🌏 2030 Outlook: 3 Scenarios for International Education
With the QS Global Student Flows Report out now and the Back to School Summit coming September 9–11, 2025, the next few months will be pivotal for shaping strategy in a rapidly evolving education landscape.
Hello 👋
By 2030, QS expects the international student population to reach 8.5 million. What happens beyond that will depend on how universities adapt to shifting demands. The first report in our Global Student Flows series explores the current landscape of student mobility and presents three evidence-based scenarios to help institutions evaluate and future-proof their strategies.
This Week's Highlights
🔎 Three Scenarios for International Ed in 2030. Access our latest global student flows report
🎓 Global Student Flows Insight Series. In-depth regional reports and webinars throughout 2025
🌏 In the News. OCA highlighted Central Asia’s higher education, Google launched a $1B AI Ed plan, and Australia raised its 2026 student cap to 295K.
🔎 3 Scenarios for Global Student Flows
Our 2025 forecast projects approximately 8.5 million international students by 2030, representing a CAGR of just below 4%. Between 2020 and 2025, student priorities significantly evolved, reflecting a deeper focus on outcomes and institutional reputation. Powered by QS, Global Student Flows sets out 3 future scenarios and 15 key drivers shaping global student mobility to 2030.
Global Student Flows maps 4,000 mobility routes across 80+ countries – combining simulation, policy expertise, and indications of shifting demand.
🎓 Global Student Flows Insight Series
Forecasting thousands of student flows from 2,500 cities, 15 core drivers, 3 scenarios, 1 million simulations – analysed by global experts in policy, economics, and higher education. Throughout 2025, we will release 12 incisive reports and expert-led webinars - featuring forecasts through 2030, market intelligence to inform your TNE strategy, rankings analysis, and much more.
💬 2025 Back to School Summit
Join 700 university leaders, industry CEOs, investors, and philanthropists at the 2025 Back to School Summit, September 9–11 in New York City 🇺🇸. Two full days of high-impact presentations, private roundtables, fireside chats, and curated networking with top companies, global foundations, and major institutional investors.
Connect with us for the 2025 Sponsorship Brochure for deeper partnerships.
🌏 Europe and Central Asia
🇬🇧 OCA’s Summer 2025 issue highlights higher education in Central Asia and CIS regions
🌎 North America
🇺🇸 Google launched a $1B initiative to support AI education and tools at 100+ US universities
🇺🇸 Sweeping federal reform introduced: capping grad loans, increasing Pell Grants, streamlining repayments, and taxing elite endowments
🇺🇸 Trump administration froze $500M in research funds to UC system amid antisemitism claims
🌎 Latin America and the Caribbean
🇨🇴 Universidad de la Amazonia announced a $10M campus to serve 2,000 students in conflict-affected regions
🌏 East Asia and Pacific
🇦🇺 Australia raised the 2026 foreign student cap to 295,000, prioritizing Southeast Asia, and a new requirement for housing proof
🌍 Sub-Saharan Africa
🇿🇦 IIE made strategic investments in AI-driven, student-focused learning across its institutions
🇹🇿 Tanzania launched a 2025–30 education plan focused on quality, inclusion, and SDG4 goals
Thank you for reading!
Have some feedback or want to sponsor this newsletter? Let us know at qs.com.
