More than seven million students around the world are now pursuing higher education outside their home countries — a figure that has more than tripled since the early 2000s. Experts predict that this number will climb to nearly nine million by 2030.
This rapid expansion reflects a shift in global trends, driven by evolving perspectives among students about the purpose and value of education in an increasingly interconnected world.
Global surveys conducted by IDP, Etio, QS, Keystone, and Studyportals reveal that students’ main concerns revolve around the cost of living, tuition fees, availability of scholarships, work opportunities, and post-graduation outcomes—all reflecting a growing emphasis on affordability and return on investment (ROI).
This stronger focus on ROI is reshaping how students perceive the overall value of studying abroad. While traditional measures of quality, such as university rankings, remain influential, students are increasingly evaluating education through a more practical lens.
When deciding where to study, they weigh not only tuition and living expenses but also the availability of financial aid, the number of work hours permitted during studies, and the post-study employment opportunities available in their chosen destination.
