When studying abroad, money is no object

Despite the financial crisis, economy is a minor consideration for students choosing where to study abroad. They focus on university reputation and teaching quality, a new global survey shows

by Luci Ellis

Overseas students head to Britain for high teaching quality, to the United States to improve career prospects and to Germany for cheap tuition fees, the British Council’s Student Decision Making Survey reveals.

This is according to the British education news site Times Higher Education.

The British Council survey was conducted over three years and includes information gathered from around 115,000 students, from 200 countries.

Money is no object

Despite the global economic crisis, the cost of studying abroad is relatively unimportant for most prospective international students when deciding where to study, according to the results of the survey.

Only 1 in 10 cite low tuition fees as a major consideration when deciding where to study.

And, fortunately for pricey Copenhagen, just 1 in 13 see the cost of living in a particular country as an important factor.

A way up the career ladder

The survey found that when choosing a country, just over half of students prioritise quality of education.

For prospective students hoping to study in the US, improving career prospects was the top priority while those choosing Germany tended to be drawn by low tuition costs.

More choice in a more complex market

The introduction to the report also reveals a changing market for international students:

The market is becoming »more sophisticated« and complex, as non-English-speaking countries, such as Denmark and the other Nordic countries increasingly offer courses taught in English.

»Having traditionally drawn students who are comfortable with the English language, the UK is now competing with non-English speaking countries offering tuition in English,« according to the British Council report.

luci@adm.ku.dk

Stay up to date with news and upcoming events at the University of Copenhagen. Sign up for the University Post newsletter here.

• Send
• Share