Student survey shows impact of visa delays, work priorities and more destinations considered

The Student Arrival Survey 2024/25 by INTO University Partnerships is based on the responses of 2,261 international students from more than 100 countries who commenced courses in the UK or the USA at the beginning of the 2024/25 academic year.

Delays: Sixty per cent of students surveyed said that some kind of delay impacted on them confirming their university place as early as desired, and visa delays was the most commonly cited reason for 21 per cent, followed by awaiting offers from other institutions (16 per cent), family reasons (13) and uncertainty about the cost of living (12). The visa delays were more commonly given as a reason by respondents from South Asia (28 per cent).

Moreover, 45 per cent of students said that they missed their on-campus orientation events, citing visa delays.

The authors said, “With increasing visa scrutiny being applied across many study abroad destinations at present, there is a risk that the student experience is being compromised for newly arriving students from the outset. Solutions are required to minimize the impact for those affected.”

Alternative destinations: Although the students interviewed had ultimately chosen to study in the USA and UK, the authors found that 51 per cent had considered another study destination, and that 41 per cent had considered studying outside of the ‘Big Four’ of Australia, Canada, the UK and the USA.

Europe was widely considered by students from all world regions, while destinations in Asia and the Middle East were also looked at. This echoed findings in INTO’s 2024 Global Agent Survey, as well as an agent survey last year by Navitas and a student survey by IDP Education .

“This trend highlights a rise in students exploring options closer to home to benefit from lower study costs and cultural proximity, reflecting the increasing competitiveness of global education markets,” the authors said.

Students from East Asia were most likely to consider Singapore and Malaysia as alternatives, while those from the Middle East and North Africa also looked to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and students from China considered options in Hong Kong.

Factors in student choice: The authors also found that work and career-related factors were becoming more important in the decision-making process of international students.

Rankings were still the top factor cited by 36 per cent (students could choose up to three factors), but this was a lower score than in the previous two years’ surveys. This was followed by location on 20 per cent, also down slightly, and personal safety (17).

However, both internship/work experience opportunities and graduate employment prospects increased to 14 per cent.

Work intentions: Moreover, 51 per cent of students said they intended to work during their studies, while a further 30 per cent said that they didn’t know.

In terms of post-study work, 35 per cent said that they intended to remain in the USA/UK with post-study work rights after graduation, while a further 12 per cent intended to stay using a skilled worker visa. Just over a quarter (26 per cent) said that they intended to start employment in their home country immediately after graduation.

Source of graphics – INTO University Partnerships

Students from East Asia and South Asia were the most likely to indicate plans for post-study work rights, the authors said.

Sources of advice: Overall agents were the most prominent source of advice for the students surveyed, followed by parents and teachers. In East Asia, Europe & Central Asia and The Americas, agents were comfortably the most commonly cited source of information, while those in Africa and China cited their parents as the most prominent source of advice.

INTO also found that pre-arrival support programs had a positive impact on ratings of the overall arrival experience and course preparedness of students. INTO launched a ‘Get Ready to Study’ program for UK-bound students last year.

“The insights from this survey not only help us understand the challenges faced by our students but also guide our efforts in creating impactful solutions,” said John Sykes, CEO of INTO.

“We’re proud of the work we do to support students, from pre-arrival programs to career readiness initiatives, ensuring their success both during and after their studies.”