94% of international students want to study in Canada: survey

The Student Pulse Survey Spring 2025 by ApplyBoard, which collected responses from 850 students, found Canada overwhelmingly preferred as the destination of choice. Specifically, 79% of respondents said they were either "very" or "extremely" interested in studying in Canada.

Students at the University of Toronto, Canada. Photo courtesy of the University of Toronto

Students are narrowing their choices significantly, with 65% considering only six countries: Canada, Australia, Germany, Ireland, the U.K., and the U.S.

Affordability is increasingly influencing students' decisions amid rising global living costs. Over half (55%) of respondents indicated they would need to work part-time to fund their studies, and 31.5% mentioned the necessity of careful budgeting. Only 13.2% said affordability had no impact on their plans.

Career prospects also play a crucial role. Engineering emerged as the top career aspiration among international students, closely followed by nursing. Careers in technology, such as IT, cybersecurity, and data analysis, also ranked highly in the top 20.

The survey recommended that educational institutions offer flexible scheduling options for programs, accommodating students' varying timelines and financial situations to remain attractive to international candidates.

In 2023, Canada hosted over 1.04 million international students, marking a 20% increase from the previous year. Indian students accounted for 41% of this population, followed by Chinese students at 10%. Approximately 70% of these students aim to secure work permits upon graduation.