Recent research from Studyportals, shared on LinkedIn, reveals a significant shift in international student interest away from traditional education destinations such as Australia, Canada, and the UK. The findings suggest that immigration policies in these countries have made studying there less attractive, leading prospective students to consider alternatives.
The research, detailed in an article titled “Winners & Losers: An update on how domestic policies in the UK, Canada, and Australia have impacted student search behaviour,” examines how these policy changes have affected student interest in on-campus bachelor’s and master’s programs in these countries. The data shows a noticeable decline in interest, particularly in Canada and the UK, with Australia also experiencing a downturn, though to a lesser extent.
Declining interest in the UK, Canada, and Australia
The research highlights that while interest in higher education in Canada and the UK was on the rise in January 2024, it took a sharp downturn in February, particularly in Canada. This decline continued into March 2024 before stabilizing briefly, but the overall trend from February to July 2024 remained downward. By July 21, 2024, Canada, the UK, and Australia had seen respective drops in student interest of 17.6%, 25.8%, and 25.1% compared to the first week of the year.
Australia’s popularity during this period was lower than that of the UK and Canada, but the decline in interest was less erratic, indicating a more stable, albeit still declining, trend.
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Optimism in the UK After government change
Despite the overall decline, there has been a recent uptick in demand for UK education. This shift is attributed to the optimism surrounding the recent change in government, with hopes that the new Labour administration will adopt less restrictive policies towards international students.
Under the previous administration led by Rishi Sunak, the UK implemented policies that significantly impacted international students, including removing the right for most dependents to accompany students and contemplating restrictions on the Graduate Route, which offers two to three years of work rights for international students after graduation. The new government is expected to take a more favorable approach, which has rekindled interest among prospective students and international education stakeholders.
Challenges facing Canada and Australia
Canada and Australia are also struggling with declining interest from key international student markets. In Canada, institutions have seen a consistent drop in demand from top-five student markets, most notably India, which saw a 24.5% decline, and Iran, with a 15.5% drop. This trend poses a significant
