• Anxious, including about AI’s impact on their career;
• Considering a wider range of study abroad options, and carefully evaluating risk and reward.

The survey for the report was completed by 870 education agents across 64 countries in May 2026.

What are the issues?

The last time international students felt this stressed about their education was arguably during the COVID-19 pandemic. Study plans were disrupted; isolation was the norm; and worries about personal health and family members’ health was intense.

Students’ concerns are different today. Many of them stem from an uncertainty about how to make wise decisions about what to study and where to study.

Surveyed agents said that students are most concerned about (1) the risk of sudden changes to visa rules and (2) cost of living pressures. Agents have to advise students about whether a Big Four destination (i.e., Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US) has changed its immigration settings yet again.

The continued narrowing of visa and immigration rights – with new rules often announced without warning – provides ample evidence that there is more risk to choosing these destinations than in the past.

Significant proportions of agents also said that students are worried about safety and security, exchange rate volatility, risk of travel disruption, increased cost of air travel, breakdown in country-to-country relations, and rising fuel and energy costs.

Students need more support

More than half of agents said that compared with 12 months ago, students are more likely to face financial strain (54%), need more academic support (78%), and need more mental and social support (82%). All of these percentages increased markedly since the previous survey in 2025.

A growing body of US, UK, and global shows that large proportions of youth believe that AI is a threat to their job prospects. This is reinforced in the Navitas survey: 75% of agents said that students are concerned about the impact of AI on their careers.

Visa acceptance rates are deterring even the strongest students

In emerging markets, students are well aware that visa rejection rates are high in the Big Four. Agents said this awareness is reducing applications even from top students with a good chance of being approved (80%). Another 76% said that students with strong academic and financial profiles are more likely to choose alternative destinations with higher visa certainty.

Increased interest in alternative destinations, more questions about the value of study abroad

International students are reacting in a variety of ways to the more uncertain climate around study abroad and to affordability pressures:

• 82% of agents said applicants are applying to more destination countries than in the past;
• 85% said they are applying to more institutions within each destination country;
• 77% said they are increasingly applying to study in alternative destinations;
• 72% said they are more likely to have a back-up plan to study in their home country;
• And 68% said that they are more likely to give up on study abroad due to lack of affordability

Study at home is increasingly an option

Close to half of agents said that there is now a perception that universities or branch campuses in their country are providing an equal quality of education as institutions overseas. Among students who decide to stay home, affordability is by far the top reason (87%).

Destination trends

Perceptions of top anglophone destinations have stabilised for Australia, picked up for Canada, and are continuing to slide in the UK. New Zealand is by far outperforming the Big Four in terms of positive perceptions, while the US has the poorest image.

AI is not displacing agents

AI may be changing the nature of student–agent interactions, but it is not substituting for agents’ skills and human assistance. Students are consulting AI when researching study abroad and then going to agents to validate/interpret the information. Over 4 in 10 agents said that students are relying on them more despite AI, and 3 in 10 said there has been no change.

In the foreword to the survey report, Scott Jones, group CEO of Navitas, contextualised the findings and the importance of hearing from agents:

“Once again, the results offer compelling data that both confirms the behaviours we are seeing, and sheds light on how the international education landscape continues to evolve in the current economic and geopolitical environment.”

There is clearly a new competitive advantage for destinations and institutions that can access it: certainty. Communicating stable visa policies, strong student supports, programme strengths, and in-study and post-study work opportunities can go a long way toward emphasising this advantage.

For additional background, please see:

• “91ɬ��Podcast: Student flows are shifting. Are agencies following suit?”
• “Visa delays and policy uncertainty projected to reduce foreign enrolment in the US by more than 100,000 students this fall”

The post Global agent survey reveals international students’ top concerns are visa uncertainty and affordability appeared first on 91ɬ��Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

The Brazilian Educational & Language Travel Association (BELTA) administered two online surveys from February to April of 2026. Respondents to the first survey included over 2,200 students from all over Brazil who had already studied abroad or who were interested in doing so. The second survey included representatives in various positions at 74 education agencies. More than half of agents were owners of their business.

Study abroad is common, especially for short programmes

Most surveyed Brazilian students had already had at least one international education-related experience (85%). Top languages for study are English (68%), with Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German rounding out the top five.

Nearly half of respondents studied abroad for less than three months (49%), while 26% were in exchanges of four–seven months and 24% were abroad for more than eight months.

Demand is strong, especially for language learning

91ɬ�� 70% of students are interested in going abroad to study in the future. 91ɬ�� 4 in 10 are planning to go in the first or second semester of 2027, while another 3 in 10 are aiming for 2028 or later.

The preferred programme type for Brazilian students is language learning (46%), especially when a language course allows for temporary work (26%). 91ɬ�� a quarter are interested in degree studies, with equal interest for postgraduate and undergraduate levels.

How students research and organise study abroad

The main channel on which students research study abroad options is Instagram (24%), with smaller percentages choosing YouTube, Facebook, or TikTok.

In terms of in-person resources, students turn first to agents (15%) followed by education fairs (9%).

When selecting an agency, students are first and foremost looking for someone who can help them find trustworthy study abroad experiences (22%). Students also value agents being easy to contact (16%), offering personalised service (13%), and being compatible with their budget (11%).

Most agents place language students and high school students

The top five programme types that surveyed agents place students into are language courses, summer/winter holiday courses for teens, high school exchanges, language courses with a work component, and shorter sub-degree programmes. Undergraduate and graduate programmes followed in sixth and seventh place, respectively.

Agents said that most students aren’t just interested in studying: they want to travel, work, learn a new language, and experience a different culture. A primary goal of obtaining an international qualification or career is less common.

Traditional destinations are still the most popular

Agents put Canada, the US, the UK, Ireland, and Malta as the top five destinations for students, which makes sense given that English remains the preferred language to study. Spain is also popular among the significant segment of students looking to study in Spanish.

The mood is optimistic

Most surveyed agents had a good year in 2025. More than half of agents (53%) said they sent more students abroad than in 2024. Another 17% sent about the same number, while 30% sent fewer. The average growth in placements from 2024 to 2025 was 9.5%.

Close to three-quarters (73%) of agents expect to send more students in 2026, a far greater proportion than those who expect the same or lower volume (17% and 10%, respectively).

“We see the Brazilizian market remaining strong and mature, selling all programmes and all destinations with good numbers,” says BELTA President Alexandre Argenta. “Higher education programmes look like the programmes with more increasing figures than before.”

But much will depend on certain factors

Agents said that currency fluctuations can either make a deal … or break it. A favourable final currency exchange rate was the most cited reason for a sale, and a currency devaluation was the main reason for a sale being made difficult or impossible.

Affordability is overall a major issue for students. Alongside currency devaluation, a reduction in a student’s purchasing power, an exchange rate increase, an increase in the cost of living in a destination country, and an increase in flight costs are all among the top 10 factors that can persuade a student not to follow through on a placement.

The economic impact of the Middle East conflict on Brazil’s economy

The Brazilian real has recently weakened against the US dollar amidst ongoing fighting between the US-Isreal against Iran-Hezbollah in the Middle East. If this currency devaluation persists, it will naturally be more difficult for Brazilian students to go abroad in 2027.

Other economic impacts of the widespread Middle Eastern conflict on Brazil are both positive and negative. Brazil’s crude oil exports are increasing, especially to China and India, as the Strait of Hormuz remains a dangerous crossing for Gulf-based oil companies. Additional oil revenue is helping the Brazilian government to minimise the conflict’s impact on domestic food and fuel prices.

However, Brazil also imports 25% of its diesel, and it is the world’s biggest importer of fertilizers. Most of these imports come from Gulf countries through the Strait of Hormuz. With diesel imports restricted, transportation and airfare costs are rising. With fertilizer imports limited, two of Brazil’s top exports – soybeans and meat – are in jeopardy. 

In Brazil, as in most other countries, the Strait’s reopening cannot come soon enough.

Even so, Mr Argenta adds that, “Our currency is about 5% stronger this first semester comparing to the average exchange rates in 2025. We may see some devaluation in the second semester mainly due to our Presidential election, which usually bring some friction to the market, but economic expecations are similar to last year, so this should not affect much our market in 2026.”

For additional background, please see:

• “Market snapshot: A guide to international student recruitment in Brazil”
• “Brazilian agents reporting strong growth this year with many exceeding pre-pandemic volumes”

The post Brazil: New surveys show strong, but price-sensitive, demand for study abroad appeared first on 91ɬ��Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

The data comes from the JAOS Research Institute and is based on a survey in 2025 of 41 of its members. Unlike data from Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) and the Japanese government (MEXT), which focuses primarily on degree-seeking and/or exchange students, JAOS’s survey broadens the focus to include working professionals and K-12 students. In doing so, it rounds out the JASSO and MEXT numbers for a comprehensive understanding of Japanese student mobility.

The government target for outbound mobility is to have 500,000 Japanese students studying abroad by 2033. There has been progress towards this goal, and group-based educational travel – versus individual travel – is the main reason for this.

Group travel is on the rise, individual outbound is down

Collectively, the 41 service providers surveyed sent 168,930 students abroad in 2025, of whom 138,420 went for “Overseas Educational Travel” (e.g., group tours and study trips). The remainder (30,510) opted for going abroad on their own to study in a language school, participate in a working holiday, or pursue a degree.

Two trends emerged in 2025: educational travel is becoming a more popular option in Japan (82% of the market), while significantly fewer students are going abroad for individual studies (-43.5% in 2025 compared with 2024).

This decline, says JAOS, is largely due to two reasons:

• Students no longer have to study abroad to learn English. This has turned into an option rather than a need because the International Baccalaureate (IB) as well as Cambridge International programmes are now widely available in Japanese schools.

• Dual diploma programmes and foundation courses are now common in the country, and so students can prepare for foreign degrees at home before travelling abroad.

JAOS notes: “These options have turned study abroad into a diverse path rather than a simple binary choice of ‘going or staying.’

A younger crowd

Students from junior high schools, high schools, and local governments made up 85% of the education travel segment for JAOS member schools in 2025, with the remainder from universities and vocational schools.

Top destinations overall

Australia is the favoured destination, followed by Taiwan and the US (Chart 1). Significant numbers of students also travel to Singapore, the UK, Canada, the Philippines, New Zealand, South Korea, and Malaysia.

Of Australia’s draw, JAOS says:

“Australia’s popularity is attributed to the widespread availability of Japanese language education and a school calendar that aligns well with Japanese travel seasons. It is also viewed as a stable and safe English-speaking alternative to the USA amidst policy uncertainties and safety concerns.”

The survey also found rising interest in Asian destinations including Taiwan, Singapore, Philippines, and Malaysia. Reasons for this, says JAOS, include “proximity, lower costs, and the availability of English-taught programmes at international branch campuses.” The association adds that students are aware of tightened international student policies in Canada and Australia and of the anti-immigration rhetoric of the current US administration. These conditions are also propelling Asia’s rise in popularity among Japanese students.

Destination preferences across different market segments

For educational travel, there are distinct preferences depending on students’ age (Chart 2). Among younger students – a much larger sample segment than university/vocational students – Taiwan and Australia are where the largest numbers study. University and vocational students are more spread out across destinations for educational travel, with Australia, the UK, and US in the top three positions

As for Japanese students going abroad on their own (Chart 3), most are language students (65%) who enrol in programmes of under three months. The next-largest segment (16%) is also language-focused, but for studies lasting for longer than three months. Just under 9% are high-school students.

New Zealand is the main draw for junior high and high-school students participating in private or exchange programmes rather than language-specific programmes, commanding 54.5% of this niche market. Canada and Australia round out the top three, and JAOS says all three countries have good reputations for providing strong student supports – which is of course very important for younger students.

Other factors influencing Japanese student mobility

Affordability is ever-more a concern in Japan. The yen has been weak against the US dollar for months, making travel to many destinations more expensive. And, as in Europe, Japan is facing inflationary pressures due to the US–Israel/Iran war and its effect on oil supply and prices. Costs are rising, household purchasing power is eroding, and consumer confidence is fragile. More affordable Asian and EU destinations are increasingly appealing in this context.

Students also have more reason than ever to remain in Japan for university studies. Japan has an exceptionally low youth unemployment rate (3.9% in 2025), thanks in large part to its rapidly ageing population. This demographic shift is the main reason that young Japanese have excellent job prospects right out of university, in contrast to recent graduates in many other countries. There are widespread skills shortages across the Japanese economy, creating a strong position for young Japanese graduates to not only to land a desirable job, but also to negotiate salaries and positions.

Despite these trends, there is enduring motivation for Japanese students to go abroad both for English-language and degree studies. Speaking with the last year, Tatsuhiko Hoshino, an international relations officer at (JAOS) said:

“Many Japanese people feel both admiration and a sense of inferiority when it comes to acquiring English proficiency. They keenly recognize that studying English domestically does not sufficiently build their language skills, and as a result, they are strongly motivated to improve their English through studying abroad.”

This suggests that if Japanese students have the option of study abroad for English in particular, they prefer this to study at home. But price sensitivity is increasing due to foreign currency issues and the conflict in the Middle East. Understanding which prospects have become more influenced by the costs of studying and living abroad will be key to remaining competitive in Japan.

For additional background, please see:

• “Japan surpassed its foreign enrolment target of 400,000 in 2025”
• “Japanese outbound numbers reached 90% of pre-pandemic levels in 2024”

The post Japan: Greater availability of in-country English programmes is exerting some downward pressure on outbound mobility appeared first on 91ɬ��Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

The survey gathered responses from 211 international buyers and agents responsible for organising youth group travel to the UK, including school groups, educational tours, and language programmes. Just over half (54%) of the responding buyers and agents were located in Europe, with the balance based in non-European “long-haul markets.”

Half of the respondents reported that demand for group travel to the UK is weaker than in 2025, with a similar proportion (56%) indicating that the UK is now harder to sell than in the past. Nearly four in ten (37%) expect bookings to decline in 2026 with only 12% reporting stronger demand relative to 2025.

“While demand has not disappeared,” BETA adds, “the data suggests that conversion is being constrained by a combination of cost pressures and access barriers.”

The respondents referred to rising accommodation, transport, and programme fees in particular, alongside less favourable exchange rates against the British pound. They noted as well the increased administrative burden for schools and group travel organisers, particularly the friction introduced by requirements for visas, electronic travel authorisations (ETAs), and passports in the post-Brexit marketplace.

“Teachers are filling in tons of lists and doing too much paperwork,” said one respondent. “Organising school trips is becoming more time-consuming and complex than it needs to be,” added another.

At the same time, competition is increasing from other destinations in Europe where, in the words of one survey participant, “EU competitors are much cheaper with less strict entry requirements. Another said: “We are losing groups to destinations that are easier to access and more affordable.”

Finally, the survey observed an apparent impact from world events. As BETA explains, “Among responses received before late February, 45% reported weaker demand for 2026. This rose to 55% among those responding after the escalation of geopolitical tensions, indicating a clear impact on confidence and booking behaviour.”

The survey results also point to levers that would boost the UK’s attractiveness for international youth travel: greater price certainty or improved affordability for group bookings and especially streamlined visa and entry processes and a reduced administrative burden generally.

“What this data shows very clearly is that demand for the UK is still there, but it is becoming harder to convert that demand into bookings,” said BETA Executive Director Emma English. “International partners are telling us they are facing increasing challenges around cost, complexity and confidence.”

“This is a highly organised, group-based market, and small changes in policy or process can have a significant impact on whether a trip goes ahead or not. If we want to remain competitive internationally, we need to ensure the UK is as accessible, affordable and easy to navigate as possible for schools, students and the organisations that support them.”

The significance of that outlook is underscored by ongoing reporting from English UK, which makes it very clear that youth group travel plays a significant role in the ELT sector.

In the most recent full-year reporting (2024), junior students accounted for 62% of English language course enrolments in the UK, and 33% of all student weeks.

For additional background, please see:

• “UK ELT reports challenging enrolment trends continued through last quarter of 2025“
• “Economic impact of UK ELT estimated at nearly £2 billion“
• “UK ELT reports a decline in student weeks for 2024“

The post Survey finds “growing pressure” on youth group travel to UK this year appeared first on 91ɬ��Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

But agent use is rare in the ascending study abroad destination of Japan. The number of international students in the country increased by to 435,200 in 2025, up +8.2% over 2024. The jump was driven by a record number of student commencements, and it means that Japan has already surpassed its target of 400,000 international enrolments by 2033.

This growth inspired 91ɬ��to participate in a study on Global Agency Perspectives on Japan. ICEF’s Martijn van de Veen and Megumi Kawai co-authored the study with Shigetoshi Akamatsu, International Officer at Waseda University, and with Dr Hiroshi Ota, Professor at Hitotsubashi University as a senior advisor. The team gathered survey responses from more than 300 agencies from 68 countries through the first quarter of 2026 and found that 79% of responding agencies have never formally partnered with a Japanese university.

Unlike in the Big Four, there is a murkier understanding in Japan of what agents are and what they can do. Agents are often seen as “brokers” responsible for transactions rather than services – an understanding that would apply to a mere fraction of agents worldwide.

Dr Hiroshi Ota offers an important correction on this point:

“There is a persistent misconception in Japan that agencies are merely ‘brokers.’ In reality, professional, accredited agencies act as highly experienced education consultants that are essential for sustainable growth.”

An “indispensable” asset

A found that 92% of more than 500 colleges and universities surveyed across North America, Australia, and the UK consider agents “indispensable for recruiting international students.”

The Global Agency Perspectives on Japan survey illuminates why this is the case. Of the agents surveyed:

• 97% manage application and admission support;
• 95% provide students with initial counseling and career guidance;
• 92% handle visa and pre-departure briefings (one of the most complex hurdles for students entering Japan);
• 90% actively promote their partner schools and institutions on social media;
• 70% represent their universities at international student fairs.

These are all crucial components of moving prospective international students from awareness to enrolment.

Agents want to work with Japanese partners

The Global Agency Perspectives on Japan survey found great interest among agents to work with Japanese universities (a score of 4.4 out of a possible 5 for “very high” interest).

For Japanese higher education institutions, this strong demand on the part of agents provides potential access to an immediate global footprint that would otherwise take years to build.

When asked what they thought were main barriers that could prevent students from considering study in Japan, the consensus was lack of awareness about what Japan offers. Three-quarters (75%) cited “lack of awareness/brand recognition of Japanese universities,” and the same proportion cited a “perception that programmes are not taught in English.” More than half (52%) pointed to “lack of information and marketing materials from universities.” These three reasons were much more frequently mentioned than other concerns that are less solvable, such as competitiveness from other destinations (38%), limited post-study work opportunities (31%), and difficult visa procedures (29%).

Said one respondent, “The main reason [for not working with Japanese partners] is that we didn’t have enough information about Japanese universities, particularly the selection process for African students.”

“Our focus has previously been on other destination markets, and we are now preparing to expand into Japan,” said another.

Responding agents were also quick to point out Japan’s strengths as a study destination, noting especially Japan’s reputation for technology innovation, the quality of Japanese education, career opportunities for foreign graduates, and the relative affordability of study in Japan.

As one respondent said, “Japan’s biggest advantage isn’t just culture or technology – it’s that Japanese education is directly linked to real job opportunities in high-growth industries.” Another agent added that, “Japan’s single greatest selling point is its unmatched combination of world-class technology and engineering education and extremely affordable study and living costs compared to other top destinations.”

Why Japan is expanding and diversifying its international enrolment

While Japan’s aging population is a significant concern, the crisis facing higher education is even more acute: the number of 18-year-olds has already halved from its 1991 peak of 2.07 million to just 1.06 million in 2024.

With this demographic projected to fall to 0.88 million by 2040, Japan must attract international talent at an unprecedented scale – not just to fill classrooms, but to create a pipeline of skilled graduates who can join the local workforce and support the government’s broader economic goals.

Currently, Japanese universities are heavily reliant on China, Nepal, Vietnam, South Korea, and Myanmar. These five countries contribute nearly 80% of Japan’s international student body. To diversify beyond these markets and to attract top researchers from advanced economies, Japan needs prospective students to understand that there are:

• Many English-taught programmes offered by leading Japanese universities;
• Newly improved Japanese-language supports for foreign students and workers to better integrate them into society and the economy.

This is especially urgent given the increasingly competitive marketplace for international student recruitment and as Japan is now working hard to attract the world’s best students, alongside other top Asian competitors such as China, Malaysia, and South Korea.

For additional background, please see:

• “Japan surpassed its foreign enrolment target of 400,000 in 2025”
• “From the Big Four to the Big Fourteen“
• “Canada and the US are losing international student enrolments to Europe and Asia“
• “Asia ‘consolidating as the leading destination region’ for international students“

The post Study finds strong agent interest in partnering with Japanese universities appeared first on 91ɬ��Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

The survey, conducted between April and September 2025, collected responses from 1,225 agents across 113 countries.

Students continue to look into alternative destinations

Students’ interest in destinations outside the “Big Four” continues to grow. Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US remain the most popular, but they are losing share of students’ interest. More than half of agents reported declining interest in Canada, and just under half said the same about the US. As you can see in the chart below, demand fell the most severely for the US between 2024 and 2025.

By contrast, agents reported increased interest for several other countries including Spain, Germany, Malaysia, China, and Japan.

Employment opportunities heighten interest

Study abroad is a major financial investment, and as such, families look carefully at the relative return on investment that different destinations, institutions, and programmes offer students as a result of:

• Prestigious degrees;
• In-demand skills;
• In-study work placements/co-op opportunities;
• Post-study work rights and pathways.

In essence, these are the benefits that can offset or surpass the cost of study in given destinations, highlighting the deep connection between a destination or institution’s attractiveness and its work opportunities.

The Agent Voice survey confirms that work rights are a major influence on decision-making about study abroad. On a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 signified “not important” and 10 signified “crucial,” the average across agent responses was 7.56.

This bodes well for those destinations that provide clear and generous pathways to employment. The survey report notes:

“Several destinations have moved aggressively to promote their own in-study and post-study work options. New Zealand and a number of European countries have expanded or more effectively highlighted the support they offer to international students seeking work experience. As confidence in the “Big Four” becomes more fragile, these clearer and more predictable employment pathways strengthen the competitive position of emerging destinations.”

On that point, policies on international students working during and after study have become more confusing and/or restrictive in the UK and US over the past year. For example:

• The UK government announced it will reduce the Graduate Route to 18 months at the undergraduate and master’s levels beginning in 2027, and it is also actively considering whether to include the increasingly popular research master’s category in its Dependants Ban.

• In the US, the Trump administration has been scrutinising the H-1B pathway to employment for international graduates and increasing its ability to who protest the war in Gaza.

The role of agents

This year’s Agent Voice findings underline the depth of support provided by reputable agents. Fifty-three percent of respondents support students during their studies, and 49% provide post-study assistance. Agents also offer substantial career guidance, with 61% advising students before enrolment and 49% continuing this support after graduation.

For additional background, please see:

• “The next era of international education: Trust, transparency, and a focus on quality“
• “Search and enrolment data foreshadows international enrolment trends for 2026”
• “What students want: The top decision factors for study abroad“

The post Global agent survey highlights the most important factors influencing study abroad decisions appeared first on 91ɬ��Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

Building on those earlier findings, the 2025 survey gathers responses from 155 US universities and 64 education agents in order to provide an updated view on the motivations, methods, opportunities and challenges facing US educators and their partners in international recruitment for the United States.

How and why?

For a strong majority of responding institutions (82%), international student recruitment is carried out by staff in the admissions office (44%), as part of a global education unit (26%), or via a stand-alone department (12%). Only 14% indicated that recruitment is distributed across multiple offices throughout the university.

In terms of motivation for building international enrolment, and in contrast to the 2023 survey findings, “Overall financial well-being of the institution” was the most-cited factor this year. While hardly unique to the US, this may reflect a growing concern around the financial stability of higher education institutions in the United States.

“This is a major shift compared to two years ago, when financial reasons were only the fourth most important reason,” notes the report. “Although diversifying the student body dropped from the first place to second, it remains an important aspect of student recruitment and experience.”

Channels to market

Nearly nine out of ten responding universities (87%) said that they use digital marketing channels to reach international students. In broad terms, this makes digital the most widely used recruitment channel among respondents.

The following chart provides a more detailed breakdown of other key channels, with a further breakdown in each case to indicate the extent to which responding institutions reported managing each channel in-house, via a third party, or a combination of the two.

“In-person and virtual recruitment events are gaining traction, with 82% of institutions confirming their investment in these channels,” adds the report. “Post-application student conversion support has become [another] important recruitment channel, with 80% of institutions dedicating resources to this approach.”

Most are working with agents

The 2025 survey makes to clear as well that the US universities’ engagement with education agents has expanded considerably over the past decade, with three out of four American institutions now actively working with agents.

The report explains: “Partnering with education agencies is increasingly popular among institutions. A 2016 study by BONARD revealed that 37% of US institutions engaged with education agencies. This figure rose to 63% in 2022 and has now reached 75% in 2024, proving the increasing importance of this recruitment channel in higher education.” Further, nearly half of responding universities (47%) report working with 20 or more agencies.

The major factors cited by institutions when selecting or evaluating an agency partner include the agent’s country of operation, positive references from other universities, the quality of referred students, agency certification/accreditation, the number of students placed in the US, and the number of existing partners in the United States.

For their part, responding agencies put the emphasis on academic programme offerings, tuition and fees, institutional rankings, and responsiveness when vetting an institutional partner in the US. Agents also highlighted the factors outlined in the chart below – notably stability and commitment of the partner institution – as key aspects of an effective, long-term working relationship with a US institution.

The survey report confirms that, “More than half of educational agencies use a traditional, face-to-face model [for recruitment]; they provide a wide range of support services to students and to institutions; cost and visa issuance remain one of the most significant challenges to agencies [in recruiting to the US]; they focus on what they believe is best for students, including academic offerings, cost and institution rankings; and agencies and institutions differ in compensation model preferences.”

A more diverse recruitment

With enrolments slowing from traditionally strong sending markets, notably China, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia, responding universities say that they are increasingly focused on developing new or emerging student markets. “Sixty-two percent of institutions are targeting emerging markets such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Ghana,” highlights the report. “Additionally, 59% are expanding their recruitment and partnership networks to diversify their global outreach.”

Institutions noted “visa difficulties” (referring both to processing delays and rising rejection rates) as their most significant recruitment challenge, followed by “access to additional budget”, and “cost of education in the US.”

For additional background, please see:

• “Nearly two-thirds of US colleges now working with agents“
• “Real-time insights on shifting international student interest in the US“
• “New whitepaper urges US institutions to diversify foreign enrolment“

The post Survey finds US institutions expanding agency engagement and focusing on new student markets appeared first on 91ɬ��Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

After more than a year under foreign enrolment caps, frequent changes in policy settings, and falling approval rates for study permit applications, eight in ten (79%) respondents said that the newly elected federal government’s approach to international students, under Prime Minister Mark Carney, would be key to restoring Canada’s appeal to international students.

When asked what factors in the market would make students more likely to reconsider Canada, IDP counsellors cited the following.

“I think that we have all seen the tremendous decline in approvals of study permits,” said Ms Castellanos. “So you can imagine how students are not really trusting our system.”

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) full-year data for 2024 reveals that only 45% of study permit applications were approved during the year. Put another way, more than half of all applicants were rejected. This compares to an approval rate of closer to 62% of all study permit applications in 2023.

The point being made in the IDP findings is that, in order to restore confidence in study permit processing, the process has to be clearer and with more transparent requirements so that students, parents, and counsellors can better understand how a study permit application will be evaluated. More importantly, if students feel that their applications will be evaluated in a fair and transparent manner and they have a reasonable chance of success, they will be more likely to apply.

If the approval rate for study permits were to return to more historical norms, Ms Castellanos adds, “That will ignite the likelihood of students to be again attracted to Canada. But a lot of students are fearful of applying [at the moment]. And then when they get a rejection, the rejection letter [offers few details why].”

Travelling for education or immigration?

“Canada is increasingly seen more as a pathway to immigration than a destination for education,” said Ms Castellanos. “And I think that is a concern. I think this is a signal for all of us in the sector to work together to shift the message to refocus on highlighting Canada’s high-quality education.”

When asked what they would like to from Canadian institutions and governments to rebuild student confidence in Canada, IDP counsellors and country managers focused on a number of key points.

• The need to rebuild trust in international student markets with transparent and stable policies and visa processing. “It is frustrating to see students with flawless backgrounds get denied,” said one IDP country manager.

• The importance of competing on long-term value, including especially the quality of education and work opportunities for students during and after study. This point recognises that students go abroad for education but, increasingly, their choices are guided by expectations around outcomes after graduation and overall return on investment.

• The need for clear career paths for graduates with data from institutions on graduate employment and PGWP outcomes. The implication here is that institutions have an opportunity to strengthen career services, more actively communicate success stories and data for student outcomes, and begin providing those supports to students earlier in their study abroad experience.

• The importance of sector alignment around positive messaging around study in Canada, a renewed commitment to promoting a great experience for visiting students, and providing outstanding support for students from the point of inquiry on.

There is no question that the new policy settings introduced since January 2024 have dampened student demand for Canada. The IDP survey findings clearly demonstrate this, but they also provide a number of important insights for how Canadian educators, stakeholders, and partners can rebuild the confidence of students and their families.

For additional background, please see:

• “High study visa refusal rates disrupting the international education landscape“
• “Canada’s new government strikes a more conservative note on immigration“
• “Canada announces international student enrolment cap levels for 2025“

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