Becoming an international student can be an exciting journey, but it takes focus and determination to tackle everything that needs to get done. And, in a year with so many government policy shifts affecting international students, studying abroad means keeping track of these changes in your target destinations, too.
At ApplyBoard, we wanted to get a first-hand look at how international students are responding to policy changes, choosing their course and destination, and planning to balance study and work. So, we launched the fifth edition of our Student Pulse Survey earlier this fall. Over 1,500 students from almost 100 countries responded, sharing their hopes, challenges, and study goals.
Looking for the full Student Pulse Survey report? Read our ApplyInsights article for a deeper dive into study level trends, interest levels in specific destinations, study abroad motivations, and more.
Many International Student Study Paths Match In-Demand Careers
When we asked students what they want to study, business and management programs were top of mind. In fact, just over one-third of our survey participants expressed interest in business as a study program area.
Interestingly, fewer students reported interest in business programs compared to our Spring 2024 Student Pulse Survey. This may hint that more students are considering multiple fields of study. Or, it could be that more students are applying to different programs in response to changed visa requirements both during and after their studies.
While interest in business was down, interest in nearly every other broad field of study (humanities, engineering, health, etc.) increased from earlier this year:
Surveyed students reported higher student interest in engineering, health, and math/computer science/IT programs. As all of these industries are projected to grow quickly through the 2030s in countries like the United Kingdom and United States, international students in these programs are likely to graduate into economies that are very interested in recruiting young professionals with these skill sets.
We also asked students what careers they hoped to pursue, and it’s easy to be inspired by their creativity and ambition. From artificial intelligence to zoology, international students’ career goals are as diverse as they are:
Students could write in more than one career goal, which sometimes produced interesting cross-disciplinary answers, like “food science or computer programming,” “fisheries consultant or nurse” and “UI/UX product designer or clinical physiologist.”
Curious about job market projections in top study destinations? Wondering how to work part-time in your field as an international student? We’ve got you covered.
Most International Students Plan to Pursue Postgrad Studies
Studying abroad as a postgrad has its advantages. For example, in some destinations, it may mean you can bring your family with you, where students in more junior programs can’t. Students in postgraduate programs may also be eligible for more generous post-study work visas or fellowship/scholarship opportunities.
More and more, students worldwide see postgraduate studies as a top choice. Nearly 90% of surveyed students included one or more postgraduate-level programs in their response to the question, “What level(s) of study do you plan to pursue?”. This continued a trend we saw in our Spring 2024 Student Pulse Survey, with most participants at least a little interested in postgraduate-level study.
In fact, in our Fall 2024 survey, the only study levels where interest levels increased (versus Spring 2024) were for master’s degrees, doctoral degrees, and secondary school:
Not all postgraduate study confers the same benefits to international students, though. Some benefits are strictly limited to specific programs and courses, such as:
- Bringing dependents with you. In countries like the UK, only students in a research-based master’s degree programme or higher are eligible to bring partners or children as of 2023. In Ireland, the only students who may bring dependents are those pursuing a four-year PhD program.
- Spousal work visas. Canada recently updated how work visa eligibility works, so partners of students applying for master’s degrees shorter than 16 months after November 1, 2024 are no longer eligible for an open work visa.
Given that several of these changes are relatively recent, it makes sense that interest in shorter post-grad programs like certificates and diplomas has decreased in our Fall 2024 survey versus our Spring 2024 findings.
Are your study goals in line with changing job market needs? These courses can prepare you for some in-demand careers in the United States and the United Kingdom
Destination Choices for International Students are Truly Global
When we asked where students planned to study, 64% of survey participants were aiming for one or more of the “Big Four” study destinations (Australia, Canada, the UK, or the US), Ireland, or Germany. Canada remained the top choice overall, but for the first time, more students were “extremely interested” in studying in the United States than any of the other countries noted above.
This heightened popularity could mean that applying to programs in the US may be more competitive than ever. If American institutions are on your radar, here are some strategies to ensure your statement of purpose helps your application stand out.
On the other hand, 36% of survey participants were also considering a global range of study destinations beyond the six countries shared above. They noted over 60 potential destinations—is one of these places on your list?
In Fall 2024, students’ top 10 alternate study destinations were:
- Finland
- Netherlands
- Sweden
- France
- Switzerland
- Italy
- Japan
- New Zealand
- Luxembourg
- South Korea
We also asked how recent policy changes in Australia, Canada, and the UK may have shifted student interest. Across the board, around 20% of respondents were less interested in these countries, but between 25% and 34% were actually more interested. This may speak in part to students appreciating transparency from destination governments with things like more accurate cost of living guidelines:
A key part of becoming an international student is understanding your expenses and sticking to a budget. Set yourself up for success with our updated cost of living guides for Australia, Canada, Ireland, the UK, and the US.
As the cost of living continues to climb, part-time work is a reality for most students. In fact, the ability to work part-time was the fourth most common factor students considered when choosing a study destination. Our Fall 2024 Student Pulse Survey also found only 2% of respondents didn’t plan to work at all while studying abroad.
What kind of work are students hoping to find? Just under one-third of students planned to complete a work-integrated learning opportunity—whether a co-op term, internship, placement, or other training like CPT or OPT. Another 30% planned to work part-time, at less than 20 hours per week. However, most students we surveyed—almost two-thirds—planned to work more than 20 hours per week, if permitted, on top of their studies. (Students were allowed to select more than one answer, which is why the total percentage is higher than 100.)
Get Financially Ready to Be an International Student
The costs of study programs and living expenses were also top-of-mind. While everyone’s budget is different, it’s important to know what the average cost of living is in the city you’ll be living in.
This is especially key for students considering some of the trendier European study destinations. Cities like Paris, Stockholm, Helsinki, and Amsterdam are all in the European Union’s fifteen most expensive cities. Switzerland alone is home to three of the EU’s five most expensive cities! Even if tuition is free or subsidized, it’s important to prepare for higher living expenses.
When budgeting, remember international students won’t qualify for many government aid programs. So it’s key to know your study and living expenses, and be ready to pay for them. Showing your proof of finances is a key step in your student visa application, no matter where you plan to study.
The good news is that scholarships can offer incredibly helpful financial assistance—and millions of dollars (one estimate is US$100 million) go ungranted every year. So, if you have the time, it’s always worth putting an application in, especially to smaller local or regional scholarships. Check your institution’s website, which likely has a dedicated scholarships page for international students. Or, contact the institution’s international office to see which scholarships are available.
Student loans can also help make your study abroad dreams a reality. Some loans will even cover costs beyond tuition, like a new laptop for taking notes, or some living expenses.
ApplyBoard has partnered with trusted banking institutions in countries like Australia, Canada, the US, and the UK to offer flexible student loans. Can we help you get one step closer to your study goals?
We hope these insights into international student goals and plans are helpful! Stay tuned for our next Pulse Surveys, which will launch in Spring 2025.
Ready to start your study abroad journey? Explore your options on the free-to-use ApplyBoard platform.