ApplyInsights Archives - ApplyBoard /tag/applyinsights ApplyBoard: Study Abroad Wed, 06 Nov 2024 17:45:46 +0000 en-CA hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6 /wp-content/uploads/2020/09/favicon-2-50x50.png ApplyInsights Archives - ApplyBoard /tag/applyinsights 32 32 UK Undergraduate Admissions for 2024 Reveal Shifting International Student Populations /applyinsights-article/uk-undergraduate-admissions-for-2024-reveal-shifting-international-student-populations?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=uk-undergraduate-admissions-for-2024-reveal-shifting-international-student-populations Wed, 06 Nov 2024 17:00:56 +0000 /?p=19768 UK universities have seen declining populations of new international undergraduates since Brexit in 2020. But with a shifting international education landscape around the globe, 2025 could be a year of growth for UK universities, though challenges remain.

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While the United Kingdom has always seen high international student demand, student mobility towards the UK has been reduced in recent years. The dependants policy change, the Graduate Route review, and all weakened student flows to UK institutions in 2024.

Despite these challenges, international student interest in the UK is also on the rise. In fact, in our Fall 2024 RP Pulse Survey, the UK ranked as the second most attractive study destination, surpassing Canada amidst a year of Canadian policy changes. With student interest towards destinations like Canada and Australia falling, UK institutions—and specifically UK universities—have an opportunity to reverse year-over-year declines and make 2025 a year of growth.

That’s why today, we’re taking a close look at new international undergraduate trends at UK universities, based on the latest University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) data release. We’ll dive into which undergrad populations are growing at UK universities, the challenges these universities face due to the 2023 dependants policy, and how UK institutions can capitalize on student demand shifting away from Canada and Australia.

Key Insights at a Glance

  • The number of new international students accepted for undergraduate studies at UK universities dropped by 17% from 2020 to 2024.1
  • Since Brexit, undergrad student populations from the EU have declined substantially, while the 2023 dependants policy change weakened undergrad demand from previously growing student populations including Nigeria, Pakistan, and India.
  • Chinese students accounted for nearly 25% of all international student undergrad approvals at UK universities in 2024.2

Undergrad Acceptances for International Students Continue to Slowly Decline

As we observed in our analysis of August’s UK Home Office data, new international student populations in the UK have broadly declined since mid-2023. However, when it comes to the number of international undergraduate students at UK universities, weakened demand is a longer-term trend.

In fact, new international undergraduate admissions at UK universities were 17% lower in 2024 than they were in 2020:

From 2020 to 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, new international undergrad acceptances fell by around 20%. After a small (4%) rise in 2022, international undergrad volumes slowly decreased by around 1% in both 2023 and 2024. This limited recovery and trickling decline mean that in 2024, international undergrad acceptances hit their second lowest figure in the past decade.

For the year ending June 2024, the UK issued over 432,000 sponsored study visas to main application international students, according to UK Home Office data. That represents a decline of 13% from the previous year.

Brexit a Leading Cause of International Student Population Drops

The leading cause of these declines can be traced back to the UK’s exit from the European Union (EU) in 2020.

Since Brexit introduced new barriers for students from EU countries to study in the UK, fewer of these students have pursued undergrad courses in the UK each year:

While Brexit nearly coincided with the start of the pandemic, international undergrad volumes from non-EU countries actually rose in 2020 and 2021, hitting their peak in 2022. By contrast, new EU undergrad students fell by 57% over the same period. Additionally, the EU figure is largely buffered by growing interest from Irish students. Across all other EU nations, new undergrad acceptances at UK universities dropped by 70% from 2020 to 2024.

Declining Student Populations Among UK International Undergrads

Over the past year, international undergraduate student volumes have been relatively stable. Yet the 1% overall decline in acceptances from 2023 to 2024 obscures some larger shifts among new undergrad populations:

While three of the largest relative year-over-year declines came from EU students—Italy, Germany, and Greece—new undergrad inflows were down across many regions. Of the 162 student populations that saw at least 10 students accepted for undergrad programs at UK universities in 2024, 108 of those (67%) experienced no growth or negative growth compared to 2023. This was comparable to the number of student populations that saw fewer sponsored study visas over the same period.

For some of these student populations, these trends reflect economic factors such as or declining GDP in a student’s country of origin. Others may be influenced by increased efforts from nearby European destinations such as and to attract international students.

In our Fall 2024 Student Pulse survey, student interest in studying in Germany nearly surpassed interest in Australian institutions. Students also reported over 60 different destinations beyond the ‘Big Four’ where they are considering studying.

This weaker demand also reflects the UK government’s dependants policy change enacted in May 2023:

Since this policy came into effect, many source markets with high dependant to main applicant ratios have experienced more substantial declines. The two most notable, Nigeria and Sri Lanka, were two of the fastest-declining student populations in the UK overall from 2023 to 2024.

Critically, this revised dependants policy has also affected the number of Indian students pursuing undergrad education in the UK. While new undergrad student volumes from India nearly doubled between 2019 and 2023—helping India surpass Hong Kong as the second largest source market for new undergraduate students at UK universities—their overall volume fell by 4% over the past year. Despite this drop, Indian students still accounted for 8% of all new international undergrads at UK universities in 2024, up from 5% in 2020.

The 2022/23 academic year was a banner year for international enrolment in the UK, with UK institutions hosting nearly 760,000 students. Indian student enrolments led this growth, increasing by 39% from the 2021/22 academic year.

Which International Undergrad Populations Are Rising at UK Universities?

Even with undergrad population declines across various source markets, overall UK undergrad acceptances remained relatively stable in 2024.

This was primarily due to a similar diversity of growing student populations from across Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and North America:

Türkiye was the largest source of international undergrad growth from 2023 to 2024, with acceptances for Turkish students up 34% year-over-year. This growth helped Türkiye climb into the top ten source markets, surpassing Nigeria, France, and Spain.

Many of the top ten source markets for new international undergrads at UK universities saw modest growth in 2024. In fact, new undergrad acceptances for students from Ireland, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, and Canada hit all-time highs in 2024.

While these growing student populations helped mitigate overall declines, their impact on total new undergrad stability may be short lived. Ireland and Canada have relatively low potential for significant growth in future years, given that they are themselves popular destinations for international students. And, the United Arab Emirates’ includes plans to keep domestic students at local universities while attracting more international students as well.

Chinese Students Represent a Quarter of New International Undergrads at UK Universities

Limited growth potential among the top ten source markets coupled with declines across previously growing sources has made UK universities more dependent on their largest new undergrad population: students from China.

The number of new Chinese undergrads accepted to UK universities has climbed significantly over the past decade. In 2015, just over 5,500 Chinese undergraduate students were accepted for courses at UK universities. But by 2022, this number rose to over 16,500, an increase of 200% in just seven years.

While Chinese undergraduates accounted for under 9% of all new acceptances at UK universities in 2015, their share of the total new international undergrad population has continued to rise:

In 2020, Chinese undergrads accounted for more acceptances than the rest of the top five source markets combined. By 2024, nearly one in every four students accepted to a UK university undergrad program was from China.

This long-term growth has provided stability to UK universities throughout the challenges presented by the pandemic, Brexit, and the dependants policy. However, even the strong Chinese student market experiences shifting trends: From 2022 to 2024, the number of new Chinese undergrads accepted into UK undergrad courses dropped by over 10%. With experts , this high proportion of students from one source market could expose UK universities to higher volatility.

Global Policy Shifts Create New Opportunities for UK Universities

Although UK universities face challenges around diversifying their international student populations, they may be at the precipice of renewed opportunity in 2025. International student interest in studying in the UK is on the rise, and UK universities continue to rank as some of the .

By leveraging this momentum, UK universities are poised to attract students who are reconsidering their study abroad options in a landscape of policy changes. Both Canadian and Australian universities have international student caps for 2025, and these countries’ post-study work visas (Temporary Graduate in Australia and Post-Graduation Work Permit in Canada) have become more restrictive. Meanwhile, the preservation of the UK’s Graduate Route means that international graduates from UK institutions still enjoy strong post-graduation work opportunities.

In our recent Fall 2024 Student Pulse survey, the potential of securing a post-graduation work visa was the second most important factor students reported considering when choosing where to study abroad.

Moving forward, universities in the UK should lean into their strengths to increase diversity and attract international undergraduates. Their prestigious reputation, high-quality education, and historic campuses already work in their favour. Now, UK institutions can also promote their relative policy stability, with the UK’s new Labour government promising to and support the Graduate Route.

While the years ahead will not be without challenges for universities in the UK, institutions that are responsive to shifting student demand and who understand increased student mobility in emerging markets can increase campus diversity and attract more international undergraduates. For more strategic advice and data-backed guidance on how your UK institution can maximize conversion rates and drive student diversity, please contact your Partner Relations Manager. Or, contact ApplyBoard’s Partner Relations team at schoolpartnerships@applyboard.com to start a conversation.

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About the ApplyInsights Team

Led by ǿӰCo-Founder & CEO Meti Basiri, the ApplyInsights Team analyzes the latest government, third-party, and ǿӰinternal data to provide a complete picture of trends in the international education sector. They also work with sector experts and ǿӰteam members to gather local insights across key source and destination countries, where ǿӰhas helped more than 1 million students around the world.

 

FOOTNOTES:

1. All data courtesy of the , unless otherwise noted. All UCAS data referenced herein is based on acceptances to UK university courses. The use of year throughout this article means from 28 days after Level 3 results day in a given year to the same calculated point in the next year.

2. UCAS data is rounded to the nearest 10 for each calculated category, following . Due to this rounding, summed figures may not remain equal across all categorizations.

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International Student Interest in Postgraduate Studies and US Institutions On the Rise /applyinsights-article/student-survey-fall-2024?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=student-survey-fall-2024 Wed, 30 Oct 2024 17:25:34 +0000 /?p=19754 We connected with over 1,500 students from almost 100 countries in the latest edition of our Student Pulse Survey. Read on for a closer look at international study level trends, which destination markets are gaining ground, and more.

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2024 has been a nearly unprecedented year for changes in the international education sector. Policy updates. Geopolitical shifts. A rising cost of living around the world. It’s a lot for future international students to keep in mind, on top of course and visa applications, finding housing, and everything else that goes into starting their study abroad journey.

As the international education sector continues to shift, understanding how prospective students feel and what they think about the challenges and opportunities they face is more important than ever. To better understand their perceptions and experiences, we connected with over 1,500 students from almost 100 countries in the latest edition of our Student Pulse Survey.1 They shared which destinations had caught their eye, what motivates them to study abroad, and which factors are most likely to shape their decisions. Read on for a closer look at study level trends, which study destinations are gaining ground, and more.

Key Insights at a Glance

  • More students were “extremely interested” in studying in the United States than any other country—but because more respondents were “very interested” or “moderately interested” in Canada, it remained the top choice.
  • 36% of students expressed interest in destinations beyond the “Big Four.”2 Finland, the Netherlands, and Sweden were the most popular emerging destinations.
  • Students expect to work more during their studies: 59% of students surveyed in Fall 2024 plan to work more than 20 hours per week if allowed, up 13 percentage points from the Spring 2024 Student Pulse Survey.

Future International Students Show Greater Interest in Postgraduate Study

The policy changes that have defined the international education sector in 2024 have already had a significant impact on weakening student demand. Compared to the Spring 2024 Student Pulse Survey, interest in all levels of study fell except for master’s degrees, PhDs or other doctoral degrees, and secondary school (high school):

In a trend continuing from our Spring 2024 survey, the vast majority of participants were interested in postgraduate-level study (89% in Fall 2024). This six percentage point increase in half a year may indicate students’ awareness of the advantages of studying abroad at the postgraduate level, whether due to increased flexibility in bringing dependents or more generous post-study work visas.

However, this increased interest isn’t shared equally across all postgraduate programs. Interest in postgraduate degrees and certificates actually dropped over the past six months. This decline is likely caused by student awareness of policy changes that decrease access to post-study opportunities—like updates to Canada’s Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program—for non-degree graduates.

Popularity of European and Asian Destinations Rises, As Does Interest in the Big Four

In looking at where future international students would like to study, 64% of survey participants were focused on the “Big Four” destinations—Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. This percentage is higher than it was in our last Student Pulse survey, where 57% of students were interested solely in studying in the Big Four. While our survey is a small sample of the global student population, it’s interesting to see stronger interest in these markets given recent policy changes that have negatively affected ease of student mobility.

When asked about country-specific interest levels, students shared lower interest in Australia and Canada and higher interest in the UK and the US compared to our Spring 2024 findings. This echoed sentiments from education professionals in our most recent Recruitment Partner Pulse Survey.

In fact, in our Fall 2024 Student Pulse survey, more students were “extremely interested” in studying in the US versus any of the other featured countries (Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland, and the United Kingdom). Slightly higher interest at the “very interested” and “moderately interested” levels for study in Canada meant that the US remained in second place, but Canada’s lead has shrunk notably over the past six months:

Europe Home to the Majority of Alternate Study Destinations

While the percentage of students who are looking beyond the Big Four decreased by seven percentage points to 36% in our Fall 2024 survey, these students have a truly global outlook. They shared over 60 different destinations where they’d like to study:

While Finland, the Netherlands, and Sweden were top-of-mind, respondents shared their interest in studying across Europe. They listed over 30 European countries as potential destinations.

Looking beyond Europe, Japan and South Korea represented Asia in the top ten study destinations, at seventh and tenth place respectively. This edition of the survey also showed students’ strong interest in China and Singapore. Middle Eastern destinations like the United Arab Emirates (particularly its capital, Dubai), ü쾱, and Qatar are of increased interest to these students, as well. And, for the first time for this question, students shared their interest in African destinations like Egypt and South Africa. As new study destinations emerge—in this survey, respondents listed six more markets than they did in Spring 2024—it’s important that academic institutions in established destinations continue to connect with their target student audiences to share why their institution remains an excellent option.

Career Goals Align With High-Demand STEM and Health Care Fields

When asked about their future careers, many students planned to join fields which are expanding rapidly and in need of new grads. Many students aim to start or build on careers in business and entrepreneurship, or STEM,3 particularly in engineering and technology. They’ll enter a workforce which needs their skills: whether in the US, where STEM jobs are projected to grow at over twice the rate of all other careers until 2031,4 or in the UK, which is projected to add 1.9 STEM professionals to its workforce by 2035.5 Students also shared many different health care careers (nursing was the third-most popular career goal), but respondents also dream of becoming surgeons, doctors, public health officers, and therapists:

Several students also included sustainability and ethics in their career goals, whether as white-hat hackers, non-governmental organization workers, or environmental scientists. These career paths hint at their desire to build a brighter future, as this response outlines:

To come back here in Mali to share my knowledge in our community to help our young people have a stable life. Especially also put a reforestation project in my city, which is one of the hottest localities in West Africa.
– Student response to “What career(s) do you plan to pursue after completing your studies?

More Students Than Ever Plan to Balance Study with Work

When it comes to ensuring students have the financial ability to pay for their studies, more students are considering working while abroad. Only around 2% of surveyed international students did not plan to work in any capacity while studying, according to our Fall 2024 Student Pulse Survey. This is even lower than our Spring 2024 findings, where nearly 3% of international students didn’t plan to work.

Students also expect to be working more: 59% of students planned to work more than 20 hours per week if allowed, versus 46% of respondents in the Spring survey. However, slightly fewer students planned to do a co-op or work term as part of their studies: 32% expected to do some work-integrated learning, versus 39% in Spring 2024.

These findings of increased student focus on work were echoed when we asked what drove students to consider studying abroad, and how they chose a destination. Over two-thirds of respondents ranked “building a professional or academic network,” “preparing for a job in my chosen field,” and “the quality of institutions is higher than in my home country” as extremely influential factors on their decision.

Accessibility and Employability Key Factors for Study Destinations

Meanwhile, top factors influencing study destination choice in Fall 2024 included accessibility and graduate outcomes, versus institution ranking or a welcoming atmosphere. The ability to get a student visa took the top spot, and the ability to work in their host country after graduation was the next most important factor, followed by the destination’s overall reputation:

The ability to obtain a student visa rose from the fourth- or fifth-most important factor in our last two surveys to the top factor for most prospective international students. In fact, 37% of respondents chose it as the most important factor when deciding where to study. This shift may speak to how a year of policy updates has made getting a student visa more of a limiting factor around destination choice.

It’s also interesting to see “welcoming to international students” fall to near the bottom of this list. Almost 45% of students chose it as one of their top five factors in the Spring 2024 survey, and it was the most important factor in our Fall 2023 survey. Throughout 2024, several countries adopted more restrictive international education measures, like or visa processing fees. Australia’s soft cap on the number of international students it would admit in 2025 and Canada’s updated study permit caps for 2025, along with revised PGWP eligibility criteria are likely also shaping how students see these destinations. So, seeing the reduced importance of a welcoming environment is arguably evidence of international student resilience: Even in challenging times, they’re not giving up on their goals.

What These Survey Results Mean for Institutions

For institutions looking to maintain and build their international student population, adapting to shifting student preferences is vital. Here are a few recommendations of what institutions can do to support student success:

  • Per our most recent survey, students value a school’s strong reputation more than its formal global or national rankings. Sharing your institution’s strengths via student testimonials, your alumni network, in-market events, and social media may lead to an influx of interest from future students.
  • 2024 has been a year of intense change and students may be deferring their enrolment, or reconsidering their options. To help retain them, it’s vital for institutions to keep open lines of communication around policy changes, official links to student visa information, key academic calendar dates, and more. Helping students feel like they’re part of the campus community even before arrival can make them more likely to follow through with their enrolment and future academic growth.
  • Part-time work is a reality for most international students. To help students balance study and work without jeopardizing their student visa, highlight specific opportunities through your institution’s relationships with local industry, co-op programs, or unique research avenues. Have strong graduate employment rates? Share those in admissions materials so students can easily imagine the path from their course or program to their future career.

We hope these insights are helpful to you and your team. Stay tuned for our next Pulse Surveys for students and recruitment professionals which will launch in Spring 2025.

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About the ApplyInsights Team

Led by ǿӰCo-Founder & CEO Meti Basiri, the ApplyInsights Team analyzes the latest government, third-party, and ǿӰinternal data to provide a complete picture of trends in the international education sector. They also work with sector experts and ǿӰteam members to gather local insights across key source and destination countries, where ǿӰhas helped more than 1 million students around the world.

 

FOOTNOTES:

1. The Fall 2024 Student Pulse Survey ran from September 30, 2024 to October 14, 2024. We received 1,524 responses from individuals in 94 countries.

2. “Big Four” destinations include the most popular countries for post-secondary education in English: Australia, Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

3. “STEM” refers to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.

4. Emily Krutsch and Victoria Roderick, U.S. Department of Labor Blog, “.” November 4, 2022.

5. Universities UK, “.” Updated October 2024.

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How Will PGWP Program Changes Impact International Education in Canada? /applyinsights-article/how-will-pgwp-program-changes-impact-international-education-in-canada?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-will-pgwp-program-changes-impact-international-education-in-canada Wed, 23 Oct 2024 18:34:56 +0000 /?p=19735 Over the past two decades, Canada’s Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program has been a major draw for international students. But recently announced PGWP eligibility changes are poised to reshape student demand in the coming years. Learn more about PGWP trends over the past five years, the impact of PGWP changes on Canadian institutions, and what we expect to see in 2025 and beyond.

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For many international students looking to study abroad, post-graduation work opportunities are a key consideration. Post-graduation work programs offer students a chance to gain experience in their chosen sector, setting them up for success in their career. And, for students looking to stay in the country they study in, post-graduation work can be a key step towards permanent residency.

Over the past two decades, Canada’s has been a major draw for international students. In fact, over 1 million PGWPs have been approved since the program began.1 But recent government policy changes are set to limit PGWP eligibility for future international students in Canada.

Here, we’re taking a detailed look at what impact these policy changes might have on the demand for international education in Canada. We’ll look at PGWP trends over the past five years, how new PGWP field of study requirements will affect Canadian colleges and universities, and which province is poised to be the most impacted by revised program requirements.

Key Insights at a Glance

  • Over 216,000 PGWPs were approved in 2023, with 2024 on track to see nearly 220,000 PGWPs approved before the policy changes were announced.
  • College graduates have accounted for around 60% of all PGWPs approved over the past five years.
  • Business and Management programs have been the most popular field of study for graduates approved for PGWP. However, the majority of graduates from these programs will be ineligible for PGWP under new policy guidelines.

Canada’s Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) a Key Driver of Student Interest

Over the past five years, student interest in Canada’s PGWP program has reached new heights. In spite of the slowdowns created by the COVID-19 pandemic, PGWP approvals remained above 120,000 in each year from 2020 to 2022. Then, in 2023, program approvals surged:

In 2023, over 216,000 PGWPs were approved for international graduates, an increase of 67% from 2022. And this high-water mark is expected to rise even further by the end of 2024 to nearly 220,000, based on PGWP approvals through the first six months of the year.

This substantial growth in 2023 and 2024 was caused by a few key factors. The first is the overall rise in international students studying in Canada: There were over 1 million study permit holders in Canada as of December 31, 2023, compared to only 530,000 in 2020. The second is the influence of the post-pandemic “double cohort”, where pent-up demand during the pandemic resulted in higher student enrollments in 2022. Given that students must graduate from their program to apply for PGWP, this post-pandemic growth had a delayed impact on PGWP volumes.

Finally, students are placing increased priority on post-graduation work programs. In our latest RP Pulse Survey, post-graduation work opportunities were the second most important factor for students considering studying abroad. This was also reflected in our last Student Pulse Survey, where being able to attain a work visa after graduation was the number one student priority when deciding where to pursue their education.

Next week, we’ll release our Q3 2024 Student Pulse Survey results. Subscribe to ApplyInsights below to ensure you don’t miss our latest insights!

Changes to Canada’s PGWP Program

Despite this rising student focus on post-study work, demand for Canada’s PGWP program is likely to decrease.

On October 4, 2024, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship announced , set to take effect on November 1, 2024. These changes, aimed at aligning student outcomes with Canadian labour market needs, include introducing new proof of language requirements for all PGWP applicants after November 1 as well as field of study limitations for college and non-degree university graduates.2

However, these changes only apply to future students who submit their study permit application on or after November 1, 2024. This means that we’re likely to see a spike in study permit application volumes before the end of October, as students aim to qualify for the previous PGWP program requirements.

The specific effects these updates will have on longer-term student demand are more difficult to quantify. The recent announcement of 2025 and 2026 international student caps was already poised to weaken demand towards Canadian institutions, above and beyond the declines we’ve already seen in 2024.

Equally, it’s important to note that the first students affected by these PGWP field of study policy changes likely won’t graduate until at least 2026.3 The pipeline from initial study permit application to program graduation is typically at least 18 months for short-duration college and non-degree programs, two of the main study levels impacted by the announced changes.

Impact of PGWP Changes on Canadian Colleges and Universities

With new field of study requirements affecting both college and non-degree university graduates, all Canadian post-secondary institutions should anticipate some direct impacts. But Canadian colleges will likely see the largest changes in student demand, especially since they have taught the majority of approved PGWP applicants over the past five years:

From January 2020 to June 2024,4 college graduates accounted for around 60% of all PGWP approvals. There were nearly twice as many PGWPs approved for college graduates as university graduates in 2023, and we expect this trend to continue in 2024.

Starting in 2026, however, this balance will very likely shift towards a more equal proportion of college and university graduates. As graduates from most university programs are exempt from the new PGWP field of study requirements,5 a university degree will allow students to pursue work aligned with their career of choice, regardless of their study program. But the length and cost of university studies will likely remain a barrier for some students, and others will remain more interested in the applied learning environment offered at Canadian colleges.

PGWP Field of Study Eligibility Will Influence Program Choices

To better gauge the specific impact of new field of study requirements, let’s look at field of study trends for college and non-degree university students approved for a PGWP.6

College Graduates

Business and Management programs have been the most popular choice for study permit applicants headed to Canadian colleges over the last five years. In parallel, college grads from these programs have also accounted for the most PGWP approvals:

In 2023, half of all new study permits approved for college students were for business-related programs. In the same year, Business and Management program graduates held 50% of all PGWPs approved for college grads. In fact, these college business graduates accounted for 30% of all PGWPs approved in 2023, across all study levels and fields of study.

Under PGWP’s new labour alignment requirements, many of these graduates would likely be ineligible for a post-study work visa.7 Assuming that at least 75% of business program graduates will soon be ineligible for PGWP, international student populations could decline by 25% or more at Canadian colleges in 2025—beyond the current 2024 declines—based on PGWP field of study trends.

However, this impact may be somewhat mitigated by students who pivot to pursue a different field of study that aligns with the new guidelines. As such, we anticipate that the total volume of international students pursuing a college education in Canada will decline in 2025 and 2026, but likely not by the full magnitude of current business student populations.

Non-Degree University Graduates

By comparison, significantly fewer non-degree university graduates are approved for post-graduation work permits, largely due to fewer students pursuing an education at this study level. In fact, in 2023, fewer than 6,500 PGWPs were approved for these students. That’s less than 5% of the college graduates approved for PGWPs in the same year.

However, like their college counterparts, non-degree university graduates applying for PGWPs are often business program grads:

Through 2023 and the first six months of 2024, nearly two of every three non-degree university grads approved for PGWP completed a Business and Management program. Over 4,000 non-degree business grads received PGWP approval in 2023, compared to just over 2,000 for all other fields of study.

Non-degree studies accounted for only 16% of all new study permit approvals for Canadian universities in 2023. As such, a major drop in non-degree business students could lead to a decline of nearly 10% in new international student cohorts at Canadian universities. Still, compared to colleges, universities are largely insulated from the effects of these PGWP program changes.

Strongest Impact of PGWP Changes Will be Felt by Ontario Colleges

Over the next few years, institutions across Canada must adapt to shifting student demand. But institutions throughout Ontario, particularly Ontario colleges, will be the most impacted by these new PGWP requirements.

This is due to Ontario’s considerable international college student population, compared to the rest of the country:

Last year, the number of Ontario college grads approved for PGWP increased by nearly 120% year-over-year. While PGWP approvals for non-Ontario college grads also rose in 2023, it was at a lower rate of 20%. As a result, Ontario college grads received 75% of all PGWPs approved for college graduates in 2023, and 42% of PGWPs across all study levels in the same year.

As the most popular province for international students pursuing college programs, Ontario is in line to experience the greatest demand volatility in the years to come. Although we expect PGWP approvals for Ontario college grads to decline slightly in 2024, before new PGWP requirements take effect, study permit caps and field of study limitations for future years will likely cause this decline to persist into 2025 and beyond.

New Post-Graduate Work Policies Aim to Improve Student Success

ǿӰhas long recognized that PGWP reforms have the potential to ultimately benefit students, institutions, and regions across Canada. Aligning Canada’s Post-Graduation Work Permit program eligibility with labour market needs can help to ensure the continued success of international students while encouraging Canadian economic growth. But coupled with recent cap announcements for 2025, Canada’s brand as a welcoming destination for international students has weakened and institutions will need to take on a greater role promoting the benefits of studying in Canada.

These multiple recent policy changes mean that it will be difficult to fully gauge the effects of field of study requirements on overall student demand in the months and years ahead. We know that business programs, especially at Canadian colleges, are extremely likely to see decreased international student enrollment for all cohorts after November 1, 2024. But what is unclear is whether students will shift their preferences towards PGWP-eligible programs like STEM college programs or university degrees, or if they will consider other study abroad destinations instead.

Health care and STEM will be the highest in-demand sectors for jobs in the next decade, and ǿӰstudents are shifting their interest toward these fields.

Looking Ahead

Ultimately, access to a post-study work visa is a vital consideration for many prospective international students. While current international students—and those who have already submitted a study permit application—will be minimally affected by the latest PGWP changes, these policies will have lasting impacts on Canada’s international education sector and economy. Declining student demand may also lead Canadian institutions to make difficult decisions such as delaying or cancelling housing projects, cutting programs, and raising tuition fees for domestic students.

In uncertain times, maximizing conversion rates will become more important than ever for Canadian institutions. For strategic advice and data-backed guidance on how your Canadian institution can improve conversion rates while driving student diversity, please contact your Partner Relations Manager. Or, contact ApplyBoard’s Partner Relations team at schoolpartnerships@applyboard.com to start a conversation.

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About the ApplyInsights Team

Led by ǿӰCo-Founder & CEO Meti Basiri, the ApplyInsights Team analyzes the latest government, third-party, and ǿӰinternal data to provide a complete picture of trends in the international education sector. They also work with sector experts and ǿӰteam members to gather local insights across key source and destination countries, where ǿӰhas helped more than 1 million students around the world.

 

FOOTNOTES:

1. All data is sourced from unless otherwise noted.

2. Field of study requirements are linked to certain occupations in long-term shortage, based on .

3. Taking into account the time frames between student study permit application submission, IRCC processing and approval, the student coming to Canada and beginning their studies, and the student’s graduation from their selected program.

4. More recent IRCC not available at this time.

5. Bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD graduates are all exempt from IRCC’s new PGWP field of study requirements for students who submit their study permit application after November 1, 2024.

6. Field of study is the most granular level of IRCC data available related to program enrollment.

7. Some transport-related fields of study that often fall under Business program designations—such as transportation management and logistics, materials, and supply chain management—as well as agribusiness programs remain eligible under prescribed CIP classifications.

The post How Will PGWP Program Changes Impact International Education in Canada? appeared first on ApplyBoard.

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What Australian Institutions Can Learn from Canada’s International Student Cap /applyinsights-article/what-australian-institutions-can-learn-from-canadas-international-student-cap?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-australian-institutions-can-learn-from-canadas-international-student-cap Thu, 10 Oct 2024 17:11:42 +0000 /?p=19708 Australia's National Planning Level (NLP) are set to limit international student commencements in 2025. Read this article to find out more about international student trends in Australia, the potential impact of the planned student caps, and what Australian institutions can do to support sustainable, diverse international student populations based on Canada's 2024 cap results.

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As students and institutions look ahead to next year, they face an international education landscape changed by government policy announcements. These policies, aimed at supporting more sustainable international student pathways, have already begun shifting student demand. And, significantly, the impacts of these policies are likely to extend beyond just 2025.

2025 will be the first year that half of the “Big Four” destination markets1 have government-set limits on new international student populations. Canada’s international student cap was rolled out in 2024, with newly-announced reductions to the cap set to come into effect in 2025. Australia is also poised to for 2025, though the necessary legislative amendments have yet to be passed by Australia’s parliament.2

With these caps on the horizon, Australia’s international education sector has limited time to plan and to act. But, by looking toward Canada’s cap experience, Australian institutions can be better prepared and informed about upcoming challenges and opportunities. That’s why today, we’re diving into international student trends in Australia over the past year, the potential impact of the planned student caps, and what Australian institutions can do to support sustainable, diverse international student populations.

Key Insights at a Glance

  • There were nearly 556,000 new international student commencements3 across all study levels at Australian institutions in 2023, with another 306,000 in the first half of 2024.4
  • The Australian government plans to enact a new cap on international student enrolment in 2025, setting the overall cap at 270,000 commencements for tertiary study levels.
  • New study permit applications to Canadian tertiary institutions fell by 50% year-over-year in the first two months after study permit processing recommenced under new cap limits.
  • Canada’s experience has shown that student caps impact demand for all study levels, even those exempt from the cap.

Before the Cap: International Student Commencements in Australia for 2023 and 2024

Prior to the proposed cap, Australia benefited from increased student mobility post-pandemic. In 2023, international student commencements across all study levels hit an all time high of nearly 560,000, surpassing the previous high-water mark from 2019 by almost 10%.

And, in the first six months of 2024, international student enrolment continued to rise:

The first half of 2024 also set new records. Including all study levels, there were over 305,000 international student commencements by the end of June 2024, making it the busiest six-month period in Australian history for new international students. We expect that this high student demand will continue throughout the rest of the year, allowing commencements to reach almost 590,000 by the end of 2024.

Higher ed programs accounted for 39% of commencements over this period, with VET programs representing 36%. These strong commencement numbers were largely driven by students from India and China. Collectively, these students accounted for 30% of all commencements in Jan–Jun 2024, including nearly 60% of all higher ed commencements, as they have in each year since 2021.

Australia’s International Student Caps for 2025

While tertiary studies represented 75% of all international student commencements in the first half of 2024, this figure will likely fall in 2025.

That’s because Australia’s is aimed exclusively at limiting tertiary international student commencements. Set to , the NPL will cap higher ed and VET at 270,000 new commencements for the 2025 calendar year. This means that schools, ELICOS, and non-award programs are all unaffected by the planned policy, as are higher degree by research programs.

The NLP will split the commencement cap towards maintaining elevated higher ed student populations. Around 65% of commencements will be , with 145,000 going to public universities and another 30,000 to other higher ed providers. The remaining 95,000 will be .5

How Different Will 2025 Look Compared to 2023?

Overall, these changes mean that commencements for international students in 2025 will be limited to around 65% of 2023 volumes for higher ed and VET programs. Given that 2024 commencements are on track to be higher than 2023 levels, this sets the stage for a substantial drop in 2025:

Under the proposed government caps, VET commencements are set to decline significantly, far beyond the impact to Australian universities. VET commencements haven’t been below 100,000 in a calendar year since , when total commencements across all study levels were nearly 50% lower than projected 2024 end of year figures. Higher education commencements, meanwhile, will look nearly identical to 2019 levels.

But these 2025 caps are all government estimates, which means these figures assume each institution will fill their full commencement cap allotment. In other words, this is the ceiling for Australia’s tertiary international education landscape for 2025. But the lessons learned from Canada’s caps show that brand-damaging policies can cool international student demand beyond intentions and expectations.

What Were the Impacts of Canada’s Student Visa Cap?

While Australian tertiary institutions will have limited time to prepare for potentially substantial changes in student demand, they’re not the first to need to adapt to significant government policy changes: Canada enacted international student caps at the start of 2024.6 The Canadian caps announcement came as a surprise to the sector, blindsiding most institutions and leaving them scrambling to adjust to their new landscape

Canada’s 2024 caps and the planned Australian 2025 are very similar. Both limit tertiary international student volumes for tertiary studies by around 35% compared to the previous year, and both left other study levels out of cap considerations. On this basis, both policies are likely to have similar effects on student demand.

Looking at initial data on Canadian study permit applications after Canada’s 2024 caps came into effect,7 the impact of caps has dampened student demand for all study levels:

Comparing the same period of February to May over the past three years,8 Canadian study permit applications declined across all study levels from 2023 to 2024. Applications for university studies largely fell back to 2022 levels while college applications dropped more sharply, falling 70% year-over-year.

Based on current Canadian study permit trends, we project that 39% fewer Canadian study permits will be processed in 2024 compared to 2023. And the impacts of these declines aren’t limited to just tertiary institutions with new student visa caps: Canadian study permit applications are projected to drop for all study levels in 2024. In fact, we project that if conditions remain similar through the end of 2024, the number of Canadian study permit applications processed for cap-exempt programs could drop by 24% compared to 2023.

There’ve been reports that .

Predicting Student Demand for Australian Tertiary Education in 2025

Early student trends from Canada’s caps point in one clear direction: the impact of international student caps don’t just affect the programs and institutions that receive cap allotments. All institutions feel the influence of caps, especially as demand is increasingly tied to whether students feel a destination is welcoming for international students.

Given the close alignment between the Canada 2024 and Australia 2025 cap figures, this could mean that Australia will also experience a near 40% decline in total commencements next year. Taking the tertiary caps into account, even a 10% drop in demand for all other study levels—which, based on what we’re seeing in the Canada’s exempt postgraduate studies field, is likely a significant underestimate—would result in Australia’s overall commencements dropping by 26% in 2025 compared to 2023:

Given that Canadian institutions experienced a sharper demand drop than illustrated above, it’s likely that a 26% decline year-over-year understates the potential impact of the NLP. If the demand decline in non-tertiary studies were to mirror the decline imposed by the cap,9 total commencements would drop to less than 378,000 in 2025. This would set new international student populations in Australia back by a decade, aligning with 2015 volumes.

What Australian Institutions Can Do to Prepare for the 2025 Caps

While the NLP is intended to make Australia’s international education sector more sustainable, Australia’s tertiary institutions face a stark challenge in adapting to the planned changes. Additionally, as we’ve outlined above, all Australian institutions who welcome international students need to prepare for an overall decline in student demand next year.

In our recent Q3 2024 ǿӰRP Pulse Survey, 75% of recruitment partners agreed that Australia’s study visa caps make it a less attractive destination for international students.

International students of all levels, whether they are impacted by caps or not, are likely to interpret these new government policies as a sign that newcomers are less welcome in Australia than they used to be. As a result, institutions have an increased role to play in making sure students feel welcome. Institutions can achieve this by ensuring that necessary information about student pathways is easily accessible, and that application systems are responsive and easy to understand.. By reducing or removing other roadblocks that can hinder a student’s application process, Australian institutions can help mitigate some of the surface impacts of cap policies.

Emerging Markets Can Create Sustainable Diversity Pathways

For some Australian universities and especially VET providers, it will be impossible to avoid the impacts of the NLP. But even for those institutions that may avoid significant cap issues, a renewed focus on student diversity is critical for the future stability and sustainability of international education in Australia.

Creating or reinforcing recruitment efforts in a specific region or country is not easy to do in a short timeframe, but focusing on existing and emerging growth markets can yield better outcomes. Across Australia’s 15 largest new tertiary student populations in the first half of 2024, only eight experienced growth compared to the same period in 2023:

Of these eight established student populations, two featured a higher rate of VET commencements: Colombia and Brazil. As major student populations who follow the ELICOS-to-VET pathway, Latin America is likely to remain a key region to ensure all cap allocations can be filled in 2025. By contrast, Australian universities should look to dedicate recruitment resources across Asia to ensure they maximize their cap allotments.

Beyond these established markets, institutions should also look to evolve their recruitment efforts towards emerging student populations:

While tertiary student populations from these five countries may remain relatively small, they all grew significantly from early 2023 to early 2024. Expanding recruitment efforts to Mongolia, ü쾱, and Cambodia can help bolster regional strategies across Asia. Likewise, broadening Latin American plans to include Chile and Argentina can help reinforce student pathways for Australian institutions.

Australian Institutions Need to Work Together to Achieve Stability

The NLP is set to define international education in Australia in 2025. And while it’s likely to create new challenges for Australian institutions of all levels, it doesn’t close the door on existing opportunities.

Looking ahead to 2025, it’s important to note that the levers of interest that draw students to Australia haven’t changed. Australian work rights and immigration pathways are unaffected by these new policy changes, and overall migration levels to Australia are also beyond the scope of the NLP. By communicating these key facts to potential international students, Australian institutions can reassure students that Australia remains a welcoming destination for studying abroad.

Australian institutions have also already shown their willingness to work together and advocate for the sector as a whole. Maintaining that collaboration throughout 2025—whether through formal associations or informal networks—can create channels to share successful strategies, leverage collective resources, and better support international students.

If you’re planning to attend the in Melbourne on October 22–25, we look forward to seeing you there!

As a mature international education sector, Australia is well poised to learn from Canada’s cap experience and mitigate broader declines in student demand.

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Sign up for the latest insights on international education.



About the ApplyInsights Team

Led by ǿӰCo-Founder & CEO Meti Basiri, the ApplyInsights Team analyzes the latest government, third-party, and ǿӰinternal data to provide a complete picture of trends in the international education sector. They also work with sector experts and ǿӰteam members to gather local insights across key source and destination countries, where ǿӰhas helped more than 1 million students around the world.

 

FOOTNOTES:

1. “Big Four” destinations include the most popular countries for post-secondary education in English: Australia, Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

2. As of date of publication (October 10, 2024). However, that these amendments will be passed in time for the caps to come into effect for January 2025.

3. A commencement is an enrolment that began at any time within the year in which it appears. If a student continues their program into subsequent years, the commencement will still only reflect in the first year of study. For example, a student who begins their higher ed program in June 2023 will be counted as one commencement in 2023, but if they continue in that program in 2024, they will not count towards commencement figures in 2024.

4. All Australia data courtesy of the and the , and all Canada data courtesy of , unless otherwise noted. All data covers international students studying on student visa subclasses 500 and 570-575 only. All data outlined in this article is based on calendar year reporting, unless otherwise noted.

5. In deciding how many allotments each institution will receive, the Australian government specifically aimed to limit institutions that experienced rapid international student growth in the post-pandemic period. Broadly, the which used international student commencement figures per institution for 2019 as a base. For institutions who experienced international student population growth at 37% or less from 2019 to 2023, allotments were awarded to maintain 2023 international population figures. For all other institutions, a cap of 50% growth over 2019 figures was applied.

6. The terms student visa and study permit are generally used interchangeably for Canadian international students. Rather than student visas, Canada provides accepted international students with study permits, which allow those students to enroll in classes at Canadian institutions. When a student is approved for a study permit, they are also usually provided with a visitor visa, which allows that student to enter Canada for their studies.

7. Canadian study permit processing for impacted programs stopped nationwide on January 22, 2024, and provinces had to establish and launch their PAL process by March 31, 2024, before processing could restart.

8. More recent data not currently available

9. Approximately 32% for higher ed and VET combined in 2025 compared to 2023 figures.

The post What Australian Institutions Can Learn from Canada’s International Student Cap appeared first on ApplyBoard.

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Counsellor Survey Shows International Student Preferences Shifting to the US and Europe /applyinsights-article/rp-counsellor-pulse-survey-fall-2024?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rp-counsellor-pulse-survey-fall-2024 Mon, 07 Oct 2024 20:33:55 +0000 /?p=19696 This fall, we surveyed student counsellors from over 40 markets to learn where their students stood, from surging interest in European destinations to what factors are most likely to affect their destination choice. Affordability and post-graduation pathways remained key concerns.

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In September 2024, international student counsellors from over 40 countries responded to the year’s second ǿӰRecruitment Partner (RP) Pulse Survey.1 They shared which destinations were top-of-mind for students, how top destinations’ safety and affordability are perceived, and how destinations’ domestic policy changes have influenced students’ academic journeys.

Since we ran the previous RP Pulse Survey in March 2024, the international education landscape has continued to shift. Australia announced it would implement a soft cap on the number of international students in 2025 while introducing additional measures. Likewise, Canada announced changes to its Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program and additions to how study permit caps would work in 2025. And the United Kingdom welcomed a new government which has already signaled its support for international students.

Understandably, this high rate of policy change, particularly in Australia and Canada, is reflected in education professionals’ responses to our survey. Read on to learn how the latest survey responses compare to our last two RP Pulse Surveys.2 From a gentle upswing in overall interest in studying abroad to surging demand for European destinations, this survey points to students’ evolving perception of—and approach to—international education.

Key Insights at a Glance

    • In our Fall 2024 RP Pulse Survey, over 40% of counsellors reported an increase in students interested in study abroad, up almost 10 percentage points from our Spring 2024 survey.
    • But this is partly due to students having more destination options than ever before. Almost three of every four survey participants worked with students considering destinations beyond the “Big Four.”3
    • Participants listed over 50 study destinations of interest, with 13 of the 15 countries with the most interest located in Europe.
    • The United States was ranked the most attractive destination by survey participants. It’s the first time in this survey’s history that Canada has fallen from the top spot.

Overall Interest in Study Abroad Stabilizes

In our Spring 2024 RP Pulse Survey, most counsellors noted declining student interest in study abroad programs due, in part, to uncertainty around sector policies and rising affordability concerns. But here’s some good news: the Fall 2024 survey found this trend reversing:

The number of counsellors who saw a significant decrease in interest remained steady across both 2024 RP Pulse Surveys. However, over 40% of counsellors reported a significant or moderate increase in study abroad interest in Fall 2024. That’s an improvement of 9 percentage points compared to Spring 2024.

The US Rises as the Most Attractive Study Destination

Respondents were also asked to share how much six popular study abroad destinations appealed to students. As in our Spring 2024 survey, we looked at Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. While Canada took top spot back in the spring, a different country leads the pack this round:

In a year of sweeping policy changes in many popular destinations, comparative policy and economic stability in the US4—plus its highly-regarded academic institutions—likely appealed to students. Our Fall 2024 survey results show the country improving on already strong attractiveness scores from Spring 2024. Importantly, this growing interest has led to action: 2024 marked the third consecutive year where over 100,000 F-1 student visas were issued in the first half of the fiscal year to international students in the US.

Canada’s Attractiveness to International Students Falters

Compared to our Fall 2023 survey, perception of Canada as an “attractive” or “very attractive” destination has dropped by 14 percentage points. This puts Canada behind both the US and the UK for this metric for the first time since the survey started running.

In the last six months alone, those ranking Canada as a “very attractive” destination dropped from 57% to 45%. These changes may reflect a changing outlook among students and recruitment professionals on Canada after a year of comprehensive policy changes.

In a follow-up question, nearly four out of five respondents either agreed or strongly agreed that Canada’s decision to limit study permit applications made it a less desirable destination:

While more details about Canadian study permit caps for 2025 are on the way, we already know the capped amount of study permits will drop by 10% next year. As such, the Canadian international education sector will face the continued challenge of rebuilding Canada’s brand for prospective international students.

Australia’s Attractiveness as a Study Destination Dips in Fall 2024

Australia introduced policy changes similar to Canada’s over the past year, including a higher proof of funding amount and an incoming cap on student visas in 2025. As a result, Australia experienced a 30% dip in student visa applications from January to May 2024, compared to the same period in 2023.

Interestingly, Australia’s attractiveness score was more resilient than Canada’s, dropping by only seven percentage points between Q3 2023 and Q3 2024. Yet when respondents were asked directly, 75% agreed it had become a less desirable option:

UK Dependents Policy Continues to Affect International Student Sentiment

Unlike Canada and Australia, the UK’s attractiveness to international students grew over the last six months. In Fall 2024, 82% of participants said their students found the UK either “very attractive” or “attractive,” which is up from 69% in Spring 2024 and 76% in Fall 2023.

That said, recent policy changes in the UK, especially the limiting of which international students could bring dependents, continues to affect student choice. In the year ending June 2024, fewer study visas were issued than in the previous year. Student recruitment professionals’ opinion of this policy change has also leaned slightly more pessimistic in our most recent survey:

Destination Markets Continue to Diversify

So, if interest in traditional Anglophone study destinations is wavering, where is the next cohort of international students setting their sights?

When asked about other options, counsellors identified European markets as strong contenders:

Out of all the countries respondents entered, France and Finland were of highest interest. But students’ curiosity spans Europe: from Portugal and Spain in the west to Latvia and Poland in the east. One might be surprised to see Malta appear so prominently above—but this small, sunny island country is a bilingual nation (English and Maltese) with a comparatively low cost of living and institutions that don’t always require an English proficiency test score (like IELTS or PTE).5 As students search for more affordable options, countries like Malta are increasingly compelling alternatives. General interest in Europe as a continent—and the as a region within it—was also strong.

Asian destinations were also top-of-mind for students and counsellors in our Fall 2024 RP Pulse Survey. While South Korea led the region, participants also shared their students’ interest in multicultural, cosmopolitan cities like Singapore and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

Perceived Affordability of Popular Student Markets Diverges in 2024

As in our Spring 2024 survey, Germany was seen as the most economical destination of the six focus countries. 72% of the Fall 2024 survey respondents agreed it was an affordable option:

That said, it’s interesting that the perception of affordability hasn’t changed uniformly over the past year. Perceptions of affordability for the US and the UK were up compared to 2023, but down for Canada and Australia. Ireland remained steady. The US and the UK’s improvement on this metric in this most recent survey contrasts with our previous survey. In Spring 2024, all featured countries were seen as less affordable than in our 2022 and 2023 surveys.

Employability and Affordability Remain Top Student Concerns

Supporting an international student is a major financial investment for many families. So, it isn’t surprising that the overall cost of studying remained the most important factor when deciding where to study:

While the top five factors students consider when deciding where to study are the same in the Fall 2024 and Fall 2023 RP Pulse Surveys, priorities have shifted. For example, “opportunities to work while studying” dropped from second to fourth place. Meanwhile, “post-graduation work opportunities” became the second most important factor.

As students increasingly align their studies to programs that prepare them to work in high-demand fields, understanding their post-graduation work options—whether Optional Practical Training in the US or the in Australia—is a key step in deciding their destination.

As student visa approval rates for many emerging markets dropped in early 2024—in Canada, two-thirds of all student populations had a lower study permit approval rate compared to full-year 2023—it’s clear prospective students and their advisors are also more aware of this potential stumbling block. Compared to the Fall 2023 survey, “visa processing times and/or approval rates” climbed by 13 percentage points.6

Key Takeaways

By gathering feedback from student recruitment professionals from over 40 countries, the ǿӰRP Pulse Survey remains a helpful check-in on the international education sector. We’d like to thank everyone who participated. Your insights help us understand how international education is changing in your community! By monitoring how students and student counsellors view different markets as well as the sector itself, we’re better equipped to proactively address challenges future students face.

Based on the results of this survey, it’s clear that changes throughout the sector have influenced students’ considerations and priorities. To best support prospective international students, academic institutions should consider the following:

  • While interest in international study has rebounded slightly from our findings in Spring 2024, students continue to place a high value on factors like affordability and programs that lead to post-graduation work opportunities.
  • As students consider an ever-growing list of potential destinations, be clear about why students should choose your institution. Transparency around tuition and other fees—and highlighting how your institution helps students strengthen their career skills—can help your team build trust with students even before they enrol.
  • Changes to government policy can be hard to understand, even if you’re a local. Consider having a page on your institution’s website or pinned social media posts about the changes and how they affect future students.

Stay tuned to ApplyInsights—our Student Pulse Survey is underway and we’ll share the results later this fall.

Subscribe to ApplyInsights

Sign up for the latest insights on international education.



About the ApplyInsights Team

Led by ǿӰCo-Founder & CEO Meti Basiri, the ApplyInsights Team analyzes the latest government, third-party, and ǿӰinternal data to provide a complete picture of trends in the international education sector. They also work with sector experts and ǿӰteam members to gather local insights across key source and destination countries, where ǿӰhas helped more than 1 million students around the world.

 

FOOTNOTES:

1. The Fall 2024 RP Pulse Survey ran from September 3, 2024 to September 17, 2024, and had 369 responses.

2. The previous two RP Pulse Surveys were conducted in March 2024 and October 2023.

3. “Big Four” destinations include the most popular countries for post-secondary education in English: Australia, Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

4. The White House, “.” September 17, 2024.

5. Malta University, “.” Accessed Sept. 2024.

6. In our most recent survey, we split “visa processing times” from “visa approval rates” for greater visibility into student motivations. As such, the 2024 survey result above is purely for “visa approval rates.” (Visa processing times were cited as a top-five concern by 12% of respondents.)

The post Counsellor Survey Shows International Student Preferences Shifting to the US and Europe appeared first on ApplyBoard.

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The Cost of an International Education in Canada in 2024 /applyinsights-article/the-cost-of-an-international-education-in-canada-in-2024?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-cost-of-an-international-education-in-canada-in-2024 Thu, 19 Sep 2024 19:15:44 +0000 /?p=19642 For international students, rising inflation means rising costs for rent, groceries, utilities, and more. We break down the two most significant costs for international students studying in Canada in 2024/25: tuition and rent. Find out how much the average undergraduate degree now costs for international students, and learn how much rent can cost in major Canadian urban centres.

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Over the past two years, inflation and economic uncertainty have made day-to-day life more expensive around the world. In Canada, inflation increased by nearly 6% from 2022 to 2024.1 For international students, this means rising costs for rent, groceries, utilities, and more. These rising costs can have a major impact on the affordability of studying abroad, especially as international students may have limited work opportunities during their studies.

Below, we’re breaking down the two most significant costs for international students studying in Canada in 2024/25: tuition and rent. We’ll look at undergraduate and graduate tuition in every Canadian province, as well as rental costs in major cities coast to coast. We’ll also discuss the current state of student housing in Canada, and what Canadian institutions can do to help international students address affordability concerns.

Key Insights at a Glance

  • For the 2024/25 academic year, the average yearly tuition for international students studying in Canada at the undergraduate level exceeded $40,000.2 This represented a 5% increase from 2023/2024.
  • Average postgraduate tuition for international students also rose by 5% year-over-year, reaching more than $23,000.
  • New Brunswick, PEI, and Newfoundland continue to be the most affordable provinces for international students, with lower tuition and rental costs on average.
  • Purpose-built student accommodations (PBSAs) have not kept pace with rising student enrollment. Residence beds were available for only 10.3% of all post-secondary students studying in Canada (domestic and international combined) in 2023.

How Much Does Canadian Tuition Cost for International Students in 2024/25?

Although student demand has been on the decline since the introduction of Canada’s student cap, our projections still show that Canada will process over half a million applications in 2024. That’s because, despite the brand damage it incurred following the cap, Canada remains one of the world’s top learning destinations, with many world-class institutions in welcoming and safe environments.

For most prospective international students, the cost of a study abroad program is likely the largest financial consideration they face. On average, tuition for a four-year undergraduate program at a Canadian institution now costs over $150,000. By contrast, a two-year graduate program may cost less than $50,000 in tuition.

The chart below shows how average annual tuition costs for international students in Canada have changed since 2020/21:

In 2024/25, the average tuition for international students studying at the undergraduate level surpassed $40,000. This was a 5% increase over the previous academic year, although it was the lowest year-over-year increase since 2021/22.3

Postgraduate tuition rates also rose by 5% in 2024/25. However, this was the highest year-over-year rate of change for postgraduate international students in the last five years. Despite this elevated change, postgraduate tuition rates remain much lower than undergraduate costs. In fact, average yearly tuition for postgraduate programs was 64% less than undergraduate studies in 2020/21, dropping to 73% less in 2024/25.

With a planned reduction in new international student populations in 20244 and in 2025 as well, tuition costs may become an increasingly important differentiating factor between institutions. Our Spring 2024 Recruitment Partner (RP) Pulse Survey showed that perceptions of affordability for Canadian studies are dropping, and previous Pulse Surveys have shown that cost of studying remains a key determining factor for many students.

Keep an eye out for upcoming ApplyInsight articles on our Fall 2024 Student and RP Pulse Surveys, which will provide fresh insights into prospective student opinions from around the world.

Average Tuition Cost for International Students by Province

Many factors influence tuition rates, including program length, delivery method, and type of institution. But where a student decides to study in Canada can also have a substantial impact on the tuition they can expect to pay over the course of their program.

A closer look at Canadian tuition affordability shows significant variations by province:

Ontario is the most popular destination province for international students, accounting for 53% of all study permit holders at the end of 2023. This high demand means that Ontario institutions are some of the most competitive in terms of acceptances, and as a result, often feature higher tuition rates.

Yet the average annual tuition for Ontario institutions far surpasses those in the rest of Canada.5 Undergraduate tuition in Ontario in 2024/25 is nearly 30% higher than the next most expensive province, British Columbia, and more than double that of Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Manitoba, and PEI. For cost-conscious students, studying in these lower-cost provinces can make their Canadian undergraduate journey significantly more affordable.

Based on average 2024/25 tuition rates, a four-year undergraduate program in Newfoundland and Labrador would cost around $70,000. By contrast, the same program in Ontario would cost more than $190,000.

Differences in postgraduate tuition are far less pronounced, with some notable exceptions. While Ontario was the only province to exceed the national undergraduate tuition average, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and Ontario all surpassed the national average postgraduate tuition. On the other hand, both Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador featured postgraduate tuition under $10,000, making them the most affordable destinations for international postgraduate students in 2024/25.

Looking at provincial tuition rates for both study levels over the past five years, most provinces feature regular average tuition increases year-over-year:

PEI was the only exception to this trend at the undergraduate level. 2024/25 undergraduate tuition for international students in PEI nearly matches 2020/21 rates, after dropping in 2021/22 and 2022/23. At the postgraduate level, Newfoundland and Labrador’s average postgraduate tuition remained stable in 2024/25, down slightly from a high in 2021/22. Similarly, postgraduate tuition in Alberta in 2024/25 remained below a high set in 2022/23.

How Much Does Rent Cost for International Students in Major Canadian Cities in 2024?

While tuition may be the largest line item on a student’s budget, housing costs are often close behind. One of the reasons that the Canadian government in 2024 is to better reflect the current realities of Canada’s rental market. Housing shortages remain a persistent concern in many destination markets, especially in major urban centres.

Canada’s proof of funds requirement now stands at $20,635, plus first-year tuition and travel costs, to ensure students are financially prepared for success during their study abroad journey.

The graphic below shows the average rent for one bedroom apartments in select Canadian census metropolitan areas (CMAs)6 for 2023:7

The average rent for a one bedroom apartment in Toronto and Vancouver remains much higher than other urban centres. Both CMAs featured rent increases of 10% compared to 2022, largely due to limited housing availability.

Based on 2024/25 rates, an international student studying in Toronto or Vancouver can expect to pay over $80,000 in rent over a full four-year undergraduate program.

Yet Calgary saw the largest rent increase year-over-year, becoming the third most expensive CMA due to a nearly 20% average rent increase. The next largest highest increase was for one bedroom apartments in Halifax, with rent prices jumping up by over 14%. The only CMA to see one bedroom rents drop in 2023 was Charottetown, though they only fell by 2% compared to 2022.

As with tuition rates, the Prairies and Atlantic Canada offer higher affordability in terms of average rent. Three of the most cost-effective CMAs are in Atlantic Canada, namely St. John’s, Charlottetown, and Saint John. In these three CMAs, monthly rents remain below $1,000 for a one bedroom apartment. Quebec CMAs such as Québec City and Montréal also offer sub-$1,000 average rent, though Quebec is the third most expensive province for international student tuition. Not far behind, rent in Saskatoon, Winnipeg, and Regina are also relatively low, at around $1,100 monthly.

In short, while rental costs have increased virtually across the board in Canada, price-sensitive students can find more affordable options by considering CMAs off the beaten path.

Purpose-Built Student Housing Falling Behind Growing Demand

Finding an affordable rental can be one of the most difficult challenges when looking to study abroad. That’s why institutions are increasingly facing near 100% occupancy rates for on-campus housing.8 On-campus living often features not only lower housing costs, but also easier access to student services, extracurricular activities, and study spaces.

Despite this strong demand for purpose-built student accommodations (PBSAs), availability remains a critical obstacle. Canada has fallen behind other student destinations such as the UK and the US):

In 2023, purpose-built student accommodations were only available for one out of every ten Canadian post-secondary students. By comparison, similar accommodations were available for three times as many students in the USA and the UK.

This shortage also expands beyond specific student accommodations. Across Canada, a general housing shortage is expected to reach 3.5 million units by 2030.9 While the Canadian government has recently announced low-cost government financing to , more action is needed. Institutions and governments need to work together to create long-term, affordable housing solutions so that students can focus on their academic success.

How Canadian Institutions Can Help Make Studying Abroad More Affordable for International Students

Helping students be prepared for the financial realities of studying abroad is critical. Increasingly, prospective students are facing Canadian study permit refusals due to a lack of financial resources, a necessary check to best support student success in Canada’s ever-changing economic landscape.

Students should make sure they understand the full financial picture before they embark on their study abroad journey. Prospective students should also look to innovative financial supports, such as ApplyBoard’s International Student GIC programs with TD and RBC, as well as ǿӰstudent loans.

But tuition must also remain affordable to ensure that institutions can attract students from a wide variety of backgrounds and lived experiences. This diversity is important not only for expanding the experiences of students on Canadian campuses, but also for the Canadian economy. International students support hundreds of thousands of jobs in Canada, and they will be crucial in replacing retirees in high-demand fields over the next decade.

While may help students who are facing rising tuition, rent, and transportation costs, institutions have a major role to play in helping students understand and overcome financial challenges. Ensuring that international students have easy access to clear information about scholarships, on-campus work opportunities, and student housing options should be front of mind for Canadian institutions. As well, institutions should consider partnerships with local accommodation providers and developers who can help transform vacant office spaces into modern student residences, like .

For more strategic advice and data-backed guidance on how your Canadian institution can maximize conversion rates and drive student diversity, please contact your Partner Relations Manager. Or, contact ApplyBoard’s Partner Relations team at schoolpartnerships@applyboard.com to start a conversation.

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About the ApplyInsights Team

Led by ǿӰCo-Founder & CEO Meti Basiri, the ApplyInsights Team analyzes the latest government, third-party, and ǿӰinternal data to provide a complete picture of trends in the international education sector. They also work with sector experts and ǿӰteam members to gather local insights across key source and destination countries, where ǿӰhas helped more than 1 million students around the world.

 

FOOTNOTES:

1. Based on the Bank of Canada’s , comparing December 2020 to August 2024.

2. Data courtesy of . All currency in CAD.

3. Average undergraduate tuition for international students increased by 7% in each year from 2021/22 to 2023/24.

4. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. “” April 5, 2024.

5. Due to the large population of study permit holders in Ontario, Ontario’s undergraduate tuition rates have a disproportionate weight on the national average of undergraduate tuition.

6. Each CMA comprises multiple areas surrounding the listed city name. These surrounding areas impact the average rental cost in the CMA, often lowering the overall average. For a full breakdown of each CMA region, see the .

7. Based on the average monthly rental cost of a one bedroom apartment in a row or apartment structure of three units or more.

8. According to Desjardin’s “”.

9. Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), “”. September 2023.

The post The Cost of an International Education in Canada in 2024 appeared first on ApplyBoard.

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Looking Ahead to 2025: Predictions for Canada’s International Student Program /applyinsights-article/looking-ahead-to-2025-predictions-for-canadas-international-student-program?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=looking-ahead-to-2025-predictions-for-canadas-international-student-program Tue, 10 Sep 2024 14:59:58 +0000 /?p=19607 Looking Ahead to 2025: Predictions for Canada's International Student Program

Policy updates including the study permit cap have certainly affected how international students perceive Canada as a study abroad destination. While these measures were intended to ensure international education remains sustainable for years to come, they have had an immediate effect on student demand.

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Throughout 2024, stakeholders from across the education sector have expressed strong concerns about changes to Canada’s International Student Program. These concerns range from a downturn in the number of international students applying to the economic impact that this shift in demand may have. While the federal government’s cap on study permit1 applications was designed to increase the sector’s sustainability, data from the first half of the year shows the cap may have contributed to chilling demand to the extent that the government’s projections for 2024 will not be met.2

High-profile policy changes like the increased proof of finances amount and study permit application cap have undoubtedly shifted students’ outlook on Canada. So, what can we expect the rest of 2024 to hold? Taking into account past and ongoing study permit application trends, we’re projecting a 39% drop in global applications for Canadian study permits in 2024 compared to 2023.

Read on to explore this projection in further detail, as well as a closer look at how the policy changes have affected student interest in different provinces and for various levels of study so far this year.

Key Insights at a Glance

  • The number of new study permit applications processed by the Canadian government dropped by 54% in Q2 2024 versus Q2 2023. Year over year, we project the number of applications processed to drop by 39% in 2024.3
  • If current trends hold, around 230,000 new study permits will be processed in the second half of 2024.
  • If the study permit processing projection above is accurate, and the study permit approval rate stays at 51%, we estimate that just over 231,000 new study permits will be approved in 2024. This projected approval count is roughly 47% lower than the 436,600 new study permits which were approved in 2023.

Canadian Study Permit Applications and Approvals Down in the First Six Months of 2024

Earlier this year, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced that the number of study permit applications they would process in 2024 would be capped at 606,000.3

Based on this processing cap, and an average study permit approval rate of 60%, the government determined that the total number of new study permits they aimed to approve in 2024 was 364,000. This total approval figure comprised two pools of applications. First, the government used past student visa trends and current provincial population data to set a target of 292,0004 study permits approved for non-exempt study levels (revised from the initial calculation of 236,000).5 This was then added to last year’s number of approved student visas in exempt study levels (128,000).

Yet, based on data from the first half of 2024, both application and approval volumes are lagging behind government targets. In Q2 of 2024 (April to June), 127,700 new study permits were processed by IRCC. In comparison, nearly 238,800 study permit applications were processed in Q2 last year, representing a year-over-year drop of 54%.6

Below, we project how many new study permit applications (for both cap-exempt and non-exempt study levels) will be processed in H2 2024 if demand remains steady from Q2 through Q3 and Q4:

For the Q3 and Q4 2024 projections, we used the 54% decline in study permits processed between Q2 2023 and Q2 2024 to calculate the projected number of processed study permits. However, the full-year projection varies due to stronger application volumes in Q1. As such, overall, we project that 39% fewer new study permits will be processed in 2024 compared to 2023.

This decrease is mirrored in the number of study permits approved as well. From January to June 2024, just under 114,000 new study permits were approved for post-secondary study, compared to nearly 220,000 over the same period in 2023. That’s a drop of 48%.

It’s also worth noting that the average study permit approval rate dropped from 58% to 51% YOY (through the first six months of 2023 and 2024), both of which are lower than the government’s study permit approval rate target of 60% for 2024.7 While it’s possible the approval rate may improve in July–December 2024, to max out the full number of possible study permits, demand would have to rise as well. With an estimated 230,000 study permits projected to be processed in the last half of the year, even an approval rate of 100% would not be enough, given that only 114,000 study permits were approved in the first six months of 2024.8

New Study Permit Approvals Likely to Return to 2018–2019 Levels by End of 2024

If the post-secondary study permit approval rate remains at 51% for the rest of 2024, we project that just over 117,000 post-secondary study permits will be approved in H2 2024 (Jul–Dec). Combined with the 114,000 new study permits approved in H1 2024 (Jan–Jun), the total number of post-secondary approved study permits in 2024 would be just over 231,000. Study permits for K-12 students will add to this total, but are a smaller portion of permits approved.

Ultimately, unless the number of applications and the overall approval rate increase, it’s unlikely the cap will be hit:

While K-12 study permit approvals are likely to bump up our 2024 projection, we project that the full-year study permit approval numbers will look a lot more like they did in 2018 and 2019, in the mid 200,000s.

This shift in demand may have a far-reaching and long-lasting effect, as international students help to drive our global economy. They spur innovation and support millions of jobs, both in their home countries and study destinations.

Study Permit Processing in First Half of 2024 Matched 2022 Levels, But Expect Second Half to Fall Much Lower

In our first look at 2024 study permit data, we saw that March was the first month where the total number of new study permits processed for post-secondary programs was lower than in 2023. This trend continued through Q2 2024, with monthly numbers sometimes less than half of what they were in 2023. To better understand this shift, and how processing levels have changed over the past few years, let’s take a high-level look at all new study permit applications (K-12 and post-secondary) processed in the first half of the calendar year:

One thing that jumps out is that the number of study permits processed in H1 of 2022 and H1 of 2024 is fairly similar. In fact, only 665 more permits were processed from January to June of 2024 compared to the same period two years ago. So, could it be argued that permit processing is returning to form, and 2023 was an outlier? The answer isn’t that simple.

Where the number of processed permits was roughly even through each month of the first half of 2022, with June’s numbers increasing, that isn’t true for 2024. Processing numbers for January and February 2024 were markedly higher than the following months. This is because average study permit processing times were 9 to 10 weeks in late 2023 and early 2024, meaning that most if not all of the permits processed in Jan–Feb 2024 were submitted before the government’s cap was in effect. Then, permit processing slowed through March and April as provincial attestation letter (PAL) systems were designed and added to the study permit application procedure.

By Q2 2024, study permit applications submitted before the caps would have largely been processed. So, the drop in permits processed can be attributed both to students who paused or deferred their study permit application and to others who pivoted to different destinations. As demand is not expected to recover in the immediate future, it is unlikely to see 2024 processing numbers match those of 2022.

The Caps’ Effect on Capped and Cap-Exempt Post-Secondary Programs

So far in 2024, the number of processed study permit applications are down across the board for post-secondary programs. In Q1 2024, applications decreased by 26% year-over-year for programs affected by the study permit caps. Cap-exempt programs (master’s and doctoral degree programs) also saw a YOY dip of 21%.

This downwards trend continued through Q2 2024, as shown in the visualization below. We’ve used the delta between Q2 2024 numbers and Q2 2023 numbers to project how many capped and cap-exempt post-secondary study permits may be processed in Q3 and Q4:

In Q2 2024, processed study permit volumes for programs under the caps slowed by 58% compared to Q2 2023. In comparison, cap-exempt programs in the most recent quarter changed less drastically. Applications processed for cap-exempt programs dipped by 25% in Q2 2024, just four percentage points less than Q1 2024’s YOY change.

If conditions remain similar through the end of 2024, the number of processed study permit applications could be 50% lower this year for capped post-secondary programs, and 24% lower for cap-exempt programs.

Study Permit Processing Times Stabilize

However, it’s worth noting that study permit processing times were at their highest point over the last three years in Q2 2024. If processing times improve in Q3 and Q4, it’s possible more study permits will be processed than were estimated above.

Faster average study permit processing times compared to spring 2024 are an indicator that the sector has adjusted to recent process changes:

The average study permit processing time was 7 weeks in August 2024, nearly half of what it was in April and May (14 to 15 weeks). At the time of publishing, the average study permit processing time was 5 or 6 weeks for many student populations. This is similar to some of IRCC’s speediest processing times in 2023. It is encouraging that many students are receiving the results of their application faster than in previous years, as quicker processing times enable them to plan their study abroad journeys more proactively.

Provincial Trends Reflect National Slowdown

Many academic institutions have been eager to determine how the different Canadian provinces have been affected by policy changes like the study permit cap. Taking a closer look at Q2 data from 2023 and 2024, it’s clear that July and August are two of the busiest months for study permit processing. This means that we won’t know the full scale of the impact of study permit process changes until later this year:

When the caps were announced, it was clear Ontario and British Columbia (BC) would be the most affected. These two provinces are home to the largest international student populations, yet Ontario was slated to receive 41% fewer study permit approvals in 2024, while 18% fewer study permit approvals would be given to students attending institutions in BC.

However, processing volume declines have outpaced these intended decreases. 49% fewer post-secondary study permits for BC institutions were processed in Q2 2024 compared to Q2 2023. Meanwhile, 70% fewer post-secondary study permit applications were processed for Ontario-bound students over the same period. While implementing the provincial attestation letter process essentially paused processing in early 2024, this large swing in processing numbers make it likely that approvals will be lower than the government’s targets.

Other provinces (Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, and Saskatchewan) were allotted more room to grow under the study permit caps. While the number of study permits processed for Quebec stayed relatively stable through the first half of 2023 and 2024, the other three provinces saw sizable YOY drops in study permit processing numbers for Q2 2024.

As emerging provincial destinations for international students, the Maritimes (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island) saw their international student populations swell in 2023. However, lower 2024 study permit processing numbers across the board in Q1 and Q2 points to the likelihood of a smaller influx of students in 2024. This suggests that student demand from applicants who might have previously applied to institutions in BC or Ontario did not entirely shift to other provinces, but instead likely shifted towards other destination countries entirely.

Shifts in Student Populations Reflect Changing Environment

In H1 2024, 55,500 post-secondary study permits were approved for Indian students. This accounted for 49% of Canada’s incoming international post-secondary students, the same percentage as full-year 2023 and only slightly lower than H1 2023 (51%). With a study permit approval rate of 85% in Jan–Jun 2024, prospective Indian students aren’t being rejected at significant rates. Instead, the lower volume of submitted study permit applications in H1 2024 suggests that their interest in Canada continues to wane.

Indian students aren’t alone in considering different study abroad options. In fact, global searches for “study in Canada” are almost 20% lower than they were in 2023, pointing to shifts in the landscape as other destinations gain ground, and a weakening of Canada’s overall brand with prospective students.

When we look at some of the student populations who received the highest number of study permit approvals in 2023, H1 2024 (January to June) approval numbers are much lower than H1 2023, although there are exceptions like China, Ghana, and Guinea:

The difference in the number of approved study permits for Nigerian students between 2023 and 2024 is striking. At 28% of the H1 2023 amount, Nigerian students remained a top three student population in Canada in 2024, but the effect of their lower study permit approval rate is clear. This number of Nigerian approvals is also surprising as Canada was thought to be well-positioned to welcome Nigerian students dissuaded from studying in the United Kingdom due to the UK’s dependants policy change in 2023.

Similarly, H1 2024 approvals for Nepal (1,981) and the Philippines (3,253) are well below where they were at this point last year, respectively reaching 24% and 34% of their H1 2023 levels.

To understand what trends are driving international study in the UK, and how its international student populations are shifting, check out our analysis of the latest Home Office data.

Key Takeaways

Policy updates including the study permit cap have certainly affected how international students perceive Canada as a study abroad destination. While these measures were intended to ensure international education remains sustainable for years to come, they have had an immediate effect on student demand. Study permit approval numbers in the first half of 2024 illustrate the importance of recruiting a diverse range of student populations, especially as demand levels can fluctuate rapidly, particularly when external factors like inflation and currency devaluation reduce student mobility.

Given depressed student demand, rising global student interest in diversified study destinations, and a lower study permit approval rate, we expect that 2025 study permit cap levels will climb above 2024 levels. We’ve already seen some evidence of targeted program launches to attract specific student demographics, such as the Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot which will enable up to 2,300 French-speaking international students to study in French at institutions across Canada in its first year. While Canada is still perceived as a safe and high-quality destination, this data shows that Canada’s ability to attract new students is capable of changing quickly, causing ripple effects across the international education sector.

As a sector leader in document verification and agent training, ǿӰworks with institutions across Canada to streamline international student recruitment. Our services help to reduce administrative time, proof key application documents, and more. Our work to ensure higher conversion rates can make a meaningful difference both to your institution and hopeful international students. For data-backed guidance on how you can maximize conversion rates, please contact your Partner Relations Manager. Or, contact ApplyBoard’s Partner Relations team at schoolpartnerships@applyboard.com to start a conversation.

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Sign up for the latest insights on international education.



About the ApplyInsights Team

Led by ǿӰCo-Founder & CEO Meti Basiri, the ApplyInsights Team analyzes the latest government, third-party, and ǿӰinternal data to provide a complete picture of trends in the international education sector. They also work with sector experts and ǿӰteam members to gather local insights across key source and destination countries, where ǿӰhas helped more than 1 million students around the world.

 

FOOTNOTES:

1. The terms student visa and study permit are generally used interchangeably for Canadian international students. Rather than student visas, Canada provides accepted international students with study permits, which allow those students to enrol in classes at Canadian institutions. When a student is accepted for a study permit, they are also usually provided with a visitor visa, which allows that student to enter Canada for their studies. For the purposes of this article, we’ll use the terms interchangeably.

2. All data is sourced from unless otherwise noted.

3. Not all study permit applications processed by IRCC are approved. See the third Key Insight bullet for our projection of how many new permits we expect to be approved in full-year 2024.

4. The initial calculation for study permits approved for capped programs was 236,000. (236,000+128,000=364,000). However, to balance out the impact of the caps, the government adjusted their calculations in April to project that closer to 292,000 study permits would be approved in 2024.

5. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. “.” April 5, 2024.

6. As of January 2024, were capped by IRCC. However, study permit applications to master’s degree, doctoral degree, and primary/secondary school (K-12) programs were exempt from the cap, meaning IRCC wouldn’t limit the number of applications they processed for these programs.

7. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. “” Public data sheet.

8. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. “” April 5, 2024.

9. To calculate the number of approved permits needed to reach the cap level for 2024, we first subtracted the 114,000 approved permits in H1 2024 from 364,000 (total approvals) to get 250,000 as the target number for H2. As 250,000 is higher than the projected number of processed post-secondary study permits for H2 2024 (230,000), and primary and secondary school permits would not add significantly enough to this projected amount, we concluded that an improved approval rate alone would not be enough to max out the caps.

The post Looking Ahead to 2025: Predictions for Canada’s International Student Program appeared first on ApplyBoard.

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ApplyBoard’s 2024 Search Data Shows Students Shifting to In-Demand Fields /applyinsights-article/applyboards-2024-search-data-shows-students-shifting-to-in-demand-fields?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=applyboards-2024-search-data-shows-students-shifting-to-in-demand-fields Thu, 22 Aug 2024 18:23:53 +0000 /?p=19532 ApplyBoard's 2024 Search Data Shows Students Shifting to In-Demand Fields
By leveraging data like our search platform history, we can better understand how future international students are approaching this major life decision. We look at how specific fields' search volumes stack up so far in 2024, which fields are most popular with students in specific source countries, and compare search levels for specific programs within science and engineering fields.
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Over the first half of 2024, hundreds of thousands of students worldwide used the ǿӰplatform to search for study programs in Australia, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. For many of these students, searching on our platform is one of the first steps in their study abroad journey. Data about these students’ search patterns allows us to gain insights into what future students want to study, and how program preferences are changing among major student populations.

Shifting student preferences are being driven by government policies that have altered the international education landscape in 2024. These new policies have affected student outlooks on everything from viable career paths to attractive study destinations, influencing student interest in different fields of study.

Which fields of study have seen the biggest shifts, and what can ǿӰplatform data tell us about what’s to come in the rest of 2024? Below, we’ll compare how search volumes for specific fields stack up so far in 2024.1 We’ll also take a closer look at which fields are most popular with some of the world’s largest student populations. Finally, we’ll dig into search levels for specific programs within science and engineering fields, as STEM2 programs remain a top student priority.

Key Insights at a Glance

  • ǿӰplatform search data shows an increased global interest in health sciences. At a national level, nearly one in five Nigerian students’ searches were related to health studies in the first seven months of 2024.
  • Worldwide searches for business and management fields slowed through 2024, with search activity slowing at a higher rate in emerging student markets. Related searches for business programs dropped by five percentage points among Ghanaian students and by six percentage points among Filipino students.
  • More search queries across science and engineering fields means international students are less focused on computer science and IT programs. Optometry, radiography, and industrial engineering are some of the programs capturing a larger share of program-specific queries in STEM fields.

Global Interest in Health and Science Programs Rising

The most recent cohort of students has been shaped by social distancing and remote learning, whether in secondary schools or undergraduate programs. This altered learning environment might play a role in why fields with strong elements of both human connection and high job demand, whether health sciences3 or social services,4 are seeing small but steady yearly increases in search volume.

Yet the most popular field of study international students searched for so far in 2024 is business, management, and economics.5 This search category had the most queries on the ǿӰplatform in 2022, a trend which continued through 2023 and 2024. In fact, in 2023, just over one in three searches involved the business, management, and economics field. However, our 2024 search data shows students’ interests are diversifying:6

In the first seven months of 2024, 15% of all searches on the ǿӰplatform were for programs within the health sciences field. This represents a three percentage point rise over its share of searches in both 2022 and 2023, aligning with the rising interest in health sciences we found in our most recent ǿӰStudent Pulse survey. This change is likely bolstered by strong interest from specific student populations. For example, 19% of searches by Nigerian students were for health sciences so far in 2024, up from 15% in 2023.

Globally, there were also slightly more searches for general sciences. Related search queries increased to 17% of all traffic, versus 16% in 2022 and 2023. Likewise, program searches for studies in the social services field were also on an upswing. Globally, this field captured 8% of searches in 2024, versus 6% of searches in full-year 2022.

Student Interest in the Sciences Diversifies Beyond Computer Science

Most shifts in search volume in 2024 were moderate, changing by five percentage points or less compared to 2023. However, in the sciences field of study, the volume distribution of computer science programs dropped notably:

Compared to 2023 data, worldwide searches for computer science dropped by 11 percentage points in 2024. When comparing monthly data for January through July in both 2023 and 2024, the actual number of searches for computer science increased year-over-year by 24%.

However, these searches account for a smaller percentage of all science-related searches.7 That’s because the overall number of science searches in the first seven months of 2024 was already 44% higher than full-year 2023. No one program has captured all of this diverted traffic, but several have made small gains, with psychology, general sciences, and optometry (each up two percentage points year-over-year) growing the most.

This dip may even out through the rest of 2024, especially as 2023 monthly data shows more searches for computer science programs in the fall and winter compared to spring and summer. It’s a shift our team will continue to track to see if students’ interests are changing, or if it’s a possible response to computer science programs becoming more competitive.

Software, Computer, and IT Programs Capturing a Smaller Share of Engineering Searches

Computer-related programs aren’t just losing steam among science searches. They’re also less prevalent when looking at the search trends of future engineers. When comparing engineering-specific search data for 2023 and 2024, technology, software, computer, and IT programs captured 23 percentage points less of all engineering-related searches in 2024:

As in the sciences, student interest in engineering has branched out from computer-related programs into nearly every other discipline. Mechanical engineering and civil engineering were the only other fields that experienced a drop in search traffic during the first seven months of 2024 versus full-year 2023, collectively dropping by one percentage point.

This drop in search volume share for technology, software, computer, and IT programs isn’t a case of students no longer being interested in these programs. In fact, the number of searches for these programs are on pace to reach a new full-year high. Instead, it’s that several other programs in this field have seen increased interest, leading to an evening out in search volume share.

Some engineering programs that have seen a higher share of the overall search volume in 2024 include radiography (increased by four percentage points), industrial engineering (up three percentage points), material engineering (up three percentage points), and environmental engineering (up three percentage points).

Indian Student Interest Shifting Towards Health and Humanities

As the largest student population in the world, Indian students are often trendsetters and their search interests can help us see where the international education sector as a whole may be headed. In the first seven months of 2024, just under a third of searches by Indian searches were for business fields, similar to the global proportion:

However, engineering and technology historically accounted for a higher share of searches from Indian students (21% in 2022), while 2024 data shows only 17% of Indian students’ queries were for this field—capturing the same proportion of searches as general sciences. While there are likely many factors driving this downturn, our most recent ǿӰStudent Pulse survey highlighted that increased employability and building a professional network were two of students’ top three reasons to go abroad. As high-profile continue in 2024, prospective students may be adjusting their searches to fields more likely to have open job opportunities after graduation.

Nigerian Students Increasingly Drawn to Health Fields

Nigerian student interest in specific fields including business and engineering has remained fairly consistent over the past two and a half years, even as the popularity of studying abroad has climbed among Nigerian students:

Looking closer at search terms, the social services and arts fields each hovered around 10% of searches by Nigerian students between 2022 and 2024, with engineering and technology capturing 15% of these students’ searches since 2022. By contrast, sciences queries have declined from 19% in 2022 to 16% in 2024.

Meanwhile, we’ve seen a marked increase in Nigerian student interest in health programs. Health sciences increased to 19% of Nigerian searches in 2024—up four percentage points from the previous year—mirroring business searches’ drop from 34% to 30%. Nigerian students’ amplified interest in health programs may be a leading indicator of increased applications to health programs in 2024 and 2025. This would continue an ongoing trend in Canada, where the number of study permits issued to Nigerian students for health and general sciences programs increased 430% between 2019 and 2023.

Chinese Students’ Top Searches Include Business and Technology

Over the first seven months of 2024, the proportion of business, management, and economics searches increased to 27% of all searches from Chinese students, rising three percentage points over 2023. This differentiates them from other student populations, where the proportion of business-related searches remained steady or declined year-over-year:

The share of searches for engineering and technology fields among Chinese students decreased by seven percentage points YOY. But it’s still this population’s second most-common field of interest, capturing one in five searches. Health sciences, sciences, and social services searches each increased their share of searches in 2024, although sciences rose the most, claiming 17% of search traffic and rising three percentage points from 2023 levels.

Emerging Student Markets Searching for Health, Tech, and Business Studies

As student populations from Bangladesh, Ghana, Nepal, and the Philippines continue to drive diversity in destination markets, comparing their search patterns with some of the most established student populations can help predict future study abroad trends. For these emerging student populations, the most-searched field of study on the ǿӰplatform in 2024 was business, management, and economics. Conversely, interest in health sciences was more polarized. Over one in five searches by students from Ghana or the Philippines was health-related, but this field featured in only 8% of searches by students from Bangladesh and 13% for students from Nepal:

For Nepalese and Bangladeshi students, the second most-searched field in Jan–Jul 2024 was engineering and technology, representing 22% of each population’s queries. This field performed well across all four emerging markets, ranking as the third most-searched field for Filipino students (16% of all searches) and tied for third (with sciences) among Ghanaian students (15%).

Sciences were also in demand for students from Bangladesh and Nepal, commanding 20% of all searches for both countries in early 2024. While our search data shows that arts programs are not in as high demand among these students, interest is strongest in Bangladesh and Ghana, with 10% and 11% of search volume for their respective populations.

ǿӰCan Help Your Institution Leverage Data for Strategic Student Recruitment

Search data is often a leading indicator of what future international students are looking for in their study journey. Leveraging this data enables sector stakeholders to better plan for tomorrow, ensuring they’re able to allocate their resources to best support incoming students. Which programs are they most interested in? Which destinations are top-of-mind? How do budget considerations factor in? Understanding the answers to these questions is key to creating a thoughtful, sustainable foundation for international student recruitment.

If you’re part of a team that’s interested in receiving specific insights tailored to your institution’s international recruitment goals, . We’ll work with you to share current government data in approachable formats, as well as offer a closer look at which fields of study are trending. Plus, with ApplySolutions, you can benchmark your institution against others in the field and approach diversification opportunities with current, actionable data.

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About the ApplyInsights Team

Led by ǿӰCo-Founder & CEO Meti Basiri, the ApplyInsights Team analyzes the latest government, third-party, and ǿӰinternal data to provide a complete picture of trends in the international education sector. They also work with sector experts and ǿӰteam members to gather local insights across key source and destination countries, where ǿӰhas helped more than 1 million students around the world.

 

FOOTNOTES:

1. All 2024 data is for the months of January to July, inclusive, unless otherwise noted.

2. STEM refers to the study of science, technology, engineering, and math.

3. Abridged for readability; this field encompasses health sciences, medicine, nursing, paramedic, and kinesiology studies.

4. Abridged for readability; this field includes law, politics, social studies, community services, and teaching.

5. All data is courtesy of ApplyBoard, unless otherwise noted.

6. In the past, ǿӰplatform search data was generated based on button clicks on a page, while the new search data is generated by any changes made to the page’s filters (destination, field of study, etc.) As a result, the new search count, if tallied using the previous search data approach, would be significantly inflated compared to the original search count. To make the search counts more comparable, we changed our methodology as of August 2024 to use unique entries per user within each hour.

7. Note that because there are many program categories under each field of study category, the count of unique user searches for programs ends up much higher than the field of study category.

The post ApplyBoard’s 2024 Search Data Shows Students Shifting to In-Demand Fields appeared first on ApplyBoard.

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Ghana Poised to Help Drive Increased International Student Diversity /applyinsights-article/ghana-poised-to-help-drive-increased-international-student-diversity?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ghana-poised-to-help-drive-increased-international-student-diversity Thu, 15 Aug 2024 20:33:30 +0000 /?p=19449 West Africa is poised to be a key source of increased student diversity over the next decade. While Nigerian student populations have seen substantial growth in the past five years, Ghanaian student populations are also on the rise. Learn more about how many Ghanaian students are studying abroad, where they study, and how institutions can best support and attract these students.

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As student mobility around the world grows, more and more African students are starting their study abroad journeys. We pointed to Nigerian students as a key population driving diversity in Canada and the UK in our 2024 Trends Report. Alongside Nigeria, Ghana has emerged as a rising source of international students, one with the potential to help define African student flows over the next decade.

That’s why, this week, we’re digging into Ghanaian student mobility trends across Canada, the US, the UK, and Australia. We’ll take a closer look at how many Ghanaian students are studying abroad, along with where they study. And, we’ll provide insight into what institutions and recruitment partners need to know about supporting Ghanaian students during their international education journeys.

Key Insights at a Glance

  • The number of Ghanaian students studying at institutions in the “big four” English destinations has more than quadrupled since 2019.
  • Ghana is becoming a critical source of student diversity at Canadian institutions, rising to become Canada’s 9th largest source of new international students in 2023. In 2018, Ghana was just 37th.1
  • In fiscal year 2023, the US government granted over 5,000 F-1 visas to Ghanaian students, with 2024 on track to match this all-time high.2
  • The UK government issued more than double the number of student visas to Ghanaians in Q4 2023 compared to Q4 2022.3

Factors Driving Ghana’s Growth as a Major Student Population

As with many African countries, Ghana’s population is young: nearly 42% of Ghana’s 35 million citizens are 18 or younger.4 These young Ghanaians benefit from a robust English-language education system, with many Ghanaians enrolling in post-secondary education at one of Ghana’s 265 tertiary institutions. Nearly 600,000 Ghanaian students were enrolled in post-secondary studies in the 2020/21 academic year, an all-time high that was expected to rise further in the coming years.5

ICYMI: Last week we dug into emerging trends for another growing source of international students: Nepal. Nearly 45,000 Nepalese students were issued a post-secondary student visa to a “big four” English destination in 2023.

When it comes to studying abroad, Ghanaian students are adaptable and self-sufficient, able to integrate themselves within diverse student communities. They are drawn towards high-quality education and programs that create strong career pathways, including post-graduation employment opportunities in their chosen destination country. This is especially true for the high proportion of Ghanaian international students pursuing graduate-level studies.6

However, there are some challenges facing Ghanaian students hoping to study abroad. Economic volatility tied to high food prices and currency depreciation has caused persistent inflation in recent years. At the same time, youth unemployment has remained high since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.7 Both of these factors negatively influence the ability of young Ghanaians to save to study abroad.

There is good news, though: Ghana’s economic growth is projected to rebound and stabilize by 2026.8 In the meantime, the cost of an international education in a particular destination will remain a major factor of consideration for students from Ghana.

Ghanaian Student Populations Driving Increased Diversity at Canadian Post-Secondary Institutions

In 2019, nearly 900 students from Ghana were issued Canadian post-secondary study permits, more than double the number issued in 2018. This pre-pandemic growth was a sign of things to come:

Over 7,000 Ghanaian students were issued a Canadian student visa for post-secondary studies in 2023.9 That represents a nearly 1,800% increase in just five years, representing a significant diversity increase on Canadian campuses. This made Ghana the 9th most common source country for new Canadian post-secondary international students in 2023, up from 37th in 2018. And, when looking at mature students,10 Ghana ranked 6th overall in 2023, behind only India, Nigeria, the Philippines, China, and Iran.

Canadian colleges and universities have benefited from Ghana’s emergence as a major source for growing student populations. New study permits issued to Ghanaian students for college studies climbed by over 440% from 2022 to 2023. At the same time, issued permits for new Ghanaian students tripled for undergraduate studies and doubled for postgraduate programs at universities.

For study levels not exempt from the new study permit cap, Ghanaian students who used ǿӰto apply to study in Canada had an 81% visa approval rate for Winter semester 2024.11 For comparison, IRCC approved 46% of all Ghanaian post-secondary applications for full-year 2023, and only approved 32% of all such applications from Jan to Apr 2024.

Studying in the US Increasingly Popular with Ghanaian Students

While Canada was the most popular destination among the “big four” for Ghanaian students in 2023, the US wasn’t far behind. Over 5,000 F-1 student visas were issued to Ghanaian students during the 2023 US fiscal year,12 up from nearly 1,500 in 2018.13 And while the 2024 fiscal year isn’t over yet, F-1 visas for Ghanaian students are on track to at least meet 2023 figures:

Nearly 3,400 Ghanaian students were issued a student visa from October 2023 to June 2024, surpassing full-year volumes for 2021/2022. Given that July and August are often the busiest months for F-1 visa issuance, we expect new Ghanaian student populations to achieve their fourth consecutive all-time high in 2023/2024.

Taking a look at total Ghanaian student populations in the US, the demand for graduate level studies is clear. Institute of International Education (IIE) Open Doors data shows that, in the 2022/23 US fiscal year, over 4,000 of the 6,500 Ghanaian students in the US were pursuing studies at the graduate level.14 In the same year, Ghana rose into the top 25 places of origin for international students in the US.

Our internal ǿӰdata also reflects elevated demand among older Ghanaian students. The average age of Ghanaian students using ǿӰto apply for post-secondary studies was 30 years old in 2024.

Ghanaian Student Populations in the UK Grow, But Declines Expected

The US surpassed the UK in the number of student visas granted to Ghanaians in 2023. But that doesn’t mean Ghanaian interest in the UK fell. In fact, the UK issued an all-time high number of visas to Ghanaian students in 2023:

Nearly 5,000 Ghanaian students were issued a main applicant student visa to the UK in 2023, an increase of 17% over the previous year and a 90% increase over 2021.

Despite this sustained growth post-pandemic, we expect to see Ghanaian student volumes fall in 2024. International student interest in the UK has dropped following significant policy changes in 2023, notably including the revised dependants policy. For Ghanaian students, this drop in interest is driven by the dependant policy change, given that Ghana historically has a high ratio of dependants to main student visa applicants.15  This means that Ghanaian students are more likely to look towards other destinations in the coming years, barring any significant policy reversals from the .

The early evidence of this decline is already apparent. The total number of student visas issued to all international students to the UK dropped by 22% from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024. Over that same period, visas issued to Ghanaian students declined by over 40%. If this rate persists, new Ghanaian student inflows in the UK could fall back to 2021 volumes.

Ghanaian Students an Untapped Opportunity for Australian Institutions

As we discussed in our 2024 Trends Report, student recruitment from Africa as a whole is a key opportunity for Australian institutions. Ghana specifically is significantly under-represented at Australian institutions, accounting for just 0.07% of all international students in Australia in 2023.16 In fact, over the past six years, the number of Australian student visas granted to Ghanaian students has never exceeded 300:

As the Australian border remained closed to students for two years during the pandemic, new Ghanaian student volumes dropped during 2020 and 2021. Since then, they’ve recovered to match 2019 figures, though the total Ghanaian student population in Australia remains small.

With the impacts of the dependants policy in the UK set to encourage more Ghanaians to look towards other destinations, Australia has a critical opportunity. Promoting the quality of an Australian education to Ghanaian students, especially outlining high-quality graduate programs, could unlock a new source of increased diversity for Australian institutions. While Australia plans to implement its own policy changes to account for increased international student demand, dedicated efforts could lead to persistent growth for this rising African population.

Work with ǿӰto Unlock West African Potential

In 2023, almost 17,000 Ghanaian post-secondary students were issued study visas to a “big four” English destination. That’s a near 70% increase over 2022 figures and more than four times as many as in 2019. With Ghanaian student mobility on the rise, and the young educated Ghanaian population rising too, this West African country is poised to help drive diversity over the next decade.

Ghana remains a relatively untapped market with substantial potential for institutions in Australia. By working with ApplyBoard, Australian institutions can benefit from our established network of vetted and trained recruitment partners on the ground in Ghana. Institutions in Canada, the US, and the UK can also take advantage of ApplyBoard’s access and expertise throughout West Africa to help your institution attract highly talented students and build on-campus diversity.

For Canadian institutions, ǿӰcan also help overcome obstacles to successful Ghanaian student enrolment. Lengthy study permit processes for Ghanaian students mean that delayed program acceptances can prevent them from enrolling in their intended programs. As a sector leader in document verification and agent training, we help to reduce administrative time, confirm the veracity of key application documents, and more. This can help your institution reduce application processing times, which would ultimately enable Ghanaian students to make quicker decisions about enrolling in their institutions.

All institutions should consider implementing a mature student recruitment strategy given that Ghanaian students also tend to be mature students. This could appeal to students not only in Ghana but in Nigeria as well, which also has a growing older student population. Providing information about how specific programs can advance the careers of mature students will be critical to these plans, especially as shifting government policies are set to define international education in the years to come.

For data-backed guidance on how you can expand your diversification efforts in West Africa, please contact your Partner Relations Manager. Or, you can reach out to ApplyBoard’s Partner Relations team at schoolpartnerships@applyboard.com to start a conversation.

Subscribe to ApplyInsights

Sign up for the latest insights on international education.



About the ApplyInsights Team

Led by ǿӰCo-Founder & CEO Meti Basiri, the ApplyInsights Team analyzes the latest government, third-party, and ǿӰinternal data to provide a complete picture of trends in the international education sector. They also work with sector experts and ǿӰteam members to gather local insights across key source and destination countries, where ǿӰhas helped more than 1 million students around the world.

 

FOOTNOTES:

1. Data courtesy of .

2. US student visa data courtesy of the . US government fiscal years run from October of the previous year to September of the given year. Throughout this article, all given years refer to this fiscal period rather than a calendar year.

3. Data courtesy of the .

4. According to .

5. According to the .

6. ICEF Monitor, . May 2024.

7. According to the African Development Bank Group’s .

8. According to the per .

9. The terms student visa and study permit are generally used interchangeably for Canadian international students. Rather than student visas, Canada provides accepted international students with study permits, which allow those students to enrol in classes at Canadian institutions. When a student is accepted for a study permit, they are also usually provided with a visitor visa, which allows that student to enter Canada for their studies.

10. Mature students include those who begin their studies at age 25 or older.

11. ApplyBoard’s study permit approval rates are estimates calculated by the ǿӰData Science team. The calculation is as follows:

Study Permit Approval Rate = Confirmed Study Permit Approvals ÷ (Confirmed Study Permit Approvals + Reported Study Permit Rejections).

Confirmed Study Permit Approval: Applicant has submitted documentary evidence of study permit approval to ǿӰand/or has had their enrolment confirmed by the destination institution.

Reported Study Permit Rejection: (a) Applicant has indicated to ǿӰthat they have been refused a study permit and/or has requested a refund for their tuition deposit due to study permit refusal, and (b) applicant’s enrolment has not been confirmed by the destination institution.

Note: ǿӰapplicants do not receive any special treatment from IRCC.

12. The US fiscal year runs from October of a given year to September of the next year. For example, fiscal year 2023 would range from October 2022 to September 2023.

13. As F-1 student visas are the most common visa status used by international students in the US, we’re confining our analysis to that specific visa type. For reference, the US government has three student visas: F Student visas are academic (for study at an accredited K-12 school, college, or university, or studying English at an English language institute; the study must lead to a degree, diploma, or certificate); J Exchange visas are for participants in an exchange program either at the secondary school or university level; and M Student visas are for non-academic study (not including language programs), or vocational study or training.

14. Data courtesy of .

15. Only Nigeria and Sri Lanka had higher dependant to main student visa applicant ratios in 2023.

16. Data courtesy of the . The data used for this article includes subclass 500 and subclass 570 to 576 visas granted to primary applicants outside of Australia only.

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How Nepal Will Help Alter the International Student Landscape in the Coming Decade /applyinsights-article/how-nepal-will-help-alter-the-international-student-landscape-in-the-coming-decade?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-nepal-will-help-alter-the-international-student-landscape-in-the-coming-decade Thu, 08 Aug 2024 19:30:09 +0000 /?p=19407 The rise of India, Nigeria, and the Philippines as major sources of students has defined the post-pandemic era of international education. The coming decade will likely be defined by Nepal and Ghana joining their ranks. Learn more about how many Nepalese students are studying abroad, where and what they study, and how institutions can best support and attract these students.

The post How Nepal Will Help Alter the International Student Landscape in the Coming Decade appeared first on ApplyBoard.

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The rise of India, Nigeria, and the Philippines as major sources of students has defined the post-pandemic era of international education. And while recent policy shifts have suppressed inflows for many of the “big four” destination countries, student mobility generally remains strong and booming student populations from emerging markets are set to alter the international landscape. The coming decade will likely be defined by Nepal and Ghana joining their ranks.

With that in mind, we’re diving into the emerging trends of Nepalese students across Canada, the US, the UK, and Australia. How many Nepalese students are studying abroad? Where and what do they study? And how can institutions best support and attract Nepalese students? Read on to learn more about how this student population will help shape destination markets in the coming years.

Key Insights at a Glance

  • In 2021, Nepal’s —meaning the percentage of tertiary-level students studying abroad—was 19%.1
  • Nepalese students accounted for over 3% of Canadian study permits issued to post-secondary students in 2023, up from 0.2% in 2018.2
  • In just the first nine months of fiscal year 2024, the number of US F-1 visas issued to Nepalese students surpassed full-fiscal year 2023 figures by 61%.3
  • The UK government issued 22% fewer student visas in Q1 2024 compared to Q1 2023. But over the same period, visas issued to Nepalese students grew by 27%.4

Factors Driving Nepal’s Growth as a Major Student Population

Nepalese students are highly motivated to study abroad. Nepal’s outbound mobility ratio—meaning the percentage of tertiary-level students studying abroad—has remained high over the past five years, sitting at 19% in 2021 (the latest available year). For comparison, India and China had outbound mobility ratios of 1.3% and 1.9%, respectively. In fact, Nepal had one of the highest outbound mobility ratios across the globe over the past five years, and a demographic.

Limited post-secondary domestic opportunities are driving Nepal’s high outbound mobility ratio. As recently as 2006, Nepal had just six accredited universities, and while this number has since doubled, they’ve . As a result, than their local institutions. This has made studying abroad a popular trend among young Nepalese students, who are motivated to study internationally based on the experiences of their friends and family.

Nepal is also forecasted to see accelerated economic growth over the next couple of years, with an average growth rate of 5% for fiscal years 2025 and 2026. While the country’s economic growth is , achieving the projected economic gains could further increase the mobility of prospective students.5

All outbound Nepalese students must apply to Nepal’s Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology for a No Objection Certificate (NOC). Students who .

Nepalese Students Account for Larger Proportion of the International Student Body in Canada

Since the pandemic, Nepal has been a driving source of diversity for Canadian institutions:

Nearly 16,000 Nepalese students were issued a Canadian student visa for post-secondary studies in 2023.6 This accounted for over 3% of all new international post-secondary students that year. For comparison, Nepalese students accounted for just 0.2% of Canadian study permits issued for post-secondary studies in 2018.

Both universities and colleges in Canada have benefited from Nepal’s emergence as a major source for growing student populations. The number of study permits issued to Nepalese students for college programs tripled from 2022 to 2023, and it doubled for both the undergraduate and postgraduate level at universities over the same period.

For study levels not exempt from the new study permit cap, Nepalese applicants who used ǿӰto apply for a Canadian student visa had a 75% approval rate for Winter term 2024.7 For comparison, IRCC approved 62% of Nepalese post-secondary applications to these non-exempt study levels for full-year 2023—and that rate is down to 31% in the first five months of 2024 with application volumes on track to outpace 2022 levels.

Nepalese Students Already Reach Record Highs in the US in 2024

In just the first nine months of fiscal year 2024, the US already issued a record-high number of F-1 student visas to Nepalese students:8

9,200 Nepalese students were issued a student visa from October through June 2024.9 This is an increase of 61% over full-year 2023, and 49% more than full-year 2022—the previous full-year high.

Our internal ǿӰdata also reflects that Nepalese interest in the US is on the rise. The number of Nepalese students using ǿӰwho were approved for a student visa tripled for the 2024 calendar year compared to 2023, with approval rates increasing by nearly 20 percentage points.

Nepalese students are a tremendous boon to the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields in the US. Institute of International Education (IIE) Open Doors data shows that 70% of all Nepalese students in the US in 2022/23 pursued programs in STEM fields.10

Nepalese Students a Key Demographic for the UK’s International Education Sector

International student interest in the UK dropped following significant policy changes in 2023. But , Nepal may prove to be a critical source of students to buoy the UK’s international education sector moving forward:

More than 8,500 Nepalese students were issued a main applicant student visa to the UK in 2023, an increase of 83% over the previous year. Critically, the 2,200 Nepalese students issued a student visa in Q1 2024 represent growth of 27% over Q1 2023. Over this same time frame, the number of student visas issued to all international students to the UK dropped by 22%. In short, Nepalese students remain highly interested in an education in the UK post-policy changes.

Nepal has historically had a low ratio of dependants to main applicants for student visas, especially in comparison to other major student populations like India and Nigeria. This lower ratio likely helped insulate Nepalese student mobility to the UK following the new limitations placed on dependants, whereas both Indian and Nigerian interest dropped significantly.

Nepalese students who were approved for a student visa for the 2024 academic year using ǿӰhad a median age of 21. Generally, younger student populations will be less affected by the UK’s dependancy changes.

Nepalese Student Volumes in Australia Dropping due to VET

Australia was once the top destination for Nepalese students looking to study abroad. However, of the “big four” English destination markets, Australia was the only one to see a Nepalese student population decline over the past year:

The Australian border remained closed to students for two years during the pandemic, creating significant demand pressure once borders reopened in early 2022. As a result, Australia granted a record high number of visas to Nepalese students in 2022.11 While a drop in 2023 was to be expected as 2022 saw essentially three years worth of demand spill into one, the 33% decline of student visas granted to Nepalese students was quite stark.

The largest contributor to this drop was vocational education and training (VET) studies. In April 2023, the , with a new implemented the following month. Alongside Australia implementing its own policy changes to account for increased demand, the results led to Nepalese student visas granted for VET dropping by 96% in 2023 compared to 2022.

Nepalese students prefer to study in New South Wales in Australia. This state accounted for 55% of student visas granted to Nepalese students in 2024 (Jan to Jun), compared to just 34% for Australia’s entire international student population.

Looking Forward

All told, nearly 45,000 Nepalese students were issued a post-secondary student visa to a “big four” English destination in 2023. This represented growth of 15% over the previous year, and an increase of 121% from 2018. And these are not the only countries attracting Nepalse students. In fact, , with Cyprus, South Korea, and Germany emerging as popular destinations as well.

Institutions and destinations that invest in Nepal will likely see dividends for decades to come. The Nepalese population is projected to reach 38.6 million by 2064—growth of 24% compared to today—meaning a strong, consistent number of Nepalese citizens reaching post-secondary student age (generally considered to be 18 to 25).12 And with the factors driving Nepal’s high outbound mobility ratio showing no signs of slowing, we fully expect Nepal to join the ranks of India, Nigeria, and the Philippines as major contributors to international education across the world.

So what can institutions do now to attract more Nepalese student interest? First and foremost, because studying abroad is becoming a popular trend among Nepal’s youth, we recommend using strategies that tap into word-of-mouth excitement. For example, facilitating connections with local Nepalese communities—such as hosting cultural events that celebrate Nepalese festivals like Dashain and Tihar—could create significant engagement on social media among prospective students. As would tailored pre-departure and on-campus orientation programs that address specific concerns of Nepalese students, simplify the admissions process, and highlight available support resources.

We also recommend institutions forefront how they can help Nepalese students grow their employable skills. Career development and opportunities are a primary factor driving Nepal’s high outbound mobility ratio. As such, institutions will want to ensure they’re showcasing their programs in high-demand fields—such as in health care and STEM—as well as any degree-to-career pathways they’ve established with local businesses.

Stay tuned to ApplyInsights, as next week we cover why Ghana will join Nepal as a defining source of growing student populations over the coming decade.

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Sign up for the latest insights on international education.



About the ApplyInsights Team

Led by ǿӰCo-Founder & CEO Meti Basiri, the ApplyInsights Team analyzes the latest government, third-party, and ǿӰinternal data to provide a complete picture of trends in the international education sector. They also work with sector experts and ǿӰteam members to gather local insights across key source and destination countries, where ǿӰhas helped more than 1 million students around the world.

 

FOOTNOTES:

1. Data courtesy of . 2021 estimate the latest available data.

2. Data courtesy of .

3. US student visa data courtesy of the . US government fiscal years run from October of the previous year to September of the given year. Throughout this article, all given years refer to this fiscal period rather than a calendar year.

4. Data courtesy of the .

5. World Bank, The World Bank in Nepal.

6. The terms student visa and study permit are generally used interchangeably for Canadian international students. Rather than student visas, Canada provides accepted international students with study permits, which allow those students to enrol in classes at Canadian institutions. When a student is accepted for a study permit, they are also usually provided with a visitor visa, which allows that student to enter Canada for their studies.

7. ApplyBoard’s study permit approval rates are estimates calculated by the ǿӰData Science team. The calculation is as follows:

Study Permit Approval Rate = Confirmed Study Permit Approvals ÷ (Confirmed Study Permit Approvals + Reported Study Permit Rejections).

Confirmed Study Permit Approval: Applicant has submitted documentary evidence of study permit approval to ǿӰand/or has had their enrolment confirmed by the destination institution.

Reported Study Permit Rejection: (a) Applicant has indicated to ǿӰthat they have been refused a study permit and/or has requested a refund for their tuition deposit due to study permit refusal, and (b) applicant’s enrolment has not been confirmed by the destination institution.

Note: ǿӰapplicants do not receive any special treatment from IRCC.

8. As F-1 student visas are the most common visa status used by international students in the US, we’re confining our analysis to that specific visa type. For reference, the US government has three student visas: F Student visas are academic (for study at an accredited K-12 school, college, or university, or studying English at an English language institute; the study must lead to a degree, diploma, or certificate); J Exchange visas are for participants in an exchange program either at the secondary school or university level; and M Student visas are for non-academic study (not including language programs), or vocational study or training.

9. Note that the monthly nonimmigrant visa issuance statistics cited in this article contain preliminary data which are subject to change.

10. Data courtesy of IIE .

11. Data courtesy of the . The data used for this article includes subclass 500 and subclass 570 to 576 visas granted to primary applicants outside of Australia only.

12. World Population Review, .

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