A Profitable Pathway for Foreign Students in Britain

What is it like to be a foreign high-school or college grad transitioning into a British university? And how exactly is the fast-growing Kaplan higher-ed empire working with state-backed institutions in the U.K.? I got some answers to both of these questions when I spoke to some international students last week in the north of England at Sheffield International College (SIC), a for-profit “pathway” program that provides a college-prep boot camp for students who aspire to attend the University of Sheffield.

Friday afternoon, I sat down with 15 or so students in a SIC classroom to hear something about their experiences in the U.K. one month into the school year. On the academic front, several Chinese students I met contrasted the rote learning that remains common in China with their new exposure to teachers interested in having them express their own views. A young man from Kazakhstan said study abroad has great appeal when, in his own country, some professors have been known to plagiarize books wholesale and students can buy good grades. A Kenyan student was one of several who spoke about the respect, and value in the job market, that a degree from a highly rated Western university carries back home.

As for social integration, one student reported that he had encountered some wariness from British undergrads, but most in the group said they’d been warmly received in Sheffield – perhaps reflecting the conventional wisdom that the British become friendlier the further north you travel. Still, escaping the foreign-student ghetto isn’t easy. Two Chinese woman said they joined the dance society but haven’t yet had any luck getting to know other students: “You can’t just go up to somebody and say ‘Let’s be friends!’” said one. The party culture can be hard to get used to as well, particularly for those from cultures where heavy drinking and skimpy clothing aren’t customary.

The most important goal for students, of course, is university entrance — and thus far SIC has a pretty good track record. Of the 711 students who completed their courses last year, 70 percent were admitted into the University of Sheffield (either as undergraduates or master’s students), while another 21 percent were placed in other British universities. Many wouldn’t have qualified for admission right out of high school, which explains the appeal of the two- or three-semester program to the geographically diverse set of students who sign up (overall 42 nationalities are represented, with a particularly large contingent from Asian countries). Coursework includes instruction in English, study skills, and subject-specific content in either of two specialties: Business, law and social studies (the most popular course) or science and engineering.

SIC is a public-private partnership between the state-financed university and Kaplan International Colleges, a venture that seems to provide benefits on both sides. The University of Sheffield is essentially subcontracting to the U.S.-based company the task of recruiting a steady supply of foreign students, then providing the academic and social support they need to get ready to enter the university. Universities were initially hesitant to enter such partnerships, worried that their respected brands could be diluted if they jumped into bed with a for-profit. Gradually, though, Kaplan found some takers. Sheffield was one of the first British universities to sign up – SIC admitted its first class in 2006 – and there are now seven U.K. partnerships in total.

The match made sense in a number of ways. For one thing, Kaplan hired staff that already had experience recruiting international students for British universities. And there are the revenues, of course. So-called “full pay” foreign students pay much higher fees (around $17,000 to $23,000 annually) than those from the United Kingdom and European Union countries. International students thus provide revenues that have helped universities balance their books for many years, and are all the more sought-after at a time when massive budget cuts have just been announced. As an added incentive, to cover facilities costs and university staff time SIC passes on to Sheffield University a chunk of the approximately $16,000 in fees that each student pays for the pathway program

As with other for-profits, Kaplan says it makes careful use of data to assess its own performance. It measures students’ academic progress throughout the year, tracks how many are accepted into Sheffield and other universities, and follows them through to graduation. (Incidentally, another arm of Kaplan has an entrepreneurship-education partnership with my employer, the Kauffman Foundation; I have not worked on the program.) SIC officials contend that the support they provide during the transitional year or so gives their graduates a better track record of academic success and degree completion than international students who enter the university directly.

It’s easy to be cynical about the presence at a major state university of foreign students like those I met. Most are from affluent families (some are supported by their governments), and there’s no question that universities welcome them in part because they help pay the bills. But on the basis of a short visit – I gave a lecture to several hundred SIC students, had the afternoon conversation mentioned above, then met more students over dinner – it seems to me that the business opportunity identified by Kaplan has also provided a significant opportunity to these students: the chance to build their own human capital in ways that aren’t always possible at home. Whether these ambitious foreign students arrive on campus directly, or via a for-profit intermediary, any university – and any host nation – should be able to see that they are a valuable source of talent as well as revenues.