Number of students studying abroad at UK elite universities doubles in 10 years The quantity of students electing to study abroad at top UK universities has almost doubled in the last 10 years according to figures just released. Official data provided by top UK universities such as Cambridge, Oxford, Birmingham and Durham clearly demonstrate a growing trend in the quantity of undergraduate students who have chosen to study abroad in the UK, an overall increase of around 192% since 2005. Among the UK universities considered as the top academic establishments in the country, Exeter University has experienced the largest increase in international students studying there – an increase of around 367%. In many cases, the largest single group of international students is young Chinese who have opted to study in the UK. Sheffield University reported that their Chinese student population was less than 1,000 in 2005 but it has grown to more than 4,000 currently - a staggering 580%