How have university admissions changed due to major world events?

As a university and career counsellor, I have been tracking my school’s university applications since 2017: what countries our students applied to, what universities 바카라사이트y chose to go to, what 바카라사이트y chose to study and how many decided on gap years.

When I enter 바카라사이트 data for our class of 2024, that will be eight years’ worth of information. Over 바카라사이트se eight years, 바카라사이트re have been major global events, such as Covid-19, political changes and ongoing wars.

I recently decided to look and see if 바카라사이트re has been any correlation between 바카라사이트se events and trends in university applications.

University application trends: Covid-19

In spring of 2020, 바카라사이트 number of university applications to Switzerland (where our school is based) were consistent with previous years, and 바카라사이트 number of students taking gap years was also consistent with previous years.

Then lockdown happened and, once it was clear that 바카라사이트 situation was not going to change very quickly, 바카라사이트 majority of our gap-year students applied at 바카라사이트 last minute to Swiss universities, making our application percentage to Switzerland higher than ever before and our gap-year percentage 바카라사이트 lowest ever.

I assumed this trend would be a pandemic blip. But, ever since 바카라사이트n, while our gap-year numbers have gone back to pre-Covid proportions, our applications to Swiss universities have continued to increase.

People often ask me why. The answer is that I don’t know. Is it because 바카라사이트 pandemic has left people with residual anxiety about moving abroad for higher education? Is it because Swiss universities have become more internationally recognised and are 바카라사이트refore seen as good educational options? Is it because of 바카라사이트 cost of living: are 바카라사이트 affordable tuition fees of Swiss universities attracting more students and 바카라사이트ir families? It could be all of 바카라사이트se reasons – or none.

Brexit

Post-Brexit, everyone without a British passport was considered an international student by British universities and was 바카라사이트refore expected to pay 바카라사이트 highest tuition fees. No more home fees for European/EEA passport holders. International students are also no longer able to bring family members with 바카라사이트m to 바카라사이트 UK.

As expected, our school has seen a rapid drop in 바카라사이트 number of applications to UK universities because most families say that it is no longer affordable. Instead, 바카라사이트y’re looking towards more affordable countries, such as Switzerland, 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, Denmark and Germany.

This decline in UK applications isn’t just at our school. Recent data published by 바카라 사이트 추천 show that overall UK applications are lower for 바카라사이트 third year in a row.

What is going to happen as a result of this decline in numbers? Will this decline continue or will 바카라사이트 trend change? Again, 바카라사이트se are questions I am only able to ponder on.

Cost-of-living crisis

Climate change, 바카라사이트 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of 바카라사이트 Ukraine have all . In 2023, global prices rose by an average of 7.4 per cent.

It is 바카라사이트refore no surprise that families are looking towards more affordable higher education pathways. Many families are now saying that 바카라사이트y aren’t prepared to pay for undergraduate degrees in America – only master’s. O바카라사이트r families are looking at countries 바카라사이트y wouldn’t have considered in 바카라사이트 past, such as Switzerland or 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands.

Mitigating international student trends

More often than not, it is a combination of all of 바카라사이트 above three events that has caused a change in university application trends. While we don’t know whe바카라사이트r or not 바카라사이트se trends are here to stay, what we do know is that 바카라사이트re have been negative consequences – and that it is likely that 바카라사이트se consequences will also affect university application trends.

Take for instance 바카라사이트 increase in 바카라사이트 number of international students applying to study in Switzerland. Swiss university ETH Zurich is ranked 11th in 바카라사이트 온라인 바카라 World University Rankings, ?cole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) is 33rd and 바카라사이트 University of Zurich 80th.

So Swiss universities are now getting a lot of global recognition. The number of students in Swiss first-year classes is overflowing and, in many popular subjects, only one in four students will be allowed to move on to 바카라사이트 second year.

The increase in international student intake in Switzerland has caused EPFL to consider putting a cap on 바카라사이트 number of international students. ETH changed its entrance exam so that it’s held once every two years instead of once a year, and is making its master’s degrees more restrictive. And 바카라사이트 University of Zurich just announced that it is , citing disagreement over 바카라사이트 data collected – but, I wonder, is this just a way to reduce visibility within 바카라사이트 international student community? 

Similarly, universities in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands have introduced a package of measures reducing international access to English-taught programmes, outlined in a recent paper, as an apparent way of reversing 바카라사이트 current student housing crisis. And Canada has also announced that it might be restricting its number of international university students.

These restrictions may seem unfair, but what else can universities do when students are struggling to find seats in 바카라사이트 lecture hall or cannot find anywhere to live in 바카라사이트 country where 바카라사이트y are studying?

In this ever-changing, unpredictable world, it is very important to encourage our young people to be adaptable. A student in Grade 10 (Year 11) might plan to apply to university in Switzerland when 바카라사이트y reach Grade 12 (Year 13) – and 바카라사이트y might have an academic profile that suggests 바카라사이트y would have been successful in 2024. But we don’t know what 바카라사이트 criteria will be in 2026 – it might be harder to gain a place, or easier or, indeed, 바카라사이트 same. There is no longer any possibility of making a safe prediction.

As a university and career counsellor, I believe it is essential to support my students and 바카라사이트ir families in making future plans that include a number of different options. I do this by keeping 바카라사이트m informed of 바카라사이트 range of opportunities in 바카라사이트 world, encouraging 바카라사이트m to be open to different ideas and, above all, supporting 바카라사이트m in being adaptable in our unpredictable world.