Educonnect July 2025 Wrap-Up Edition
POPULAR STUDY DESTINATION UPDATES
US Student Visa Uncertainty and DACA Probe Hit U.S. Higher Education
Trump’s second term has triggered a decline in international student numbers in the U.S., with visa delays and policy shifts fueling uncertainty, even as colleges intensify recruitment efforts and students turn to Asia instead. This could result in a $7 billion loss due to international student decline. U.S. probes five universities over DACA-only scholarships for possible civil rights violations.
UK | Tightens Visa and Settlement Rules for Students & Skilled Workers
The UK rolled out stricter visa and settlement rules starting July 22, affecting international students, skilled workers, and migrants in the care sector. The UK launches a £54M Global Talent Fund to help top universities recruit international researchers. London Metropolitan University has suspended the recruitment of new Bangladeshi students amid rising UK visa refusals and tighter compliance thresholds.
Canada Cuts Student Permits by 48% While Fast-Tracking Foreign-Trained Doctors
Canada’s 2024 cap on new international student permits slashed approvals by nearly 48%, to about 268,000, well below the 364,000 target, leading to widespread program cuts and job losses across the sector. British Columbia fast-tracks licensing for U.S.-trained and international doctors, removing major exam barriers. Nearly 780 U.S.-trained physicians applied within two months under the new recruitment campaign.
Australia’s International Students Add $50B as TEQSA Updates Global Education Toolkit
International students contributed nearly AUD 50 billion to Australia’s economy in 2023–24, according to the Reserve Bank of Australia. TEQSA will soon release an updated Transnational Education toolkit to address global delivery risks and enhance offshore education quality. Announced during its 2025 webinar series, the toolkit reflects evolving compliance needs since the 2022 version.
New Zealand Eases Student Visas and Expands Work Hours to 25/Week
New Zealand has eased visa rules and begun recognising Indian qualifications to attract more students and investors. New study visa regulations now require fresh visas for providers. New Zealand will raise international students’ work limit to 25 hours/week starting November 3, 2025. The change aims to improve affordability and attract more global talent under its new education strategy.
East & South East Asia are seeing strong growth in student mobility and education reforms. Japan’s outbound student numbers rose sharply in 2024, while China plans major engineering education reforms by 2030. South Korea is boosting international student support, though retention challenges persist. Meanwhile, Indonesia launched the E30 education visa for non-formal study and strengthened higher education ties with Serbia through joint programs and scholarships. Indonesia plans to send 55,000 students abroad in 2025 while enhancing local vocational education. It also promotes cultural exchange through language programs for foreign students.
Europe is boosting its global education appeal with reforms and student-focused initiatives. The Netherlands, Germany, France, Poland, and Ukraine are expanding programs, support systems, and international partnerships. Ukraine launched a program to involve lecturers from the world’s top 250 universities in teaching at its institutions. Italy’s Marche Polytechnic University opened a branch campus in Taldykorgan, Kazakhstan, in July 2025 to expand international educational cooperation.
Middle East is seeing shifts in education and employment. The UAE leads global hiring optimism for Q3 2025. Saudi Arabia’s NAUSS gained French accreditation, boosting its academic standing. Gaza university leaders appealed for global support after the war damaged campuses and displaced students.
ASIA UPDATES
- Taiwan hosted 123,000 international students in 2024 and is easing visa and work policies to reach 320,000 by 2030 and retain most graduates.
- India faces rising concerns over U.S. visa delays, with lawmakers warning it could disrupt Fall 2025 student enrollments and strain bilateral education ties. Meanwhile, Southampton’s new India campus has seen a strong response, receiving over 800 applications from across Asia for its August 2025 intake.
- In 2024, the number of Thai students entering South Korea on student or training visas plummeted by 40% to just 21,000. This decline is a sharp contrast to the overall 19% increase in foreign arrivals for education or training, with Vietnamese student numbers rising by 25.
- Vietnam, some international universities such as British University Vietnam (BUV) offer programs entirely in English with degrees from renowned UK institutions, providing students with a study-abroad experience at lower costs.
AFRICA UPDATES
- Africa African students in the US are advised to avoid travel amid new Trump-era immigration measures that could affect re-entry.
- South Africa Stellenbosch University welcomed 285 international students from 19 countries in July 2025, with a week-long orientation to support their integration.
- Kenya Kenya hosted the debut of China’s 2025 Innovation Competition, attracting 559 students from 115 universities. Winners received scholarships to study in China, strengthening Kenya–China education and innovation ties.
- Egypt Twelve Egyptian universities partnered with the University of Louisville to offer a joint engineering master’s program, blending local study with U.S. campus completion.
- Nigeria Nigeria has approved 11 new private universities, bringing the total to 159, to expand access to higher education. Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has disbursed over ₦77 billion in tuition and upkeep support to 396,252 students across 210 tertiary institutions nationwide. The fund is also developing a job portal to help beneficiaries secure employment before starting loan repayments.
- Ghana is reforming its education curriculum to align with global trends and boost economic growth. Ghana has released GH¢15.8 million to fund practical exams for final-year WASSCE students nationwide. It will host eLearning Africa 2026 in Accra, returning as host after 18 years.Professor Awandare has called on the Ghanaian government to stop funding foreign scholarships and redirect those resources to strengthen local universities.
- Tanzania Zanzibar’s President pledged to strengthen higher education through global partnerships and AI-driven research at the QS Africa Forum 2025.
- Senegal has implemented UNESCO-led education reforms, focusing on curriculum planning and climate change education.
- Mozambique’s President of the Order of Doctors has objected to the government’s decision to provide no subsidy for Mozambican medical interns, calling for urgent financial support to ensure fair treatment and training continuity.
- Ethiopia The Al Maktoum Foundation has ended its seven-year mission in Ethiopia, handing over two schools and educational programs to local authorities.