“In a troubled world, Asia is the healthiest region right now for higher education and for student mobility,” said sector expert and professor of higher education at the University of Oxford Simon Marginson, forecasting a growth in mobility from Southeast Asia to East Asia, as well as between East Asian nations.
“While English-speaking countries face policy challenges, non-traditional study destinations are rising as competitive alternatives,” said Anna Esaki-Smith, author of Make College Your Superpower and Education Rethink cofounder.
With rapidly ageing populations in Japan, South Korea and Singapore, these countries are intensifying efforts to attract international students with more relaxed residency rules and comparatively lower tuition fees, according to Esaki-Smith.
Simultaneously, there is a growing emphasis on inter-Asian student mobility, and students are increasingly looking for more affordable options closer to home.
The “great unknown” of Trump’s second presidential term will likely have repercussions for the region, with stakeholders preparing for the possible blocking of educational passage between China and the US, pushing Chinese students elsewhere, said Marginson.
China
Alongside uncertainties about US–China relations, the shape of China’s economy and a growing preference for more local study destinations will play a key role in Chinese students’ study decisions in the coming year.
“The economic pressure in China is expected to last for at least another five years, forcing families to carefully consider the return on investment when sending their children abroad,” said Mingze Sang, director of BOSSA, the organisation representing Chinese international education.
However, this negative economic forecast is not a foregone conclusion for David Weeks, COO of Sunrise International. According to Weeks, if China’s 2025 economic stimulus policies are successful, we may see stronger interest in high-cost study destinations, though economic growth could lead to a devaluation of the Yuan, he warned.
“If China can shore up the property sector and promote growth without devaluing the RMB too much, that would be the best news for overseas higher education,” said Weeks, encouraging overseas institutions to focus on near-term ROI including post-graduation work opportunities that allow Chinese graduates to earn salaries in USD or Euros.
“Conversely, if China’s stimulus measures fall flat, then we expect to see Chinese families continue to express interest in ROI, affordability and economic value for the degrees they pursue.”
The international political landscape will naturally influence Chinese students’ decisions, with high costs and unpredictable policies in the US likely to discourage Chinese students from studying there, said Sang.
Outside of the US, China is encouraging more international collaboration, with the Chinese Ministry of Education having reiterated its policy of “supporting studying abroad, encouraging return, allowing freedom of movement, and playing a role” in further improving the service for returning overseas talent.
In December 2024, the Chinese vice-minister of education Wu Yan visited the UK, holding talks with the government about boosting Sino-British cooperation and people-to-people exchange in higher education.
According to BONARD China branch manager Grace Zhu, Sino-foreign cooperative education programs are expected to peak in 2025, with rising demand for study abroad programs tied to employment opportunities, amid a “sluggish” job market in China.
In a troubled world, Asia is the healthiest region right now for higher education and for student mobility
Simon Marginson, University of Oxford
“Countries in East Asia such as Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea, are becoming increasingly popular due to their lower costs, cultural similarities, and proximity to China,” said Sang, with this trend expected to continue in 2025.
There is, however, still a feeling among Chinese families that pursuing education abroad may limit job opportunities in state-owned enterprises and the civil service, acting as a deterrent for some students, said Sang, though it is not an official policy.
According to Zhu, countries such as Malaysia and Macau are set to expand their educational offering, with Chinese students encouraged to diversify their study destinations under the backdrop of China’s “Belt and Road” initiative, a key driver of internationalisation.
As for inbound students, China’s 2035 education modernisation plan aims to enhance the quality of higher education to attract more overseas talent, as well as promoting TNE and lifelong learning, said stakeholders.
Japan
A destination widely expected to benefit from the slight dip in Chinese student mobility to English-speaking systems is Japan, where the government is pursuing an ambitious internationalisation strategy to host 400,000 international students by 2033.
As other global destinations shut their doors or are rocked by political instability, “Japan is a peaceful high-quality provider and can expect increasing demand from foreign students,” said Marginson.
Such factors are likely to appeal to students in China, where “parents are increasingly concerned about the safety and well-being of their children, which extends beyond physical harm to include immigration policies, racism, and the potential for conflicts,” said Sang.
Meanwhile, Japan also set targets for outbound students, aiming to send 500,000 students abroad by 2033. A directive from the Japanese government, the policy is “an indication that internationalisation has become a national priority” said Esaki-Smith.
South Korea
South Korea and Singapore are among other East Asian countries pursuing ambitious internationalisation goals, with ‘Study Korea 300k’ aiming to attract 300,000 international students by 2027, supported by government initiatives helping universities develop globalisation strategies integrated with local needs.
The policies have an enhanced focus on engaging with Southeast and Central Asia, aiming to bolster Korea’s appeal by “providing digital resources for Korean language acquisition and increasing opportunities for STEM-related academic pursuits,” said Kyuseok Kim, Seoul centre director at IES Abroad.
“This focus on inclusivity and academic excellence is likely to position Korea as a more competitive destination for higher education in East Asia, attracting a broader range of students and fostering regional academic collaboration,” said Kim.
An increase in third-party offerings of credit-bearing and short-term programs has “significantly boosted” inbound mobility to South Korea, said Kim, with demand being driven by the global fascination with Korea’s cultural exports known as “K-culture”.
Additional programs such as CAMPUS Asia was established to foster trilateral academic partnerships among South Korea, China, and Japan, and the Korea-ASEAN AIMS (Asian International Mobility for Students) project is strengthening Korea’s ties in Southeast Asia.
Korea is also expanding its footprint in Central Asian countries of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, introducing “localised programs with a global perspective”, particularly in Korean language studies, STEM, and engineering, “establishing South Korea as a key education brand in the global marketplace”, said Kim.
