Three-quarters of global study decisions determined by cost

International students are increasingly looking for affordable destinations and alternative programs rather than give up on study abroad due to increasing costs, a new ApplyBoard survey has shown.  

While 77% of surveyed students ranked affordable tuition fees as the most important factor shaping study decisions, only 9% said they planned to defer their studies based on these concerns, according to a recent student survey from ApplyBoard edtech firm.  

“Students weren’t planning to wait for things to change,” said ApplyBoard senior communications manager Brooke Kelly: “They’re considering new destinations, adjusting which programs they apply to, and accepting that they have to balance work with study, but they’re still planning to study abroad,” she maintained.  

Just over one in four students said they were considering different study destinations than originally planned, with Denmark, Finland, Nigeria and Italy the most popular emerging destinations.  

Additionally, 55% of students said they would have to work part-time to afford their study abroad program.  

After affordability, came employability (57%), career readiness (49%), high-quality teaching (47%), and program reputation (45%), as factors shaping student decision-making.  

With students increasingly thinking about work opportunities, software and civil engineering topped students’ career choices, with nursing as the second most popular field. Tech fields including IT, cybersecurity, and data analysis also showed strong interest. 

What’s more, interest in PhD programs saw a 4% rise on the previous year, while over half of students were considering master’s degrees, indicating that students are increasingly prioritising credentials and post-study work opportunities.  

[Students are] considering new destinations, adjusting which programs they apply to, and accepting that they have to balance work with study, but they’re still planning to study abroad

Brooke Kelly, ApplyBoard

The study surveyed over 3,500 students from 84 countries, with the most represented countries being Nigeria, Ghana, Canada, Pakistan, Bangladesh and India.  

Given its share of international students, it should be noted that China is absent from the top 10 most represented countries.  

As students’ priorities shift and currencies fluctuate, “diversity will be key to mitigate against increased volatility and to ensure campuses remain vibrant with students from all around the world,” said Kelly.  

Meanwhile, institutions should increase communication about scholarships and financial aid, offer more hybrid learning experiences and highlight programs on different timelines such as accelerated degrees, she advised.  

While alternative markets are on the rise, 65% of respondents said they were only interested in studying in one of the six major destinations, with Canada followed by the US, UK, Australia, Germany and Ireland, in order of popularity.  

Despite Canada’s international student caps, the largest proportion of students said they were ‘extremely’, ‘very’ or ‘moderately’ interested in the study destination, highlighting its enduring appeal among young people.  

While stricter controls on post study work were implemented in Canada last year, in a rare easing of policies, the IRCC recently said that all college graduates would once again be eligible for post study work.  

This change, combined with the fact that international students can still be accompanied by their dependants while studying in Canada, is likely to have contributed to it maintaining its attractiveness, according to Kelly.  

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