New Report Forecasts How to Navigate Global Student Mobility in 2025
ApplyBoard’s fourth annual trends report reveals significant shifts in student destination preferences and the growing impact of AI on international education
KITCHENER, Ontario, Canada, November 2024 — ApplyBoard, the leading international student mobility technology platform, today released its fourth annual trends report, examining the transformative changes reshaping international education. The report, “Navigating Global Student Mobility: Top Trends in International Education for 2025 and Beyond,” provides crucial insights into how policy changes, emerging destination markets, and technological innovation are creating new opportunities and challenges across the sector.
The report reveals significant changes in international student flows in 2024, even as global student mobility remains strong. Comprehensive analysis of government and proprietary data, surveys, and sector forecasting shows that many traditional English-speaking destinations are experiencing notable declines in student demand while alternative destinations gain momentum. This shift comes as major policy changes in Canada, Australia, and the UK have led to reduced student visa application volumes in 2024, with further declines predicted in 2025.
“The international education sector is experiencing its most significant transformation in decades,” says Meti Basiri, Co-Founder and CEO, ApplyBoard. “Students remain eager to pursue international education, but they’re becoming more strategic in their choices. In 2025, we anticipate students will actively seek destinations that offer the complete package: quality education, affordability, and strong career opportunities. Understanding these shifting preferences is crucial as institutions and governments adapt their strategies to meet evolving student needs.”
Key findings from the report include:
- Major policy changes in traditional study destinations are reshaping global student mobility patterns, with Germany, France, and other European countries emerging as attractive alternatives to the “Big Four” (Canada, US, UK, and Australia)
- Countries with high outbound student populations are investing heavily in becoming destinations themselves, with countries like India expanding education loan programs and developing permanent residency pathways
- Demographic changes in Australia, Canada, the US, and the UK are creating critical workforce gaps that international students are positioned to fill, with healthcare and social service employment projected to grow by over 7% by 2035 as domestic populations reach retirement
- International students are powerful drivers of innovation and economic growth: 60% of UK university startups were founded by former international students in 2020, while in the US, international student founders have launched 143 billion-dollar startups, each creating an average of 860 new jobs
- Technology is reshaping student success, with AI-driven solutions increasing accessibility, improving student outcomes, and streamlining application processes; 57% of students cite visa processing times—which AI can help optimize—as a key factor in choosing where to study
“As the sector evolves, our collective success will depend on new technologies that provide students with tailored pathways connecting study programs to employment outcomes, without increasing demands on institutions,” continues Basiri. “At ApplyBoard, we’re committed to providing the insights and tools needed to navigate this new era successfully and unlock the potential of every aspiring mind.”
Learn what’s next for international education in ApplyBoard’s 2025 Trends Report.
About ApplyBoard
ApplyBoard has empowered more than 1 million students from over 150 countries to access global education since 2015. Driven by its mission to unlock the potential of every aspiring mind, ApplyBoard simplifies the international education journey by connecting students to over 1,500 institutions across Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Ireland. With more than 300 published ApplyInsights articles and four annual trends reports, ApplyBoard provides sector-leading analysis on the state of global education. To learn more, visit www.applyboard.com.
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For more information, contact:
Brooke Kelly
Manager, Public Relations
ApplyBoard
brooke.kelly@applyboard.com
