New data comparing online search demand in late 2025 and early 2026 has shown declining demand for master’s degrees in the US, UK, and Canada, while New Zealand, India, and Sweden recorded soaring growth in relative demand.
According to the report, the second-fastest growing destination in search is India, driven by Indian students themselves.
Shift in Study Abroad Trends
The figures from Keystone Education Group show rising interest in regional and local options, alongside the continued broadening of search beyond the ‘big four’.
“It’s a surprise, but perhaps it shouldn’t be in a world in which traditional ‘source’ countries are keen to retain talent within their own higher education systems,” said Mark Bennett, Keystone’s VP of research and insight.
The search data excludes search from domestic students, drawn from over 350,000 total searches in each time period.
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Growth in Interest for New Zealand and India
The striking growth in interest for New Zealand shows audiences are picking up on the country’s sustained positive messaging around international education and post-study work, said Bennett.
For Indian students specifically, interest in India increased by a whopping 94%, while the UK held steady with a modest 2% rise.
The picture was more complicated for Canada and the US, with significant drops in the latter two destinations reflecting policy turbulence and declining visa approvals.
In the US, the data reinforces recent figures from the Institute of International Education’s 2026 spring snapshot, which found that 61% of American colleges recorded a fall in Indian applications for the 2026/27 academic year.
Indian Students and Post-Study Work Opportunities
Indian students are particularly sensitive to changes to post-study work opportunities, with Bennett highlighting the impact of continued uncertainty over Optional Practical Training (OPT) on the appeal of the US.
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Traditional ‘source’ countries are keen to retain talent within their own higher education systems, said Bennett.
The emergence of India as an education hub rather than sole sending market has been driven by the government’s National Education Policy 2020, opening the door to an influx of branch campuses and TNE ventures in the country.
Last week, Prime Minister Naarendra Modi visited Australia as it was revealed that Flinders University would become the latest to open a branch campus in Bengaluru, India.
This shift in trend may have significant implications for the global higher education system, as countries like India and New Zealand become more attractive options for students.
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