Thanks to its safe environment, improved study-work policies, and sufficient academic support, Australia has emerged as the second-most preferred destination for international students. And as the country’s popularity continues to rise, GSP’s footprint is growing right along with it.

The results of IDP’s Emerging Futures research were obtained through a survey of 11,000 prospective students, applicants, and current students. After collecting all responses in August 2022, Canada still emerged as the top choice for 27% of the respondents, unchanged from the results of the same survey conducted in March 2022. On the other hand, the amount of students who chose Australia rose by five percent, now constituting 25% of the total respondents. 

Australia’s popularity among international students can be traced to a number of different factors:

• Study-Work Policies — Earlier this year, Australia announced its decision to lift the caps on the number of hours that students could work while studying. With the global economic contraction and all the horror stories of international students running out of money, this chance to earn more income while pursuing their studies has made Australia a much more attractive choice. 

• Safety — Australia’s consistent ranking as one of the safest countries in the world is also another huge factor in its popularity among international students. Over 60% of the students in IDP’s survey said Australia’s being “a safe country for international students” is a reason that Australia is their top choice. 
• Academic support — A stellar 92% of the current students in Australia reported that “the academic support they had received from their institution had met or exceeded their expectations.” This is excellent news for prospective students, whose greatest concerns about studying abroad include adapting to a new culture and way of learning.