Over the past few years, millions of different students have used the ApplyBoard platform to search for international study programs.1 For many of these students, searching for programs in Australia, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States on our platform is one of the first steps in their study abroad journey. This proprietary search data gives us a leading indicator of changing student preferences, empowering us to help students achieve their education and career goals.
Today, we’re examining how international students’ program searches for Canada, the US, and the UK shifted in 2024. Last year was a tumultuous time for unprecedented policy changes, and shifting policies can have a major impact on student program preferences. Discover how these student preferences adapted in 2024 and how institutions could adjust for 2025.
Key Insights at a Glance
- ApplyBoard platform search data shows that in 2024, the proportion of searches for Canadian health fields jumped over four percentage points compared to the previous year.
- Science programs accounted for nearly 21% of all US-centric searches in 2024, higher than any of our other destinations.
- STEM fields surpassed business programs as the top category of interest for the UK in 2024.2
What Canadian Fields of Study did International Students Search for in 2024?
In 2024, shifting student interests reshaped program demand in Canada. While policy changes influenced overall student mobility, key international student populations showed strong engagement with programs that align with Canada’s long-term workforce needs. This contributed to notable growth in search volumes for health fields, as well as continued interest in engineering and technology and sciences fields.
Here’s how student searches evolved across different fields this year:
The proportion of searches for Canadian health programs jumped over four percentage points in 2024, compared to the previous year. More students entering health fields would be a tremendous boon to the country’s national wellbeing, as the shortage of doctors and nurses in Canada is expected to reach 78,000 and 117,600, respectively, by 2031.
This rising interest in health programs was reflected across many of Canada’s largest international student populations in 2024. For Indian students, 17% searched for programs in this field, up from 13% the year before. The share of Ghanaian and Nigerian students exploring health programs also rose, reaching 21% and 20%, respectively—both increasing by five percentage points. Meanwhile, strong demand continued among Filipino students (22%), while interest among Brazilian (14%) and Sri Lankan (10%) students nearly doubled year-over-year.
How Student Interest Shifted Across Canadian Fields of Study
The growing interest in health fields, along with a two percentage point rise in searches for law and other social-focused programs, led to a smaller share of searches for business, engineering and technology, and sciences compared to 2023. However, as demand for STEM talent continues to drive workforce needs, many student populations have increased their interest in engineering and technology and the sciences—highlighting ongoing opportunities for institutions to attract top talent in these fields:
More than 20% of Bangladeshi, Brazilian, Chinese, Mexican, and Nepalese students searching for Canadian programs did so for the engineering and technology field. The field was even more popular among Colombian and Sri Lankan students, accounting for nearly one in four searches.
Canadian science programs also attracted growing interest from several key student populations in 2024. Brazilian and Filipino students doubled their share of searches compared to 2023, reaching 14% and 10%, respectively. Over 20% of Bangladeshi students explored this field, making them one of the cohorts most engaged with Canadian sciences. Interest also grew among Chinese, Colombian, Mexican, Nepalese, and Sri Lankan students, with searches for Canadian science programs rising by at least three percentage points in each group.
These trends signal an opportunity for Canadian institutions to attract more international students in high-demand fields. Highlighting career pathways, research opportunities, and work-integrated learning in health, engineering and technology, and the sciences can help institutions align with student interests and workforce needs.
What US Fields of Study did International Students Search for in 2024?
Unique search volume for the United States on the ApplyBoard platform doubled in 2024, compared to 2023. These gains were unsurprising, as the US saw the largest increase in positive global news sentiment about the four major Anglophone destinations during this period. Yet, even with this surge in interest, the distribution of searches across fields of study remained largely stable compared to previous years:
The biggest shift was in engineering and technology, where the share of searches fell by nearly three percentage points. Those searches generally went to health fields, which were up by over two percentage points, and social-related fields, up nearly one percentage point.
Sciences accounted for nearly 21% of all US-centric searches in 2024, higher than any of our other destinations. This reflects the US’s long-established reputation as a hub for STEM-related studies.
In 2023/24, over 70% of students from India, Iran, Bangladesh, and Nepal enrolled in the US pursued STEM opportunities.
Field of Study Search Trends Among US-Bound Students
Search interest from students in Bangladesh, Ghana, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka doubled in 2024 compared to the previous year. On top of that, Pakistani searches for US programs tripled while Nepalese searches quadrupled. The graphic below breaks down what fields of study some of the US’ largest student populations were searching for in 2024:
Health fields saw the highest interest from students from Nigeria (20%), Ghana (20%), and India (13%). In fact, this field’s share of searches from Nigerian and Ghanaian students rose seven and five percentage points compared to the previous year. Additionally, the share of searches for health fields increased for eight of the nine student populations in 2024, compared to the previous year.
The sciences were a key focus across all nine student populations, accounting for at least 15% of searches in each group. Students from Nepal (22%), Pakistan (22%), and India (21%) led the way with the highest share of science searches. Other notable trends include shifts in Brazilian student interests, where the proportion of science searches doubled from 2023, and Iranian program preferences, where one in four searches were also for the sciences field.
Despite its slight overall decline in student interest, engineering and technology remained a top choice for many international students. Sri Lankan (29%), Pakistani (24%), and Bangladeshi (23%) students showed the highest levels of interest in this field, though at least 17% of the remaining six key populations also searched for engineering and technology programs.
As international student interest in STEM fields remains strong and demand for health programs grows, US institutions have an opportunity to reinforce their strengths in these areas. Strengthening industry partnerships, expanding hands-on learning experiences, and supporting post-graduation employment pathways can help attract and retain top international talent.
In the US, STEM occupations have a median annual wage more than double that of non-STEM roles, making this field a highly attractive pathway for international students.
What UK Fields of Study did International Students Search for in 2024?
After tightening rules on international student dependants in 2023, the UK saw a significant pullback from international students in 2024—applications declined by 14% year-over-year, while dependant applications dropped by 84%.3 The good news for the sector is that early signs point to positive momentum in 2025, with higher acceptance letter issuances and international student deposits for the January intake compared to 2024.
Our search trends reinforce these early signs: interest in UK courses jumped 25% in 2024 vs. 2023. With search behaviour often signaling future application trends, this surge suggests the UK’s positive momentum in early 2025 could continue throughout the year. Beyond this overall growth, shifting field-of-study preferences highlight how international applicants are adapting to the UK’s changing landscape:
As with searches for courses in Canada and the US, health fields saw the largest increase among UK searches, climbing nearly four percentage points to 12.8% of all searches. This growing interest aligns with the UK’s expanding healthcare sector, which is projected to add 349,000 jobs by 2035, growing 7% from 2025. Likewise, the information technology sector is expected to grow 8% over the next decade, which aligns with shifting student preferences—ApplyBoard platform data shows engineering and technology accounted for 17% of searches in 2024, up two percentage points year-over-year.
Interest in the sciences also expanded, rising from 13% in 2023 to 16% in 2024. Alongside the gains in health and engineering and technology, this shift underscores how international student priorities are increasingly aligning with long-term global workforce demands.
How International Students are Navigating UK Study Fields
This alignment comes at a time when interest in UK courses is rising. Interest in UK programs grew significantly among several key student populations in 2024, with searches from students in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Ghana, and Saudi Arabia doubling year-over-year. Meanwhile, student searches from Nigeria and Pakistan saw substantial gains, rising 66% and 40%, respectively. However, searches from Nepalese students experienced the most dramatic increase, with searches tripling compared to 2023.
Further supporting the possibility that the UK’s positive momentum in January 2025 will continue throughout the year, searches from most key student demographics reached an all-time monthly high in either December 2024 or January 2025.
The graphic below illustrates how major student populations explored different fields of study in the UK on the ApplyBoard platform last year:
Student interest in health fields was strongest among Ghanaian (22%), Nigerian (20%), and Saudi Arabian students (16%). Compared to the previous year, the share of searches for this field rose by six percentage points among Ghanaian students and five percentage points among Nigerian students. Additionally, the proportion of health searches among Sri Lankan students doubled over this period.
By comparison, the sciences were a priority across all nine student populations, making up at least 14% of UK course searches. Students from Pakistan (18%), Saudi Arabia (18%), and Bangladesh (16%) had the highest proportion of science-related searches. Notably, seven of the nine key student populations devoted a greater share of their searches to the sciences in 2024 than in the previous year
Engineering and technology also accounted for at least 14% of searches among these major student populations although Sri Lankan (29%), Saudi Arabian (26%), and Chinese (23%) students showed the highest engagement in this field. Additionally, eight of the nine key student populations allocated a larger share of their searches to engineering and technology in 2024. As student interest in UK programs continues to grow, institutions can strengthen their appeal by aligning program offerings with evolving student priorities and workforce needs.
Leveraging ApplyBoard to Help Drive Your Institution’s Strategic Student Recruitment
Search trends provide valuable insight into what future international students are prioritizing in their study journey. By analyzing these patterns, institutions and stakeholders can better anticipate shifts in demand, allocate resources effectively, and align programs with emerging workforce needs. What fields are drawing the most interest? Which destinations are gaining traction? How are students adjusting their choices based on evolving policies and job market opportunities? Understanding these trends is essential for building a strong, future-focused international recruitment strategy.
ApplyBoard’s platform empowers institutions to reach and engage diverse student populations worldwide. With real-time data, deep market insights, and an expansive recruitment network, we help institutions adapt to shifting student preferences, diversify their applicant pools, and connect with high-intent students looking for the right program. As demand continues to evolve, leveraging ApplyBoard’s expertise can ensure your institution stays ahead of the curve—attracting the right students, in the right fields, at the right time.
Reach out to our Partner Relations Team to take your recruitment strategies to the next level of quality, efficiency, and control.
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FOOTNOTES:
1. In the past, ApplyBoard platform search data was generated based on button clicks on a page, while the new search data is generated by any changes made to the page’s filters (destination, field of study, etc.) As a result, the new search count, if tallied using the previous search data approach, would be significantly inflated compared to the original search count. To make the search counts more comparable, we changed our methodology as of August 2024 to use unique entries per user within each hour.
2. When including engineering and technology, sciences, and health studies.
3. The PIE, International applications to the UK dip in 2024. January 2025.
