Top 12 Trending International Education News
Nov 26, 2020
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International Student Enrollment Drop is a Big Financial Drain on Colleges and Universities
A recent survey conducted by the government-funded research organization Open Doors shows a nearly two-percent drop in international student enrollment in the United States higher education last year. The decrease is primarily attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic, although education experts say that the tightening of visa policies and the xenophobic rhetoric of the Trump administration are the true reasons behind the decrease. Consequent to the decline of international students enrolling in US schools, many institutions are now facing an unprecedented financial fallout.
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They’ve Graduated in Canada, But They Need Work Experience to Stay Here. Thanks To COVID-19, ‘No One Is Hiring’
Thousands of post-graduate work permit (PGWP) holders across Canada are dealing with difficulties in finding a job during the pandemic. Many of the post-graduate students now worry that they have to leave the country without getting the opportunity to gain any work experience. Without at least 12 months of employment experience, PGWP holders also can’t apply for permanent residency in Canada. Affected students are now appealing to the immigration minister to extend and renew their work permits.
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UK Encourages Pakistani Students to Apply for Visas
The United Kingdom, through its Minister for Future Borders and Immigration Kevin Foster, has announced that the country is welcoming more students from Pakistan. The UK stresses that they are offering flexible study routes to international students while the world is still in a pandemic. At present, the UK permits its international students to continue their studies remotely throughout the academic year 2020-21 and promises that the thousands of expired visas will be replaced free of charge. Students hailing from Pakistan have continued to choose the UK as one of their main academic destinations, as shown by the 20 percent increase in the number of visas granted in the previous year.
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Universities at Risk of Losing International Students to Overseas Competitors
With the current standstill in the acceptance of international students in Australia, universities are bound to lose these students even after the pandemic. Experts believe that the more flexible study visa policies and learning arrangements introduced by other countries will attract international students to choose them instead of waiting for Australia to open up its borders. Since Canada and the UK have both opened up to international students, those who are eager to return to the on-campus study setup are most likely to choose them. To address the impending problem, universities must plan for the reopening and think of ways to help keep the interest of offshore students to Australian schools.
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Graduate International Students Locked Out of New Zealand Plead for Exemption
Due to the existing order on border closure, many holders of post-study work visas are trapped outside of New Zealand. These international students are airing their appeal for them to be allowed to return as they have work to do in the country. Many of the affected students are still paying for their houses in New Zealand even though they are out of the country. Some of the international students who went on emergency trips before the border closure are among the individuals affected by the strict travel restrictions. According to the students, they are willing to get tested for COVID-19 and subject themselves to the mandatory quarantine as long as they can enter New Zealand again.
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Students Plan for the Spring Semester Amidst Uncertainties about On-Campus Housing and COVID-19
As international students eagerly wait for their chance to return to the US, several preparations are being made before the next semester comes. Since housing is a primary concern, institutions are already putting enormous effort to ensure that international students will have a place to stay. Some of the students now enrolled remotely are complaining that they are being placed last on the list for on-campus housing. Universities have been prioritizing students who are staying in the US. International students who flew out to their home country consider the policy unfair, as they still need to acquire housing when they return to the US for the spring semester.
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Schools Push for Pilot Scheme for International Students
International students are not the only ones affected by the border closure in New Zealand. Teachers are affected, too, as schools are bound to lay off many of their teachers, teacher aides, and other staffers if the border remains closed until next year. Due to the revenue losses that institutions are suffering, they are now pushing for plans to strategically manage the entry of international students. The initial scheme determined by the government through a survey conducted in schools across the country will allow fewer students to enter New Zealand. Some 150 students accompanied by their family members from countries with controlled COVID-19 situations will be part of the pilot scheme. The government will study whether the return of foreign students is manageable and will not adversely affect their health crisis mitigation efforts.
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US Colleges Report a 43% Decline in New International Student Enrollment, and Not Just Because of the Pandemic
The United States records the fourth year of decline in international enrollment mainly because of tightened study visa policies. Even though the government has bragged about the increase in expenditures on student recruitment, data still reveal that more international students have steered clear of the US. The uncertainty of whether they can stay in the country after earning their degree to gain work experience is turning off potential new applicants. While international enrollment is suffering a continuous decline, institutions are the ones suffering more. Since most foreign students pay their tuition in full, the 43 percent decrease in enrollment poses damage to the economy as well.
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Has COVID-19 Killed the Appeal of Studying Overseas?
While the pandemic is making travel to other countries not only challenging but impossible for many, it hasn’t killed the dream of Singaporean students to pursue international education. Singaporean students studying in universities abroad are ready to endure any travel restrictions just to continue with their education. Some of them have expressed willingness to pay more if that will help them return to their host universities. The view of Singapore’s new generation that a degree from a prestigious overseas university is valuable has not changed even with all the hurdles caused by COVID-19. For them, the pandemic is merely a temporary setback in their study plans and does not diminish their desire to experience studying overseas.
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Laws and Regulations on US Student Visas Have Not Changed
The United States maintains standard study visa rules for Indian students vying to enter US colleges and universities. According to the US Embassy in India, the government continues to welcome students coming from India and even encourages them to still choose the US as their main academic destination. Currently, there are over 193,000 Indian students in US schools, making them the second-largest source of international students. To help Indian students enter the US trouble-free, US embassies and consulates across India are striving to make the visa application process as easy as possible.
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Studying in the US: The Process Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic
With the lifting of the existing ban on Filipinos from pursuing non-essential travel abroad, the US Embassy in the Philippines now resumes the processing of student visa applications. Those who are planning to enter US colleges and universities in the second semester in 2021 can now submit visa applications. The process of applying to US universities remains the same as how it was before the pandemic. The only thing that changed is whether students will attend virtual or in-person classes once they arrive in America. This arrangement will be dependent on the conditions of the state where their chosen school is located.
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Remote Japan Island "Getting Energy" from Vietnamese Students
Through an educational agreement with the city of Da Nang, Vietnam has been sending students to Goto island in Japan. With an increasingly graying population, Goto City warmly welcomes Vietnamese students to fill the gap in the number of young people in the area. To attract more students to study in the island-city, Japan has prepared boarding facilities for them to use during their stay. There are currently 16 students from Vietnam in the city. Goto plans to expand the student community to 100. This initiative not only aims to draw young people in but also hopes that the education link will act as a bridge between the Goto islands and the world.
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Featured Institution: University of California, Santa Barbara
Hailed as the United States’ 6th best public university, the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) is a leading institution offering comprehensive programs covering hard sciences to liberal arts. The university offers over 200 majors, degrees, and credentials programs and serves as home to over 26,000 students. With its top-quality programs, UCSB has proudly produced six Nobel Laureates as part of its highly competitive roster of graduates. Aside from being at the forefront of US research-oriented universities, UCSB has been key to the development of new technologies that have established and have been continuously empowering over 90 local companies across the states. At present, UCSB is undertaking a new journey to make its student community more diverse by opening its doors to countless international students across the globe.
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Featured Program: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
One of Edgewood College’s top programs, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, is designed to teach students all the essential knowledge and skills that will enable them to provide high-quality care in health environments. Graduates of this course will be equipped with professional standards in moral, ethical, and legal conduct in the nursing practice. Throughout the curriculum, students are set to undergo competency examinations that will prepare them for the national licensing examination after graduation. Edgewood College’s nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and the Wisconsin State Board of Nursing. Aside from its first-rate programs, Edgewood College proudly offers a dynamic and friendly campus to global students.
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International Education Conferences & Workshops
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November 30 - December 11, 2020, online
January 6-10, 2021, in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
April 6-8, 2021, in Bangkok, Thailand
Crossing boundaries, unlocking creativity
May 31 to June 3, 2021 in Aichi, Japan
September 13-16, 2022 in Barcelona, Spain
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