With the passing of the annual January deadline for university applications, UCAS has released statistics that not only reveal the numbers of students applying for the 2016/17 academic year but also, interestingly, where they are coming from. The new figures show that once again, for the fourth year in a row, the number of students looking to study in the UK have risen, this year by 0.2%, taking 2016/17 figures to 593,720.

However, whilst the numbers of UK students applying to study at a higher education institution in their home country has decreased slightly year-on-year (down by 0.3%), the number of EU applicants (excluding UK) has risen by 6% on 2015/16 figures to today's 45,220. Alongside this, non-EU applicant levels have risen by 1%, taking figures to 52,560.

http://files.ctctcdn.com/85ad8a0a001/9f97c68e-7118-43bd-bbdd-5d67bce838c8.jpgSuch students have their own particular demands when it comes to studying in the UK, many of which extend into the type of accommodation that they are searching for. Heriberto Cuanalo, CEO of Collegiate AC, the leading provider of luxury student accommodation in the UK, explains more,

"Making the move to study in the UK can be daunting for international students and this is where accommodation that provides additional facilities comes in to ease the transition. The shared social spaces of on-site cinemas, luxury lounges or private gyms encourages the making of new friends from the off. The support of an on-site concierge and electronic door entry systems, for example, can also be just what is needed to provide a sense of security and reassurance for those students arriving in the UK and their families at home."

As current UCAS figures reveal, Chinese students make up the largest non-UK demographic studying at higher education institutions in the United Kingdom, with 9,000 students from China applying for the 2016/17 academic year. This is followed by students from Hong Kong (5,180) in second place, students from Ireland in third (4,750), and those from France and Italy making up the remainder of the top five, with 4,650 and 4,270 students applying respectively.