A study titled “The Voice of the International Student” conducted in January by IDP Education in 67 countries with 2,500 student respondents reveals a shift in student preferences, with increased interest in the United States as a destination. studies, reported the ICEF Monitor.
The site which focuses on international education and the student travel industry also cited research conducted this month by Studyportals, a Dutch company involved in providing a platform for online education opportunities, as indicating a significant decline in student interest in Canada for 2023, with a corresponding increase in attraction to the United States and Italy.
The Netherlands has seen a surge in interest heading into 2024, which may decline due to plans by Dutch universities to reduce international student admissions and English-taught programs.
The IDP survey shows almost half of prospective students are re-evaluating or unsure about their plans to study in the UK (49%), Australia (47%) and Canada (43%), with the US United appearing as a more favorable alternative for students. those who are deterred by the policies of these countries.
“This latest survey highlights that international students are highly sensitive to ongoing discussions regarding political changes and that this is impacting the position of major global study destinations at a time when competition between destination countries is at an all-time high. unprecedented level,” said Simon Emmett, CEO of IDP Connect.
He said the survey highlights that students are looking for stability in their decisions to study abroad, and that changing policies in the UK, Canada and Australia are leading them to consider other destinations .
The tightening of international education policies in these countries aligns with broader attempts to more strictly control immigration. In Canada and Australia, efforts are also aimed at combating unethical practices in the education sector and improving quality assurance, according to the IDP.
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International passengers arrive at Heathrow Airport in London, UK, 2021. Photo by Reuters |
In recent months, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom have rolled out several new rules for international students as part of their efforts to more closely monitor and control people entering their countries.
As Canada and Australia try to stop rogue schools and agents from operating and work to ensure the education offered to international students is of good quality, the British government said that from January By 2024, most international students will no longer be able to bring their families. members with them.
Studyportals’ research, based on data from page views on its site, found a decline in interest in Canada, particularly in British Columbia.
This trend is partly attributed to diplomatic tensions between Canada and India, which are affecting visa processing times and changing perceptions of Canada’s prestige as a study destination. In contrast, the United States has improved its visa processing capabilities in India.
Data from Studyportals shows that fewer students from major countries, such as India, want to study in Canada.
Interest fell 39.7% from February 2023 to January 2024.
According to her, the problems between Canada and India, which slow down visa applications, are partly responsible for this situation. But Canada is also becoming less popular in India for other reasons.
At the Canadian Bureau for International Education’s annual conference in Vancouver in late 2023, experts said Indians no longer think studying in Canada is as good as in the UK or the US .
At the same time, the United States is making it easier for Indian students to obtain visas by processing them more quickly and opening more offices there, the meeting said.
