QS Quacquarelli Symonds, the global experts in higher education and authors of the QS World University Rankings, compiled a comparative study of international students’ choices. The Trends in International Student Mobility Report is based on international surveys of students applying for graduate-level courses in 2008-9 and 2012-13, looks at the choices students are making and the motivations behind them.
Survey respondents were attendees of QS World Grad School Tour events and/or applicants for QS Scholarships. Almost 3,500 responses were collected in 2008-9 and more than 4,000 in 2012-13, with respondents coming from all around the world. The survey included questions about graduate-level study plans, preferred study destinations, priorities when deciding where to study, and future salary and career expectations.
Key findings:
International students are considering a broader range of study destinations. While the big four Anglophone destinations ( US, Canada, UK and Australia) remain among the most popular, they are losing their monopoly. Meanwhile other countries – notably Germany, but also other countries worldwide – are gaining in prominence as potential study destinations
Study costs, financial aid and post-graduation employment prospects are becoming increasingly important factors
‘International recognition’ remains the single most important criteria for students when choosing a country and institution
FAME subjects (including finance, accounting, management, economics, administration and related fields) remain the most popular among the survey respondents
STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), which remain the second largest group for our respondents, have grown in popularity over the past five years
Graduate degree applicants have high expectations for career development and salaries – and they expect to work hard too.
In the 2013 survey, the majority of applicants saw themselves in 10 years’ time either running their own business (24%), director of a large company (17%) or CEO of a large company (15%). Almost 18% identified an annual target salary of more than US$100,000.
These ambitions are accompanied by expectations of long working hours; almost 85% said they expected to work more than a standard 40-hour week in their first job after completing a graduate degree, with more than 40% expecting upwards of 50 hours per week.
The complete report can be downloaded here: http://www.topuniversities.com/student-info/qs-guides/trends-International-Student-Mobility-2014
