Group 1: Trends in International Education - The total number of international students in the U.S. reached 1,126,690 in the 2023/24 academic year, marking a 7% increase from the previous year[11] - Indian students have become the largest group of international students in the U.S. at approximately 331,602, surpassing Chinese students at about 277,398, which saw a decline of approximately 4%[11] - The proportion of Chinese families considering the U.S. as their primary study destination has dropped from around 50% to about 30% due to various factors including safety concerns and visa uncertainties[14] Group 2: UK Education Landscape - In the 2023/24 academic year, the total number of international students in the UK was approximately 732,000, accounting for 25.2% of all higher education students, up from 20% in 2019/20[22] - International student tuition fees in the UK reached approximately £12.1 billion, representing about 23% of total university income, a significant increase from around 5% in the mid-1990s[22] - The number of new international students in the UK has slowed, indicating a potential "high-level fluctuation period" for future growth[22] Group 3: Competitive Landscape for Top Universities - The number of applicants for Oxford University reached 79,160 for the 2026 cycle, a 7.4% increase from 2025, indicating a highly competitive environment[32] - The acceptance rate for Cambridge University is approximately 16-18%, with some programs like Computer Science having an acceptance rate as low as 7-8%[73] - For Imperial College London, the offer rate has decreased from 25.5% to 22.6% over recent years, reflecting a tightening of admission standards[99]