Millions of international students from Africa have, over the years, turned to the UK, Canada, and the United States for suitable and high-demand courses.
- International students from Africa prefer top destinations like Australia, Canada, Ireland, the UK, and the U.S. for high-demand courses
- Top three most searched courses reflect fields promising high employability, career advancement,
- Ghanaian and Nigerian students exhibit strong interest in business, health, and science-related courses in Canada, the USA, and the UK
For many of these students, exploring these high-demand programs in Australia, Canada, Ireland, the UK, and the U.S. is one of the first steps in their study abroad journey.
Student choices are evolving based on policies and job market opportunities, making trend analysis crucial for a future-focused recruitment strategy.
According to the report published by ApplyBoard, the search patterns of international students, particularly from Ghana and Nigeria, reflect broader career aspirations, economic trends, and global job market demands.
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In 2024, the top three most searched career choices by students from these countries likely align with fields that promise high employability, career advancement, and opportunities for international migration.
Key trends include high interest in business, health, and science fields, with the UK, Canada, and the USA as top destinations.
International student enrollment statistics
In 2023, the number of international students with active study permits in Canada reached 1,040,985, marking a 29% increase from 2022, according to newly released data from Immigration, Citizenship, and Refugees Canada (IRCC).
Meanwhile, the latest figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) show that UK higher education institutions hosted a record 758,855 international students in the 2022/23 academic year, a 12% rise from the previous year’s 675,200.
In the U.S., 1,126,690 international students from over 210 countries studied at higher education institutions during the 2023/2024 academic year, reflecting a 7% increase from the previous year.
Additionally, the number of new international students enrolling at U.S. colleges and universities for the first time remained steady at 298,705 in 2023/2024, aligning with last year’s figures (0.1%) and pre-pandemic levels.
Students’ career preferences
The study revealed that in 2024, the proportion of searches for health programs in Canada increased by over four percentage points compared to the previous year.
This growing interest in health programs was evident across many of Canada’s largest international student populations.
Among students from Ghana and Nigeria, interest in health programs rose significantly, reaching 21% and 20%, respectively—both experiencing a five percentage point increase.
According to ApplyBoard, the following table highlights the academic interests of international students from Ghana and Nigeria across various institutions in the U.S., UK, and Canada.
| Canada | Search interest % | USA | Search interest % | UK | Search interest % | |
| Nigeria | Business | 28.5 | Business | 25.8 | Business | 30.4 |
| Health | 20 | Health | 19.6 | health | 19.7 | |
| Sciences | 15.5 | Sciences | 18.3 | Sciences | 15.5 | |
| Ghana | Business | 27.2 | Business | 24.4 | Business | 26.3 |
| Health | 20.7 | health | 20 | health | 22 | |
| Sciences | 14.2 | Sciences | 17.4 | Engineering | 15.5 |
The data highlights the career interests of international students from Ghana and Nigeria, with business, health, and science-related courses leading searches in Canada, the USA, and the UK.
Business-related courses are the most popular across all destinations, with Nigeria showing the highest interest in the UK at 30.4%.
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Ghanaian students also exhibit a strong preference for business courses, with their highest interest recorded for UK programs at 26.3%.
Health-related courses are the second most searched category, with Ghanaian students showing the highest interest in the UK at 22%. Nigerian students also show a strong interest in health courses, particularly in Canada.
The Sciences category also features prominently, with Nigerian students showing their strongest interest in this field in the USA at 18.3%, and Ghanaian students following closely behind.
