Analysis: money is driving force of rise in foreign students seeking UK degree British universities are successful in the global market, claiming 9.9 per cent of the total market share in 2009, and export earnings of £7.9 billion. The universities" lobbying group suggests that export earnings could double by 2025. The UK is the second most popular destination for international students after the United States, but it saw its market share fall from 10.8 per cent in 2000 to 9.9 per cent as other countries began recruiting more proactively. Professor Eric Thomas, the president of Universities UK and vice-chancellor of the University of Bristol, recently warned the Government that changes to the visa system could result in each British university losing £5 million to £7 million a year. Universities can typically charge international postgraduate students at least twice as much at UK postgraduate students. Partly as a result of higher tuition fees, an increasing number of British students are travelling abroad to attend university. In the 2010-11 academic year, a record 8,947 travelled to the US. Between 2007 and 2011, the number of British students in the US has grown by 6 per cent, according to the Institute of International Education. Last December, Anthony Seldon, Master of Wellington College in Berkshire, predicted that within four years, a quarter of sixth formers at a leading independent school would be heading for universities in the United States. Universities emphasise that education is an important economic export for the UK. Prof Thomas has pointed out that international students contribute £5 billion a year to the economy, a figure that rises to £8 billion when European Union students are included, with the potential to increase to £17 billion by 2025 and "create thousands of jobs." Government ministers are driving the rising numbers of foreign students in British universities. When David Cameron travelled to India in 2010 in one of his first major trips as Prime Minister, he was accompanied by several university representatives, including Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, the vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge. When he went to China later in the same year with several Cabinet ministers, he was also escorted by Professor David Greenaway, the vice-chancellor of the University of Nottingham and Professor Steve Smith, the president of Universities UK and vice-chancellor of the University of Exeter. This April, he visited the University of Nottingham's Malaysia campus as part of an official two-day trip, taking the Malaysian prime minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, along for the visit. Nottingham's Malaysia campus is one of several satellites set up by British universities. When Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, travelled to Brazil last year, he was accompanied by nine vice chancellors. The rising number of Chinese students travelling abroad was highlighted by the education of the playboy son of the Chinese politician Bo Xilai. Bo Guagua read philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford, before studying at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. Dr Andrew Graham, the Master of Balliol College, received a visit from three officials as tutors made Bo Guagua, 24, who was studying Politics, Philosophy and Economics, sit additional "penal" exams after failing to work. A well-placed source said Chinese officials turned up to see the college master. "Three men in suits turned up," the source said. They said it was very embarrassing because education was highly valued in China, and it was embarrassing to his father and grandfather. His tutors replied if that was the case they should get him to work harder.