Asian countries are stepping up efforts to attract international students as the US, UK, Canada and Australia tighten rules on overseas enrolments, according to Rosalind Skillen's Times Higher Education report. China, Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong are expanding their international education ambitions as students from Asia increasingly look closer to home for higher education.
The shift comes as the four major English-speaking study destinations see a decline in international student flows. Applications from Indian students to US colleges fell 15% in 2025-26, while UK sponsored study visa applications dropped 11% in the year ending July 2026, the report said.
