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Just a fifth of Jersey students pursuing higher education are staying at home to do so, figures released to Express have revealed.
According to Education Department statistics, 200 students have opted to stay in Jersey to study, whilst 1,076 are enrolled in the UK or elsewhere.
The figures show that although UCJ at Highlands College topped the list with 124 students enrolled in 2017, marking an increase of 15 students on the previous year, collectively more Jersey students are enrolling at universities outside of the island.
Pictured: Just under 20% of Jersey students pursuing higher education are deciding to stay on-island, figures reveal.
The top 10 further education choices for Jersey students were as follows:
For those looking to study on the mainland, Brighton was the university of choice, with 51 Jersey students enrolled across their two campuses.
This is the second year in a row that Brighton has been the top UK choice for Jersey students. Express spoke to Megan Burke, a Jersey student who has just finished her first year studying Social Work at the University of Brighton.
Pictured: The top two university choices for Jersey students are University College Jersey at Highlands and Brighton University (Google Maps).
Megan told Express: “I was already thinking about studying in Brighton before I’d even looked at courses.
“Once I had a look at the course breakdown and compared this to other universities I was super interested in studying social work there; I came across so many opportunities I couldn’t wait to get my hands on. For example, my course is heavily weighted towards placement in second and third year which is great experience, and upon completion I can register and become an accredited social worker which was really important for me.”
The figures also show that there has been an increase in local students enrolling at prestigious Russell Group universities. For example, the University of Exeter saw the biggest increase of enrolments from Jersey, with 40 people enrolling, compared to 31 in 2016.
Although many opt to study in the UK or elsewhere, a large proportion of Jersey students are choosing to stay on-island to pursue their qualifications. In addition to UCJ, a number of other on-island institutions made the list such as the Institute of Law, the Hospital and the Jersey International Business School.
Pictured: A number of local institutions made the list of top university picks for Jersey students.
Ben Bennett, Head of Higher Education at UCJ said: "University College Jersey - at Highlands - is delighted to be the first choice higher education destination for Jersey students once again. Whilst many of our undergraduates are attracted by being able to study for their degree on-island, they also tell us that the high standards of pastoral care, the quality of teaching and the academic success of former students are part of the attraction.
"Our degrees all include a significant element of work-based learning - some on paid work placements, and the close connections with local employers that students develop in their time at UCJ sets them up very well for their first job opportunity. We have seen a growth in applications since the new funding arrangements were announced and we look forward to seeing continued growth as we expand our portfolio to include degrees in social work and applied sport and health studies in the year ahead. Potential students interested in finding out more can visit the website or attend one of our open evenings in the Autumn term."
Express has reached out the Education Department for comment and is awaiting a response.
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