spain: 1,110
- Japan: 690
ISC schools overseas
There are approximately 162 ISC-affiliated schools overseas. Asia and the Middle East are the main locations, and Mainland China, the UAE, and Thailand collectively account for 48.5% of campuses and 57% of pupils.
For additional background, please see: