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University tops global International Student Barometer rankings

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ISB study summary sheet

International students have ranked University of Bradford best in the world for its Careers and Employability Service and for how it welcomes students from abroad.

The International Student Barometer 2021 results also ranked the university highly for accommodation costs - Bradford as a city was also recently named most affordable university city in the UK by Comparethemarket.com - course organisation, visa advice and opportunities for work experience.

I-Graduate’s International Student Barometer (ISB) is the leading benchmarking tool for tracking the international student experience. It uses feedback from over 167 thousand students worldwide across all student types, levels and years of study. The ISB tracks and compares the decision-making, expectations, perceptions and intentions of international students from application to graduation. This survey took place between November and December 2021.

Commenting on the results, Vice-Chancellor Professor Shirley Congdon said: “These results show how international students rate their experience with the University of Bradford, following their journey from application through to graduation. The university has excelled in many areas and crucially has been rated the best for those areas that matter most, including employment outcomes, affordability, how we welcome students and support them throughout their academic journey. These results are also a tribute to the hard work put in by our dedicated professional staff, who continue to go above and beyond to ensure our vision: of inclusion and opportunity, where people want to and can make a difference, becomes a reality.”

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Zahir Irani added: “Time and again, the University of Bradford is ranked highly by independent international rankings for things like employability, work experience, value for money and the student experience. This goes to the very heart of our mission, which puts students and our support of students first, and it shows our long term strategy is working.”

The results in more detail

Out of 18 UK and 96 higher education institutions worldwide, the University of Bradford was ranked:-

  • 1st in the UK and globally for its Careers and Employability Service
  • 1st in the UK and globally for both training and support, and the overall arrival experience
  • 1st in the UK and 2nd globally for work placements
  • 1st in the UK and 2nd globally for its visa advice
  • 1st in the UK and globally for its Payzone/finance department

The university was ranked 1st in the UK in the following categories: pre-arrival information, careers fairs, networking opportunities and opportunities to network with alumni.

There were also many positive top five results for the University of Bradford including 3rd in the UK for counselling, 2nd in the UK and 4th internationally for support overall, and 2nd in the UK for social activities. It also achieved a 97% satisfaction rating for its library service.

The University has twice scooped the #1 spot for UK’s most affordable university city - last year, it was also named the UK’s most affordable city for students and graduates.

The University has also been ranked #1 in England two year's running on the Social Mobility Index.