UBC welcomed nearly 73 thousand new and returning students this year. While domestic enrolment remained stable, there was an overall decline in international student enrolment.
The negative economic impact of the pandemic on many family household incomes combined with the increased cost of living in many countries has made an international postsecondary education less affordable for far more students than in the past. This has led to decreased demand globally, which, in turn, has resulted in an emergence of an era of hyper-competition in the international higher education sector.
International students are increasingly seeking alternatives to the “big 4” (US, Australia, UK, Canada) with a focus on favourable conditions regarding immigration policies and processes, closer to home locations, and lower cost. At the same time, more and more “new” providers of international education are entering the market. Countries and regions like China, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, who are traditionally sending countries of international students, are now leading the way in terms of also receiving international students.
In addition, Canada’s positioning as a welcoming country for international students has significantly worsened in 2024. Rapidly changing immigration policies, unresolved and ongoing geopolitical tensions with key sending countries, particularly India, and even political rhetoric that seems to claim that international students are in part to blame for the housing crisis in Canada, have not gone unnoticed in regions with prospective international students. More and more
students are refusing to even entertain the notion of studying in Canada.
While many of these external factors impacting international enrolment are not within the university’s control, UBC remains steadfast and agile in its ability to navigate unforeseen circumstances. Now is the time to focus even more on innovative, effective and relationship-based recruitment and admissions strategies, as well as initiatives that will support enrolment and retention of a diverse student body. The international education sector will stabilize and it is important that UBC take the medium and long-term view to ensure we are part of the earliest group to benefit from the resurgence.
UBC continues to focus on developing and executing highly effective recruitment and admission strategies, as well as initiatives that will support enrolment and retention of a diverse student body. The Student Diversity Census is entering its second year, and as the University continues to learn about the data, the data will help UBC better understand the diversity of our student community and their experiences. Demographically representative student data will guide the university’s continued efforts in effectively supporting student inclusion and success.
UBC’s commitment to world class education and research, truth and reconciliation, and advancement of equity, diversity and inclusion will continue to serve the university in attracting and enrolling a diverse community of outstanding students from British Columbia, the rest of Canada, and around the world.