The number of students at the University of Cambridge fell last year, amid the first nationwide decline in higher education enrolments in a decade, new data reveals.

According to figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), enrolments at Cambridge dropped to 22,715 students for the 2023/24 academic year, down from 22,975 the previous year. Of these, 13,570 were undergraduates and 9,145 postgraduates.

Across the UK, total university enrolments decreased to approximately 2.9 million, marking the first reduction since 2013/14. Although undergraduate numbers saw a slight increase, postgraduate enrolments declined significantly by more than 35,700, reaching about 848,000.

The most pronounced decline was among European Union students, whose numbers have almost halved since Brexit, dropping from nearly 148,000 in 2019/20 to approximately 75,500 last year.

In January, Varsity reported that there has been a 52% decrease in the number of EU undergraduates accepted to Cambridge since Brexit.

Jo Grady, general secretary of the UCU, said the nationwide numbers “look like the canary in the coal mine for the current cliff-edge drop in international student numbers”.

Grady called for the government to urgently stabilise higher education, urging Labour to reverse visa restrictions implemented by the Conservative government and to provide emergency funding similar to schemes in Wales and Scotland.

Mike Short, head of education at UNISON, added: “Universities are going into the red, cutting jobs and courses in a desperate attempt to avoid going under. None of this is good for the economy, for staff worried about their jobs, or for the student experience.

“The government must do more to put higher education on a stable footing and look at alternative ways of funding this important sector,” he continued.

A spokesperson for the Department for Education stated: “This government remains committed to supporting students from all backgrounds. We have taken tough decisions to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of higher education, ensuring universities continue to act as engines of opportunity, aspiration, and growth.”

In February, Varsity found that Cambridge’s tuition fee income from overseas students has soared by nearly £100 million in recent years, despite its income from UK students is falling. This came after the Board of Scrutiny reported the University is facing a £53 million deficit and “flying blind” financially.

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