ApplyBoard 2027 Trends Report: English-Speaking Destinations See Falling Student Demand

Canada study permit and UK study visa apps continue to fall, while Germany, South Korea, and Japan keep growing, and 57% of students now use AI in their search

KITCHENER, ONTARIO, CANADA, November 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- ApplyBoard today released Top Trends in International Education for 2027 and Beyond, its annual report on where students are choosing to study and how technology is shaping their decisions. The report’s headline finding: major English-speaking destinations continue to lose student demand precisely when aging workforces need them most. The report draws on government data, third-party research, and ApplyBoard’s Fall 2026 surveys of student advisors and students.

“The horizon for international education is moving fast, with policy changes, sector evolutions, and student goals already redrawing the map toward 2030. That is why it is important to look forward and plan ahead to lead the way. Our annual trends report is a comprehensive guide designed to help you build that compass,” said Meti Basiri, CEO of ApplyBoard.

Key Findings
- Canada processed about 92,000 new post-secondary study permit applications from January to July 2026, 28% below the same period of 2025. The pace of decline slowed from March to July.
- The UK received more than 303,000 study visa applications from main applicants from January to September 2026, 20% below the same period of 2025.
- Nearly three in four student advisors surveyed by ApplyBoard this fall say their students are interested in a destination outside the Big Four (Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US).
- Per the latest available source data, Germany, South Korea, Japan, and Malaysia have gained popularity among international students. Japan reported more than 408,000 enrolled international students and South Korea more than 307,000.
- 57% of international students surveyed by UCAS used AI to explore their study options, and 7% trusted it for important decisions.

Demand Falls as the Big Four Age
Each of the Big Four has an aging population, with at least one in five residents expected to be 65 or older by 2030. International students are a direct answer to that demographic pressure, and the report finds that clear, student-facing communication about policy will help these destinations rebuild confidence in 2027.

Emerging Destinations Keep Gaining
Across the European Union, nearly 600,000 international students received a first-time education permit in 2025. Meanwhile, Germany hosted about 517,000 international students in 2025/26, and Spain, Malta, and Hungary are each building a distinct appeal. In Asia, Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia are strengthening their international student programs.

AI Is Part of the Search, Not the Decision
Students are using AI to explore their options and still turning to people for the choices that matter. The report closes with five strategies to help institutions prepare for 2030, including making information easy for AI tools to find accurately and keeping advisors reachable for the decisions students say they will not trust AI to make.

Availability
The full report and a launch video from Meti Basiri are available at https://www.applyboard.com/trends-report-2027. Meti Basiri is available for comments and interviews.

About ApplyBoard
Founded in 2015, ApplyBoard empowers students worldwide by connecting them to educational opportunities at leading institutions in more than 10 destination countries through technology, partnerships, and operational excellence. Its global AI platform has helped more than 1.5 million students begin their study abroad journey, enabled over 1,500 primary, secondary, and post-secondary institutions to diversify and expand their reach, and simplified international admissions for a network of over 5,000 recruitment partners. Learn more at applyboard.com.

Tony Vlismas
VP Marketing, ApplyBoard
tony.vlismas@applyboard.com
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