Increase In International Students Makes World's Best Universities More Competitive Than Ever

International student numbers have more than tripled globally over the past two decades, making it more important than ever to stand out if you’re applying to study overseas. With competition for overseas student places in the world’s most prestigious universities becoming more fierce, there are several things you can do to ensure your applications stand out and give you the best chance of success.

Why are international student numbers on the rise?

As of 2021, there were 6.4 million international students around the world. This was up from 2 million in 2000 (1). One reason is that international students tend to pay higher fees than domestic students. In the UK, university undergraduates pay a maximum of £9,250 per year for their studies, while international undergraduates tend to pay between £10,000 and £20,000 (2). The trend is similar for the USA. As such, universities are increasingly keen to attract overseas students, particularly if other funding sources are dwindling.

The second reason for the rise in overseas students is the students themselves, and particularly, where they come from. China and India are the two countries with the highest amount of overseas students. These two countries are the most populous in the world, with two of the world’s most rapidly growing economies and an increasing demand for a highly skilled and educated workforce. This makes studying at the world’s best universities an attractive and valuable prospect.

What are the benefits of studying abroad?

For students, international university places offer access to a wider range of opportunities and access to the best teaching and resources available. Slightly more than half of the world’s 6.4 million overseas students attend universities in 10 countries. These are the USA, the UK, Australia, Germany, Canada, France, Türkiye, China, the Netherlands and the Republic of Korea. International enrollments in the USA, UK, Australia and Canada have surpassed pre-pandemic record highs (3), showing that the demand for overseas university places is more insatiable than ever.

One of the main benefits of studying abroad is, of course, access to world-class teaching. Times Higher Education’s world university ranking is dominated by universities in the USA and UK, two countries that account for around 1.5 million overseas students (2). But overseas study also offers the soft benefits of experiencing a different culture, learning a new language and gaining greater independence.

What can you do to increase your chances of earning an international student place?

There are several steps students can take to increase their chances of a successful application to study overseas. These are the key steps to being accepted to study at a foreign university:

Research courses

Many top universities are known for specialist subjects. While Harvard, Stanford and Cambridge are renowned for law, MIT dominates when it comes to business and Oxford is best for medicine. Knowing what you want to study, and which university best fits your grades, is the ideal starting point.

Understand the application process

The application process, dates and visa requirements will differ from country-to-country, so it’s essential to do your research and make sure you know what’s needed. Make a note of key dates and prepare all your documents so you’re ready to submit your application when the deadlines come around.

Work on your personal statement

Wherever you’re applying to study, you’ll need to submit some sort of personal essay or statement. This usually outlines your achievements to date, why you want to study your chosen subject, what you know about the subject already and why you’ll be successful in your studies.

Write a Harvard resume

The Harvard resume structure is the ideal resume for applying for academic study abroad. This universal resume format was designed to emphasise educational achievements. Writing a Harvard resume can help your applications stand out from the crowd.

How do you optimise your resume for overseas university applications?

Writing a resume for academic applications is different to writing one for a job vacancy. The Harvard resume structure is perfect for showing your credentials. In this format, your education comes before your work experience and the resume includes accomplishment statements to emphasise and quantify different achievements throughout your life, education and career. When writing your resume for overseas university applications, follow this format for the best chance of success:

• Header: add your full name and contact details, as well as a LinkedIn URL or personal website, if these are appropriate.
• CV summary: write a short summary of two to three sentences outlining your academic achievements and explaining why you want to take the course.
• Education: List your degrees, diplomas and other qualifications in reverse-chronological order. Under each entry, add your grade and details of any other achievements, such as awards, honours, grants or fellowships.
• Work experience: Add any relevant work experience in reverse-chronological order, adding bullet points under each listing to highlight your achievements in the role.
• Skills: write a list of your key hard and soft skills, and if you have space, explain how and when you’ve used them in your career to date.
• Optional sections: optional sections could include certifications, language skills, volunteer work, hobbies, academic publications or internships.

Use strong action words throughout your resume, and focus on demonstrating quantifiable outcomes and results in both your academic career, and any jobs you’ve had. By adopting this approach, you can create a compelling resume that appeals to university admissions officers around the world.