Wondering how prospective international students are responding to the continuing coronavirus crisis? Discover the latest insights now.
A new QS report has provided up-to-date insights into how the coronavirus crisis is impacting prospective international students.
Of those surveyed, 57% stated that their study plans had been affected by the global health emergency, an increase from the 46% who said the same in our previous report.
Looking month to month, the averages have been steadily rising over the past few months with 27% in February, 55% in March, 62% in April, and 64% in May.
Of those whose study plans had been affected, 53% now intend to delay or defer their entry until next year, compared to 47% in our previous report.
In positive news for higher education institutions, only 12% of respondents are seeking information on how to defer their application, showing students are very committed to their original plans, despite expecting to need to delay or defer.
Many respondents are instead interested in hearing about changes to their application deadlines (48%), changes to the application process (47%), and changes to course structure, such as how much online learning would cost (43%).
This aligns with other survey findings which reveal that 73% are open to starting their studies this year online, 46% of students said they would start their studies this year even if it was online with a further 27% stating that they were unsure at this stage, only 26% said they were opposed to the idea.
It’s clear that while the coronavirus crisis has caused mass uncertainty, there is still a significant appetite for higher education in the international student market.
To discover more insights from the QS coronavirus student survey, download a free copy of our latest report: The Impact of the Coronavirus on Prospective International Students.
