The Cross River State Ministry of Education has flagged off the Annual School Census for the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 academic sessions. The event, held at the Ministry of Education Headquarters in Calabar, is aimed at gathering data from public, private, and technical schools across the state to support effective planning and decision-making for the education sector.
Speaking during the flag-off ceremony, Senator Stephen Odey, the Cross River State Commissioner for Education, welcomed stakeholders and expressed appreciation to Governor Bassey Edet Otu for his dedication to improving the education system.
“We are working tirelessly to reposition the education sector in Cross River State,” Senator Odey said. He thanked Governor Otu for funding the West African Examination Council (WAEC) registration fees for 14,804 students from the state who passed their mock exams, ensuring their costs are fully covered.
The Commissioner also announced the Governor’s approval for the establishment of the University of Education and Entrepreneurship in Akamkpa, signed into law on January 8, 2025, along with the release of a take-off grant. Additionally, he noted that all academic results in the state are now digitized and can be accessed globally, making verification and accessibility easier.
Senator Odey stressed the significance of accurate data collection during the census, describing it as essential for shaping the future of education in the state. He urged the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), ministry directors, and other stakeholders to ensure the process is thorough, transparent, and error-free.
“The data collected must be accurate, as it will guide future planning and allocation of resources,” says Sen. Odey
He also thanked Teckplus Digital Solutions (Future x) NAPPS, and ANCOPPS, for their partnership and contributions to the state’s education system.
Adebayo Adeyemi, Chief Operating Officer of Future X, commended Senator Odey for his leadership, stating, “The education sector has witnessed remarkable progress since Senator Odey assumed office. Cross River State is lucky to have him in this role.”
Hon. Mike Egre, National Council Member for the South-South Zone of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), assured stakeholders of the readiness of private schools to participate in the exercise. “Private schools are prepared and committed to transparent and accurate data collection,” he said while urging the prompt distribution of census materials.
The Annual School Census aims to strengthen the state’s education system through effective planning and collaboration. The data gathered will form the basis for future policies and programs, aligning with Governor Otu’s vision for a progressive and inclusive education sector in Cross River State.
The third edition of the annual Asuquo Ekpenyong Education Support Initiative, held on Sunday, January 26, 2025, at Mary Ekpiken Hall, Channel View Hotel, Calabar, witnessed the disbursement of N100 million to 1,000 tertiary students from Cross River South. Among the recipients were Charles Ntui, an undergraduate from the University of Calabar (Unical) and Abigail Ekpo, a postgraduate student from the University of Cross River State (Unicross), both of whom expressed heartfelt gratitude to Senator Ekpenyong for his impactful support.
Mrs Mary Etim, representing the Market Women Association and attending as a parent of a beneficiary, commended the initiative, calling it a beacon of hope for families struggling to afford quality education. “Senator Ekpenyong has proven to be a true advocate for education, and this initiative will shape the future of many students,” she remarked.
Hon. Oqua Edet Oqua, in his opening remarks, provided an overview of the program, describing it as be an intervention to mitigate the financial constraints faced by students and their families. He emphasized the program’s growing reach and its significance in promoting access to higher education in Cross River South.
Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, speaking at the event, highlighted the remarkable progress of the initiative since its inception in 2022. “The Education Support Initiative has grown significantly over the years. In 2022, we supported 200 students, increasing to 400 in 2024. This year, 2025, we are empowering 1,000 students, bringing the total beneficiaries to 1,600 in just three editions. This growth demonstrates our commitment to alleviating the financial burden of education and investing in the future of our youth.”
The initiative, which has now supported 1,600 students, continues to garner widespread praise for its transformative impact with the third edition which saw a significant increase in the disbursed amount per beneficiary, rising from ₦50,000 to ₦100,000, in response to the prevailing economic challenges and rise in the cost of living in the country.
A cross section of selected beneficiaries were invited to witness the ceremony live and they all started receiving credit alerts during the programs which led to spontaneous jubilation.
Beneficiaries and their families expressed deep appreciation to Senator Ekpenyong for his unwavering commitment to education and his vision of uplifting the younger generation in Cross River South.
As the world celebrated the International Day of Education, Mr. Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra State, marked the occasion by reaffirming his unwavering belief in the transformative power of education to drive development and innovation.
The event coincided with the centenary anniversary of Dennis Memorial Grammar School (DMGS), Onitsha, taking place today, Friday January 24th, 2025.
To honour these intertwined milestones, Obi visited schools across Anambra State, from urban centres to rural communities, highlighting the critical role of education.
At DMGS, he joined in the centenary celebration and reflected on the achievements of the school’s distinguished alumni, including Prof. Kenneth Dike, the first Black Vice-Chancellor in Africa; Emmanuel Ifeajuna, the first African to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games; Bishop Jonathan Onyemelukwe; Prof. James Ezeilo, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka; Prof. Ilochi Okafor, former Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka; Dr. Tim Menakaya, former Nigerian Minister of Health; and Chief Simon Okeke, former Chairman of the Police Service Commission. Obi noted that these notable figures exemplify the power of education to transform lives and societies.
In his address to the students, Obi urged them to take their education seriously, emphasizing that with dedication and hard work, they too could achieve greatness like the school’s illustrious alumni.
Obi also visited Nmiata-Anam community in Anambra West Local Government Area of the State, a place he described as being close to his heart. He recalled how, during his gubernatorial campaign, he had travelled to the town by boat due to a lack of accessible roads. He had promised the community a bridge and road network, and today, he proudly noted that this promise had been fulfilled, connecting the area to the rest of Anambra State.
As part of the World Education Day celebrations, Obi visited Community Primary School and Our Lady of Lourdes Secondary School in Nmiata-Anam. During his visit, he interacted with students, emphasising the critical role of education in shaping their futures. He also pledged his continued support for the schools.
He highlighted the transformative power of education in building a skilled workforce, fostering innovation, and driving sustainable development. He cited examples of countries like India, China, Morocco, and Egypt, which have significantly advanced their global standing through strategic investments in education.
However, Obi also acknowledged the challenges facing Nigeria’s education sector, including inadequate funding, a shortage of qualified teachers, outdated curricula, and insecurity. He called on the government to prioritise education and ensure that every Nigerian child receives at least basic education, stating that doing so would create a more productive and progressive population.
In conclusion, Obi urged Nigerians to commit to building a future where every child has access to quality education, reaffirming his vision of a New Nigeria driven by investment in education and the unlocking of the country’s full potential.
While at DMGS, the Principal, Ven. Chigozie Anieto, commended Obi for his unwavering concern for humanity and prayed for God’s continued blessings upon him.
International education takes shape in a number of different ways across the K-12 sector. There is the burgeoning international school sector, for example, where privately owned and operated schools deliver foreign curriculum in students’ home countries. As of 2024, nearly seven million students are enrolled in more than 14,000 such schools worldwide.
The online learning segment for K-12 is also growing quickly, with several established and new entrants in the space serving a growing student population. Our focus today, however, is on internationally mobile K-12 students who travel abroad to pursue their studies. There are many well-established destinations for such students in Europe and elsewhere, but we will limit our scope today to K-12 student enrolments in the so-called Big Four study destinations: the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
Those destinations collectively account for hundreds of thousands of international K-12 students. But the sector’s significance goes beyond that: secondary schools of all types are increasingly seen as an essential recruitment channel for universities and colleges as well.
For post-secondary institutions across the Big Four destinations, international secondary school graduates:
Are receiving instruction in English and according to a curriculum suited for smooth entry into degree studies in their host country.
Have gained familiarity with the culture in their host country and understand what it takes to get into a good university in their host country. In fact, many have chosen to go abroad for K-12 education precisely for a better chance of being admitted to a prestigious foreign university in the same country where they are enrolled in school.
Are living in the host country – making recruitment more affordable and less complicated than recruiting overseas. They graduate with the same credentials as domestic students do, and so their applications are easier to evaluate.
Come from some of the top target countries for colleges and universities working towards greater diversification (e.g., China, South Korea, and Vietnam).
In the following sections, we’ll look at the dynamics of the K-12 sectors in Australia, Canada, the UK, and US. Across those destinations, K-12 numbers continue to recover following the pandemic. But that recovery is tempered by global market factors including expanding intra-regional mobility in Asia, tougher immigration rules in leading host countries, the growing popularity of alternative destinations outside the Big Four, and the expansion of international K-12 schools around the world.
Australia
International students in Australian schools accounted for just under 2% (19,095) of the total number of foreign students in Australian onshore education in 2024. This is a decrease of 23% since 2019. Of international secondary students, just over a quarter are enrolled in Australian independent (private) schools, mostly at the secondary level (78%). The independent subsector has taken longer to recover than government-funded schools.
In both government and independent schools, China is the largest source country, accounting for 30% of enrolments in 2023. Four other countries composed another 40% of the total: Vietnam, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Germany.
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As you can see in the following chart, the schools sector and the non-award sector have had the most challenging time recovering enrolments since the pandemic. English-language teaching (ELICOS) is also off its pre-pandemic level of business, and it was the only sector to experience a decline between 2023 and 2024.
International enrolments in various sectors of Australian education, 2019-2024. Source: Australian Department of Education
Along with the dent the prolonged Australian pandemic border closure put into educators’ ability to recruit overseas, The Koala News’ Heidi Reid notes that the increasing number of K-12 international schools around the world is a major issue for Australian onshore K-12 schools’ foreign enrolments:
“For the Australian school sector, [the expansion of international schools] simply decreases the pool. As students can study in English in their home country with an international curriculum and native-speaking teachers, they no longer need to go overseas to find this opportunity. This means that Australian schools that will do well will be the ones that provide a uniquely Australian or quality offering and not just a high school education in English.”
Ms Reid also notes that international schools in other countries – which are predominantly British – are not yet a major pipeline into Australian universities because the parents of students are aiming for their children to attend Ivy League or Oxbridge schools.
She recommends that Australian high schools provide more multilingual options, offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum more, and forge more partnerships with international schools around the world.
Canada
In Canada, according to the Canadian Association of Public Schools – International (CAPS-I) there were 29,580 fee-paying long-term students on study permits for public high schools in 2023/24, and another 4,500 were enrolled for short programmes of less than 4 months (for which students do not need a study permit). This represented about a 2% increase over the previous year.
Growth slowed for students in long-term programmes – those enrolments had grown by 15% in 2022/23. Overall, enrolments in both long and short-term programmes are about 80% of what they were pre-pandemic.
The top five markets are:
• China (+35% year-over-year) • Germany (-20%) • South Korea (-17%) • Japan (+8%) • Brazil (+20%)
Japan’s increase is notable, as long-term enrolments are now at their highest level in the past decade of data collection. Japan is also the largest source of short-term enrolments.
Several other markets in the Top 10 declined: Italy (-26%), Spain (-17%), and Hong Kong (-19%).
Top 10 markets for Canadian public K-12 schools in 2023/24. Source: CAPS-I
In Canada, major challenges for the sector include rising immigration levels (which are placing greater demands on the domestic education system) and less homestay accommodation than before the pandemic. Global Affairs Canada reports:
“With the additional demand on schools due to the influx of newcomers, there are increasingly less spaces available to international students. This has particularly impacted schools located in larger urban areas.”
Regarding homestays, the pandemic saw Canadian families repurpose their homes to accommodate for offices and returning older children, and lack of homestays remains an issue.
In addition, Global Affairs notes that Canadian schools don’t engage enough with Canadian offshore schools, of which there are 126 in over 20 countries: “These institutions abroad could be valuable partners for student exchanges and short-term enrolments.”
United Kingdom
In the UK, private K-12 schools are anticipating a drop in international student numbers due to the government’s recent decision to make students pay a 20% value-added tax (VAT) on fees and to funnel that money into state schools. The Independent School Council (ISC) says there was a 2.7% decline in new students in 2024 compared to 2023, and notes that “the spectre of VAT is looming large in parents’ minds.” On top of that, inflation has been a compounding issue for private schools.
A total of 62,800 non-British students were enrolled in ISC schools in 2024, accounting for 11% of all students in those schools. Close to 27,000 have parents who live overseas – and tend to be “boarders” as a result at the secondary level – and 36,500 have at least one parent with them in the UK. Over 2,000 Ukrainian students are in ISC schools, and 37% of them are in the UK without their parents.
The top source of students whose parents are overseas is China (5,825, and an increase of nearly a quarter after three years of decline), while the top two regions for students whose parents are with them are Europe and the US. ISC notes as well that:
“The number of pupils from both Hong Kong and Mainland China in this [second] category continues to grow. Hong Kong pupil numbers have increased 10% to 2,602 and pupil numbers from China have increased 13% to 4,551.”
Sources of students for ISC schools. Source: ISC
British ISC schools may be pressured at home, but many of them find relief in the large numbers of international students they enrol in their offshore campuses. More than 93,250 students are enrolled in 129 campuses overseas, up from 71,660 in 2023.
United States
There were 54,560 international K-12 students enrolled in the US in 2023, and most students enrolled in a full academic school year are on F-1 Visas. China is the top market (13,290 in 2023 versus 12,815 in 2022), followed by Korea (3,315 and down from 3,580 in 2022), Spain (3,095 and down slightly from 3,140 in 2022), Vietnam (3,135 and up from 2,880 in 2022), and Mexico (2,805 and stable).
Top five countries of citizenship for secondary F-1 students in high school education. Source: Department of Homeland Security, Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS)
Responding to the Institute of International Education’s (IIE) Fall 2024 Snapshot survey, 45% of undergraduate recruiters said they were prioritising recruitment of international students at US high schools. Again, this underlines the importance of the secondary school sector for higher education recruiters in the Big Four.
Top recruiting priorities for undergraduate programmes in the US. Source: IIE
The following article is adapted from the 2025 edition of ICEF Insights magazine, which is freely available to download now.
Ask 10 people working in our industry what “internationalisation” means, and you’ll get 10 answers. For some, it simply means attracting a certain volume of foreign students to a campus. For others, the goal is broader: programmes, campus, and partnerships are designed to have a global flavour.
At the government level, the concept of internationalisation changes over time and according to considerations that include foreign enrolment growth rates, labour market gaps, demographics, geo-politics, domestic politics, and the need to participate in global science or research projects.
The official international education strategies highlighted below emphasise the great extent to which foreign students figure into larger narratives around globalisation, security, and soft power. As those narratives evolve, so too do the strategies.
Australia
Strategy for International Education 2021–2030
Priorities
Pursue sustainable growth1
Diversify student nationalities
Meet national skills needs
Enhance student experience
Improve global competitiveness
International enrolment goal
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Australia is implementing an effective cap on the number of new students beginning in 2025.
Target markets
Not specified.
International student population (2023)
786,900 (+27% y-o-y)
Canada
International Education Strategy 2019–2024 (now expired; an updated strategy is pending)
Priorities
Encourage Canadian students to go abroad, especially to Asia
Diversify (source countries and students’ fields, levels of study, and locations of study within Canada)
Increase support for Canadian educators
Increase scrutiny and regulation of agents
Invest more in digital marketing
International enrolment goal
No stated goal currently. Rather, the national government introduced a cap on new study permits for 2024, 2025, and 2026.
Target markets
Brazil, Colombia, France, Indonesia, Mexico, Morocco, Philippines, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Vietnam.
International student population (2023)
1,041,000 (+29% y-o-y)
France
Bienvenue en France
Priorities
Diversify beyond Africa
Triple scholarships
Simplify visa processes
Make it easier for students to find housing
Increase French campuses/partnerships abroad
International enrolment goal
500,000 international students by 2027.
Target markets
Expand recruiting outside Africa.
International student population (2023)
430,500 (+5% y-o-y)
Germany
Strategy 2025
Priorities
Make Germany a top five study abroad destination
Increase academic success of international students
Increase share of international academics at German universities to 15%
Encourage German students to study abroad
Invest in more collaboration with foreign institutions
International enrolment goal
350,000 international students by 2020 – met in 2021.
Target markets
Not specified.
International student population (2023)
367,600 (+5% y-o-y)
Ireland
Global Citizens 2030
Priorities
Attract the highest quality students and researchers
Adopt a “moderate” growth strategy of about 10%
Position Ireland as a thought leader in talent, innovation, and science policy in “small advanced economies”
Enhance student experience
Measure impact of international students beyond enrolments and economic value
International enrolment goal
15% of overall student population by 2025 – nearly met (international students now compose 14% of overall student population).
Target markets
Vietnam, Thailand, South Korea, Africa, South America
International student population (2023)
35,100 (+11% y-o-y)
Japan
Council for the Creation of Future Education Goals
Priorities
Improve learning environments to attract promising foreign students
Send 500,000 Japanese students abroad by 2033
Develop a multinational labour market
Make it easier for foreign graduates of top 100 universities to immigrate
Streamline visa processes
International enrolment goal
400,000 by 2033.
Target markets
Not specified.
International student population (2023)
279,300 (+21% y-o-y)
Malaysia
Education Blueprint 2015–2025
Priorities
Claim position as an international education hub with a difference: values-driven and globally relevant education
Provide rich cultural experiences, balance of quality and affordability, and good quality of life
Reach new markets through innovative programmes and partnerships
Improve and streamline visa and immigration processes
Communicate niche strengths in academic and research expertise (e.g., Islamic banking and finance, and tropical-related science and technology)
International enrolment goal
250,000 by 2025.
Target markets
Iran, East Africa, China, India, Indonesia.
International student population (2023)
Over 170,000 (+30% over 2021)
South Korea
Study Korea 300K Project
Priorities
Expand scholarships for STEM students
Stimulate economy through foreign talent
Enhance global competitiveness of domestic universities and high-tech companies
Become a top 10 “study abroad powerhouse”
Increase Korea’s share of the global study abroad market from 2% to 3%
International enrolment goal
300,000 by 2027.
Target markets
China, Vietnam, Poland, UAE, India, Pakistan.
International student population (2023)
207,100 (+24% y-o-y)
New Zealand
International Education Strategy 2022–2030
Priorities
Diversify sending markets and products, services, and modes of delivery
Spread out international enrolments across regions
Prioritise student well-being and excellence of education
Commit to a sustainable sector that brings economic, social, and cultural benefits to the whole country
Retain talented international graduates
International enrolment goal
None specified.
Target markets
China, India, and intent to diversify further.
International student population (2023)
69,100 (+67% y-o-y)
United Kingdom
International Education Strategy to 2030 (2023 Progress Update)
Priorities
Increase education exports to £35 billion per year by 2030
Host 600,000 international students per year
Expand transnational education
Collect accurate and coherent data for the sector
Improve visa processes for students, including increased personalisation
International enrolment goal
600,000 by 2030 – met in 2020.
Target markets
China, Hong Kong, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, Latin America, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Following on from the strong growth reported by the sector in the 2021/22 academic year, the latest data release from Spain’s Ministerio de Universidades points to a new, record-high number of international students in Spanish universities in 2022/23.
The ministry says that there were 241,777 foreign students in Spain’s universities in 2022/23. That represents a nearly 8% year-over-year gain. It also adds up to an impressive 16% increase from a pre-pandemic base of 208,321 students in 2019/20.
The 2022/23 total includes 180,563 foreign students enrolled in degree programmes and another 61,214 exchange programme participants.
Top sending markets
The broad pattern in terms of the countries of origin for foreign students in Spanish higher education is largely the same in 2022/23 as it was the year before. European markets are well represented with Italy, France, Germany, and Romania comfortably in the top ten.
Outside of the European senders, Spanish-speaking markets also figure prominently, including Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and Chile. In fact, much of the year-over-year growth for 2022/23 appears to have been driven by a couple of key Spanish-language markets, notably Colombia and Mexico.
The top 40 sending markets for Spanish universities, 2021/22. Values shown include total student numbers by market, enrolment in academic exchange programmes (“programas de movilidad”) and degree enrolments (“de matricula ordinaria”). Source: Ministerio de Universidades
Following a flurry of announcements affecting international students throughout past year, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) provided two important updates in the final weeks of December 2024.
The first expands the list of college programmes for which graduates will be eligible to receive a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). The second provides clarification on how some students will be eligible for a grace period with respect to new rules about transferring from one institution to another within Canada.
Expanding the list of eligible college programmes
In October 2024, IRCC announced a new “field of study” requirement for graduates of college programmes, including degree programmes, explaining to students that, “If you graduated from a college programme, you must graduate in an eligible field of study in order to be eligible for a post-graduation work permit.”
The effective date for that new policy was 1 November 2024, meaning that students who had applied on or after that date would be bound by new rules, including the field of study requirement. Students who applied for or held a study permit prior to 1 November 2024 remained eligible for a PGWP under the previous rules.
IRCC also provided an initial listing of PGWP-eligible college programmes at the time. This amounted to 966 eligible academic programmes in five broad areas: agriculture and agri-food; healthcare; science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); skilled trade; and transportation.
The new development in this area occurred on 17 December 2024, at which point IRCC expanded the list of eligible programmes to include nearly 40 additional options in two new fields: early childhood education and developmental service workers.
A grace period for student transfers
On 15 November 2024, IRCC announced that, with immediate effect, students must apply for a new study permit when transferring to a new institution.
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There was some suggestion at the time, however, that students currently enrolled in Canada would benefit from a grace period before the new transfer rule would apply. In late-December, IRCC clarified the terms under which those cases would be handled.
The grace provisions apply to students who had previously been enrolled in Canada and had been accepted to continue their studies via transfer to a new institution for either the Winter (starting from 1 January 2025) or Spring (starting from 1 May 2025) semesters. IRCC otherwise requires that such students:
Have already applied for a study permit extension;
Have a student permit that doesn’t have the DLI name printed on it;
Otherwise be in compliance with all existing study permit conditions.
“If you meet these criteria,” IRCC concludes, “You can attend the new DLI you wanted to transfer to while your study permit extension is being processed.”
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) has released the findings of a December 2024 snapshot survey of 200 German universities. Based on those survey responses, DAAD projects that foreign enrolment in German higher education will reach 405,000 in the 2024/25 winter semester. That represents a nearly 10% increase year-over-year, and the greatest annual growth of the past decade.
The responding universities collectively account for 70% of Germany’s international enrolment, and DAAD summarises the survey data as follows: “Around 90% of universities report a stable or rising number of newly enrolled international students. Over half of the universities surveyed reported rising numbers, with a third reporting a sharp increase (10% or more). A further third reported no change, while a good 10% of universities reported a decline.”
The German agency notes that commencements were also up this year, by 7% overall and with notable gains in graduate student numbers in particular.
When asked to name the most important hurdles for foreign students in Germany, survey respondents said that visa policy and visa processing was the number one issue (83% of responding universities). This was closely followed by the availability of affordable housing (75%) and costs of study/costs of living in Germany (69%). “We urgently need more affordable accommodation for students from Germany and for international students,” said DAAD President Dr Joybrato Mukherjee. “This is also essential for the continued success of Germany as a centre of business and innovation.”
The need for expanded career supports and work opportunities for international students also came through in the survey results. As Dr Mukherjee explains: “German universities are demonstrably very attractive for international students. In times of an increasingly noticeable shortage of skilled workers, we should do more in science, business, and society to open up career prospects in Germany for young people who come here from all over the world to study.”
Even so, the German government, in collaboration with higher education institutions around the country, has introduced new labour force transition supports for foreign students within the past year. Those initiatives include a funding commitment of up to €120 million through 2028 in order to smooth the transition to work for foreign graduates.
Most recently, the government has also moved to double the number of hours per week that foreign students are allowed to work during their studies.
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DAAD will report in more detail on the final 2024/25 foreign enrolment data for Germany later this year.
After worrying international enrolment trends in 2024, UK universities look poised for a better year beginning with the January 2025 intake. That outlook is informed by some advance data from service providers such as the student recruitment platform Enroly and enrolment services specialist UniQuest.
According to reports in Times Higher Education, international student deposits made through Enroly for the January 2025 intake are 27% higher than last year, and issuances of acceptance letters are up 14%. This is uplifting news especially since student visa applications in the first three quarters of 2024 were down 16% compared with the previous year.
Separate data from UniQuest also confirms international students’ renewed interest in the UK. UniQuest reviewed more than 40,000 applications for the January 2025 intake and found that firm acceptances (i.e., students who have said a definite yes to their offers) are up by 31% over 2024. Indian acceptances grew by 11%, and Pakistani acceptances jumped by 91%.
UK gained at the end of a year where Canada and Australia struggled
A Fall 2024 ApplyBoard pulse survey conducted among international student counsellors in 40 countries offered an early indication of a rebound. In that survey, the UK emerged as the second most attractive destination after the US, ahead of Australia and Canada. Australia and Canada were in the news all year for their respective governments’ efforts to curb international student numbers.
ApplyBoard notes: “With student interest towards destinations like Canada and Australia falling, UK institutions—and specifically UK universities—have an opportunity to reverse year-over-year declines and make 2025 a year of growth.”
Speaking to The Guardian in September 2024, Professor Max Lu, vice-chancellor of the University of Surrey, said that UK universities were greatly benefitting from the welcoming tone set by education secretary Bridget Phillipson. Less than a month into her new role in the Labour government, Ms Phillipson delivered a speech in which she declared that international students were valuable contributors to the UK. Prof Su said:
“I’ve had feedback from our agents, in China, India and south and south-east Asian markets. All the agents’ feedback has been very positive, and it’s been very well received.
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I got a briefing from my director of admissions saying that international postgraduate conversion rates have gone up. I can pay a tribute to our secretary of state, Bridget Phillipson, because her message was widely publicised internationally, that international students are welcome, they contribute not only economically but also culturally and to diversity and everything else.”
Some source regions are up, some are down
According to the Enroly data, the rebound is being driven by students from East Africa (84% more deposits), West Africa (+27%), and South Asia (31%). Strong growth markets include Kenya, Nigeria, and Nepal. Deposits were down by over 30%, however, from students in the Middle East and East Asia.
In January 2024, the former Sunak government terminated international students’ ability to bring dependants if students are pursuing master’s-taught courses. It is likely no coincidence that in contrast to other types of programmes, deposits for master’s-taught courses are off slightly compared with last year. Otherwise, deposits were up 15% for postgraduate research programmes (which do allow dependants), and 7% for undergraduate programmes (which have never been tied to the ability to bring dependants).
Malaysia has always been a favoured Asian study abroad destination. Its appeal among international students is based on factors such as:
Highly ranked universities, including eight in the top 500 QS World University Rankings (2025).
Relatively low cost of living compared to other top destinations. For example, Malaysia has been estimated to be two-thirds less expensive to live in than the US and half as expensive as Canada and Ireland.
Affordable tuition fees. Annual tuition for an undergraduate degree is on average US$6,000.
Cultural and religious factors. Malaysia is a Muslim-majority nation, which is attractive to many aspiring Muslim students in top markets such as Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Egypt. In addition, it has many Chinese-speaking communities, which appeals to Chinese families, who became much more likely during the pandemic to prioritise safety, comfort, and proximity when looking at study abroad options.
The Malaysian government rarely releases tertiary enrolment data. However, it does publish information on foreign students’ applications to Malaysian institutions through its international education arm, Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS). While the volume of applications will not exactly match the number of enrolments, it is a good indicator of enrolment trends given that the visa approval rates are relatively high in Malaysia. One source has it that the visa approval rate is about 90%.
Applications volumes are trending upward, in line with Malaysia’s official goal of attracting 250,000 international students by 2025.
Asian and African countries dominate Top 10 sending markets
In 2023, all of Malaysia’s Top 10 markets were in Asia and Africa. Chinese students sent in the most applications by far: nearly 27,000 – and up from about 12,000 in 2019. Bangladesh was the fastest-growing source of students.
Top 10 largest sources of international student applications to Malaysian universities 2019–2023. Source: EMGS
EMGS has also released data on applications by region for the first three quarters of 2024. As you can see in the chart below, demand from East Asia is only getting stronger. Between Q2 and Q3 2024, the number of applications from East Asian students almost tripled, driven by interest from China.
Applications to Malaysian universities by world region, Q1-Q3 2024. Source: EMGS
Post-study work rights for students from certain countries
The Malaysian government has been selective in its post-study work policies for international students. Last year, students from 23 countries became eligible for the 12-month Graduate Pass. Those countries include Australia, the US, the UK, Germany, Japan, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, UAE, the UK, Germany, Switzerland, and Finland. These are not main senders of students to Malaysia but were selected based on the Malaysian government’s intention to pursue two-way internationalisation with the countries and institutions hosting the most Malaysian students.
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In 2024, some Indian and Chinese students were also offered the Graduate Pass subject to certain conditions. This policy was intended to last only until the end of 2024, but it has since been extended to the end of 2026.
The Graduate Pass appears to be attracting attention in target markets. Times Higher Education reports that “Malaysia’s share of global page views [on search platform Studyportals] has risen by about one-quarter this year, with particularly strong increases from the US, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.” We can also imagine that the Graduate Pass opportunity for Chinese students has factored into the sharp rise in applications from China in the past year.
Degree programmes dominate
International students tend to come to Malaysia to obtain degrees. Undergraduate degrees remain the most popular, but since 2019, there has been much more growth at the master’s and postgraduate levels, as shown below.
Distribution of new applications by level of study. Applications to master’s programmes have more than doubled since 2019, and they have nearly doubled for doctoral-level programmes. Source: EMGS
As shown below, the fields of social sciences, business, and law attract the most international students
Top fields of study for international students applying to Malaysian universities. Source: EMGS
Competitive opportunities
In 2024 it became crystal clear that many universities in the West (e.g., Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US) are ill prepared to cope with regulatory changes that challenge their ability to recruit international students.
In Canada, for example, international student tuition has been essential for tertiary institutions’ operations given chronic government underfunding, but the Canadian government is now actively working to curb international student numbers. Without additional funding, it is likely that many institutions – especially colleges, which are more affected by new immigration regulations – will struggle or even close in 2025.
By contrast, Asian destinations are picking up steam and investing more in both education and international student recruitment. Reporter Benjamin Laker, writing recently in Forbes, observes:
“As institutions in parts of the West continue to face [funding] challenges, higher education institutions across Asia are seizing opportunities to strengthen their competitiveness—a process that can be understood through the lens of economic theory, particularly competitive leapfrogging. This concept describes how organizations or nations strategically capitalize on gaps left by established leaders, not just to catch up but to surpass them by leveraging innovation, investment, and alignment with future trends.”
Asian institutions are ever more present in world university rankings, and Malaysia stands out as the country rising the fastest in the rankings. In the QS 2025 world rankings, 65% of Malaysia’s universities improved their position. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told Mr Laker that there is a strategy underpinning this success:
“Our goal is to create a pipeline of talent that meets industry demands while maintaining academic excellence. Investing in innovation is not just about economic gains—it is about positioning Malaysia as a hub for technological and intellectual leadership.”
Malaysia’s astute recognition of “academic power”
In his Forbes article, Mr Laker concludes:
“By adopting forward-looking strategies, [Malaysian institutions] are effectively ‘leapfrogging’ traditional limitations and reshaping the balance of academic power. The implications of this shift are profound, with potential impacts on global talent flows, research funding, and the distribution of academic influence for years to come.”
For readers interested in a comprehensive outline of visa processes, fees, cost-of-living, and more in Malaysia, this article – targeted mainly at Indian students and published in 2023 – is quite helpful.
