Declining international student interest in Canada, Australia, US and UK
Recent data suggests a worrying shift in the preferences of prospective international students.
According to a survey conducted by the Association of International Educators and Counsellors (AECC), interest in traditional study destinations like Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia has experienced a decline over the past year.
Meanwhile, countries such as New Zealand, Germany, and the United States have witnessed a surge in interest among prospective international students.
The AECC surveyed 8,312 participants from 124 countries (excluding China).
The survey revealed that factors such as the quality of education (38%), job opportunities (25%), and post-study work rights (11%) are key priorities for students in their decision-making process.
Canada, the UK, and Australia have all experienced declines in international students’ intention to study, with Canada seeing the most significant drop (32%). The UK and Australia have experienced declines of 16% and 9%, respectively.
In contrast, New Zealand has witnessed an impressive 86% increase in interest, followed by Germany with a 36% surge, and the United States with 13%.
These shifting preferences show potential students are keenly aware of policy changes.
For instance, Canada recently announced a cap on international students and Australia has seen a surge in student visa refusals.
In the UK, the impending review of the graduate route visa by the Migration Advisory Committee is concerning for international students as it could alter their post-study work rights.
A UUK survey of over 70 universities shows a significant decline in international enrolments. Postgraduate taught enrolments were reported to be down by more than 40% in January 2024 which is when the restrictions around dependents took effect.
Over 75% of AECC survey respondents expressed concerns about recent changes in the UK.
The potential changes to post-work study rights have had a substantial impact on international student enrolments.
The graduate route visa was introduced in July 2021 and allows international students two years in the UK after graduation. The survey reveals that potential alterations to graduate visa work rights is among the top concerns voiced by international students.
According to Universities UK, the expanded post-study work rights available under the Graduate Route has been a key factor in attracting more than 600,000 additional international enrolments and over €60 billion to the UK economy between 2019/20 and 2023/24.
Two other prominent apprehensions are dependents visas and minimum income requirements for post-study employment sponsorship.
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