A global international student enrolment survey has revealed that a large number of participating institutions indicated a drop in enrolments for the August/September intake compared to last year at this time.
The survey conducted by Studyportals Analytics and Consulting in partnership with NAFSA: Association of International Educators and Oxford Test of English featured input from 365 institutions across 66 countries. The survey provides unique insight into the likely effects of major shifts in government policy in countries including Canada and the United Kingdom.
Fanta Aw, executive director and CEO of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, said, “The survey results affirm that government policies factor into student choices by either facilitating or hindering access and should not be underestimated.
“Furthermore, the survey not surprisingly shows that affordability, accommodations, and language proficiency in key destinations affect student mobility and must be considered as core elements of student support. This is the first of what we hope will be many surveys and we look forward to a greater number of institutions sharing their data in the future.”
Key Findings from the Global Enrolment Benchmark Survey include:
- At the Master’s/Postgraduate level, 41% of institutions reported a decline in international student enrolment compared to last year’s intake, while international Bachelor’s/Undergraduate enrolments show more mixed trends: 31% of institutions reported a decline while 38% reported higher enrolments.
- The average change reported in each country/region for Undergraduate enrolments ranged from -27% in Canada to +2% in European countries.
- The average enrolment change for Postgraduate enrolments reported in each country or region ranged from -30% in Canada to +12% in Asia.
- 93% of universities surveyed in Canada, 58% in the US, and 61% in the UK cited restrictive government policies and/or problems obtaining a student visa as a significant issue. This was a challenge for over half of all higher education institutions surveyed.
The November 2024 Global Enrolment Benchmark Report provides timely data on international student enrolment to help higher education institutions benchmark their performance against peers globally and navigate a complex sector landscape. Responding institutions received an exclusive report with insight tailored to their institution and peer group.
Edwin van Rest, CEO and Co-founder of Studyportals said, “Usually, when some destinations face challenges, we see alternatives benefit as students shift their plans.
“However, the broader drop in Postgraduate enrolments in particular suggests that many discouraged students are not simply changing destinations but are instead delaying or even cancelling their study plans altogether. We are seeing that the type of student that was discouraged from going to Canada, UK, or Australia in particular in 2024, often struggle to gain access/visas or find what they are looking for in alternative destinations.”
Other findings from the Global Enrolment Benchmark Survey include:
- 60% of Canadian institutions and 32% of UK institutions thought budget cuts were very likely over the next 12 months compared to the 22% average across all institutions globally.
- 10% of responding institutions indicated more aggressive goals and budget and/or staff cuts were likely over the next 12 months, suggesting universities will have to do more with less.
- 40% of Canadian institutions anticipate significant changes to subjects and programmes, much higher than the 17% global average.
- More than half of the responding institutions, particularly those in African countries, in the US, and in the UK cited affording tuition and cost of living as an obstacle for students. That compares to just 31% of institutions in Asia.
- The continent of Africa is the region with the highest percentage of institutions reporting that a lack of suitable housing/accommodation for students in their country is a significant impediment to enrolment.
- Globally, around 11% of institutions view meeting English proficiency requirements for admission as a significant issue for students, with rates ranging from 7% in the U.S. to 22% in African countries
Sara Pierson, Global Director, Assessment, Sales & Marketing, Oxford Test of English, Oxford University Press said, “We are proud that the Oxford Test of English is supporting this ground-breaking initiative to capture real-time data on international enrolments so that institutions can quickly understand changes in global trends and respond with agility.
“The findings demonstrate that institutions need to be more competitive to attract globally mobile students. This includes overcoming the challenge of English proficiency, with an average of 1 in 10 institutions worldwide seeing it as a significant issue. To support these institutions, we will continue to develop innovative assessment solutions that can open up new academic opportunities for learners across the globe.”
Download the report here.
