Despite More Barriers, Students Still Want To Study Abroad
Studying abroad is no longer the straightforward experience it once was. Visa rules are shifting. Immigration policies are tightening. For many students, the cost of going abroad is rising. Despite all of these factors, the demand is still there.
Loan company Prodigy Finance recently shared its thoughts on this topic in an online piece.
“We at Prodigy Finance work with a high number of aspiring international students every day seeking education loans, and we can say for sure that most of them come from genuinely humble backgrounds, hoping to give something back to their families,” says Sonal Kapoor, Global Chief Business Officer at Prodigy Finance.
“Choosing to study abroad is a huge decision, and today’s students are competing hard for scholarships, loan approvals and university places,” Kapoor continues. “As restrictions grow, so does demand, and that creates real pressure and confusion along the way.”
MORE RESTRICTIONS, BUT SAME AMBITION
Getting permission to study in certain countries is undoubtedly more difficult than it once was. The U.S. is still one of the world’s most popular destinations for international students, but Trump’s new visa restrictions are making this option incredibly tricky for many.
Despite the uncertainty with ongoing visa tightening, demand has not slowed. If anything, it’s continuing to climb. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s data shows that more than 350,000 Indian students were enrolled in the United States as of February 2026, with India being the source of half of all international graduate students at American universities.
Australia is seeing similarly strong interest. According to the Australian Government Department of Education, 110,662 Indian students studied there between January and May 2026, out of 680,582 international students overall.
Demand in the UK is also continuing to grow, with Indian applicants accounting for a strong share of sponsored study visas and maintaining a high approval rate.
DEMAND AND FINANCES ARE BOTH THERE
With increased demand, there is still the major consideration of how to pay for a historically more expensive education.
Sonal Kapoor says international lenders are seeing unprecedented demand from students trying to close that financial gap. “Traditional banks typically ask for significant collateral and a cosigner before they will approve a loan of any meaningful size,” Kapoor says. For families without substantial assets or a cosigner, that can make an international degree difficult to finance.
Then there are the expenses beyond tuition like housing, food, transportation, flights, fees and everyday living costs. This is why the continued demand is still a surprise. It seems as though students understand the obstacles, yet many still decide the opportunity is worth pursuing. The value is worth the time, energy and resources for many.
The rules may be changing, but the appeal of international education has not disappeared. Fanta Aw, executive director and CEO of NAFSA, recently said, “U.S. policy and regulations affect where international students plan to invest their future – and their decisions carry significant short- and long-term consequences for U.S. society and economy.”
© Copyright 2026 Poets & Quants. All rights reserved. This article may not be republished, rewritten or otherwise distributed without written permission. To reprint or license this article or any content from Poets & Quants, please submit your request HERE.
