QS Guides

What key motivations unite international students worldwide, and what sets them apart? How and why do students consult rankings, and what other sources influence their decisions? And what can universities do to improve communications overall, and in specific regions? This new report draws on a series of focus groups with students around the world, combined with data from the QS World Grad School Tour Applicant Survey.

Find out about the latest trends in international student mobility with this free report, created in association with the QS World Grad School Tour and based on global surveys of students applying for graduate-level courses between 2008 and 2013.

How do prospective students use digital resources to research higher education? This report on global trends in students’ online usage draws on a survey of more than 2,200 prospective students worldwide. “Almost 40% of respondents reported difficulty finding information about scholarships and funding, while almost 20% identified student visas as a problem area.” Students Online: Global Trends, page 6 “Email remains the preferred method of communication, but response times need to be improved to keep pace with the new expectations and immediacy offered by social media.” Students Online: Global Trends, page 21

What are the key motivations driving international students to consult university rankings, and how do the results feed into their decisions? Based on an international student survey and a series of in-depth focus groups, the report also addresses the question of what the ideal “student-created ranking” would look like, and assesses the relative importance of university rankings compared to other factors.

How do prospective students use digital resources to research higher education? Which online platforms have the biggest impact on students’ final decisions? How is social media impacting on student choice? And what information do prospective students struggle to find online?

What do prospective master’s and PhD students hope to achieve after graduating? What impact do they expect their qualification will have on their career path and earnings? And what are their priorities when choosing an employer? These issues are explored in Part 2 of this year’s QS World Grad School Tour Applicant Survey, produced in association with Cambridge English Language Assessment. Based on a global survey of more than 7,000 prospective international postgraduates, the report examines applicants’ employment expectations and ambitions.  

What do international students look for when choosing a country to study in? Which key factors can make all the difference when choosing between two similar universities? And what are the underlying expectations and aspirations driving applicants to study abroad in the first place? These questions are addressed in Part 1 of this year’s QS World Grad School Tour Applicant Survey, produced in association with Cambridge English Language Assessment. Based on a global survey of more than 7,000 prospective international students, the report examines key trends in international student motivations at each stage of the application process.