Study Abroad Guide: Top Countries Open to International Student Admissions

Ever since the onset of the pandemic in late 2019 to early 2020, countries across the globe have enforced border restrictions prioritising the public health of their citizens. Countries, to this date, continue to keep certain border restrictions for international travellers, in a bid to curb the spread of any new variants of the virus.

Moreover, a country’s approach towards keeping the health and safety of the incoming international students has been one of the main concerns of the prospective students as well as their students. Therefore, countries with strict public health measures and good health services have become one of the more attractive destinations among international students.

With students expressing concerns about their health along with travel restrictions in the most popular study destinations, this article includes the countries such as the USA, UK, Canada, Germany, etc. that are offering admission to international students in 2022-23.

List of Countries Open to International Student Admissions

One of the more important choices a student can make when deciding to study abroad is selecting the perfect country for their higher education. Several countries come to mind when we say study abroad, including the US, the UK, Canada, Germany, and Australia but there are many more. Listed below are some of the top countries open to international student admissions, especially during restrictive travel guidelines due to the pandemic:

Is studying abroad your dream? Register with us and connect with experienced study abroad counsellors who can guide you through the entire process to start studying in one of the top countries in the world.

Mentioned below are the top countries that are offering admission to international students in 2022-23, along with their Covid-related updates on international admissions, mode of learning and travel restrictions:

Study in USA

With the US being home to the largest number of highest-ranked universities (according to QS World University Rankings 2022), the country remains to be the top overseas study destination for students from all over the world.

However, with the restrictions being brought in due to the pandemic in the country, US universities were forced to take swift measures and analyse how students could navigate systems and processes while maintaining public health standards. However, as the world continues to recover from the pandemic, the US has promised its efforts in easing immigration systems for international students and anyone who wishes to settle down in the country.

Listed below are some of the points regarding US universities accepting international students:

• A large number of US universities either require or urge international students to get fully vaccinated before joining the campus or moving into campus housing. Some of these universities include Princeton, Columbia, Yale, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, Northwestern, MIT, universities of Chicago, Pennsylvania and Notre Dame, among many others.

• More than 1,600 colleges and universities in the US have gone test-optional or test-blind for fall 2022, according to FairTest. However, as countries across the globe reduce the restrictions on public movements, many universities in the US have announced reinstating the use of SAT/ACT scores for admissions, while others continue to maintain their stance as “test-optional”.

• Some US colleges have also reconsidered legacy admissions, a practice that offers an advantage to applicants who are family members of alumni, or legacies.

• According to the new Institute of International Education (IIE) data, a vast majority of US institutions intend to bring back students to campus, with many planning to incorporate some type of in-person study and none of them intending to offer online classes only.

• The most selective schools in the US will remain as competitive as ever.

• Admission experts have said that students who are applying to a highly selective school should put in an early decision application.

Being renowned as one of the countries with the best higher education system, the US continues to be the top study abroad destination among prospective international students.

Top US Universities Accepting International Student Admissions

Check out this list of the top US universities accepting international student admissions this year and the modes of learning they are currently offering to international students:

Note: It should be noted that most universities in the US have mostly reverted to in-person learning but may offer hybrid components to certain subjects. It should also be noted that universities may have devised a remote or hybrid learning model, in future cases of a public health crisis, however, currently might be pursuing in-person learning.

Study in UK

Universities in the UK have started welcoming prospective students with all safety measures in place to reduce the risk of spreading the virus. Moreover, the UK borders regulations for international students not only offer a warm welcome but are equipped to handle further public health situations.

Over the last few years, the UK has been working towards bringing out attractive offerings for international students, to not only choose the country as their destination for higher studies but also as the destination for job opportunities as well. In 2021, the UK enforced its latest iteration of post studies work permit in the form of the Graduate Route, designed to allow international students graduating from a UK university to stay back in the country and find relevant work opportunities.

The changes adopted by UK universities to help them enrol more international students during the pandemic have been mentioned below:

• At the beginning of the pandemic, the UK government announced that they would be offering free vaccinations to international students upon arrival. Thus, international students who had been finding it difficult to access vaccines in their home countries could enrol in a UK university and get their vaccinations.

• Over the past year, the UK has been working towards improving its perception in the eyes of international students, placing itself as an international student-friendly destination and announcing policy changes that focus on bringing out more opportunities to international students.

• The government of the UK released its Covid-19 roadmap in early 2021 and many universities have confirmed that traditional learning is expected to return in September 2021.

• On July 19, 2021, the UK government removed almost all restrictions in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, ending social distancing measures and caps on the number of people allowed to meet.

Note: The UK and its universities have been actively pursuing a return to in-person classes ever since the decline in Covid-19 cases around the world. Currently, the country has announced that international students should be present in the UK for their classes in their respective universities around the middle of 2022.

Top UK Universities for International Students

Here is our list of top UK universities for international students that are accepting international student applications for the current academic year and the modes of learning available to them this year:

Note: While UK universities are offering hybrid learning, most universities are actively working towards a return to in-person learning with some who have already reverted to the same. In some cases, universities are offering hybrid learning models to comply with the public health safety requirements, therefore, offering basic hybrid learning support systems only.

Study in Canada

Among the top study abroad destinations in the world, Canada has continued to be the top choice for Indian students specifically, due to the immense work and permanent residency opportunities available to international students. However, it was the country’s Covid-19 response that led a large number of international students to choose Canada as their destination for higher education.

While Canada, at first, had implemented strict public health safety precautions to help curb the spread of the virus, it was also one of the few countries working towards reforming its policies to accommodate the challenges to international student admissions brought in by the pandemic. In its initial steps, Canada required its institutions to prepare Covid-19 readiness plans, outlining the steps they shall take to curb the spread of the virus while delivering quality education to students.

Currently, Canada has issued a list of 1,603 Designated Learning Institutions (DLI) across all the Canadian provinces except for the province of Nunavut. According to current travel regulations in Canada, full-vaccinated individuals can enrol in any DLIs in Canada, whereas, if students are not considered as fully-vaccinated travellers, they will only be able to study in select DLIs in Canada that have a defined Covid-19 readiness plan.

• Only fully-vaccinated students will be able to travel to Canada and study in any one of many Designated Learning Institutions in Canada. International students must have received at least 2 doses of any one of the accepted vaccinations in Canada, or 1 dose of the Janssen/Johnson and Johnson vaccine, to be considered as fully-vaccinated travellers.

• Students under the age of 18 are not required to be fully vaccinated but they should ensure that they have enrolled in a DLI that has an approved Covid-19 readiness plan in place.

• Unvaccinated air travellers will be required to abide by the quarantine rules defined by federal and provincial governments in Canada, which will also include a Covid-19 

• The Government of Canada announced that studies outside of Canada up to December 31, 2021, will count towards a future Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).

• Many universities such as the University of Guelph, University of Toronto, and Cape Breton University, among others have mandated proof of vaccination to be allowed access to campus services. However, many have decided to do away with vaccination proofs.

Note: In a bid to curb the spread of the virus while meeting its immigration goals, the Canadian immigration policies have been designed to bring in as many international students to its universities, without risking the lives of its citizens.

Top Universities in Canada for International Students

The table below highlights some of the top universities in Canada accepting international student applications, offering students the option to choose between hybrid and in-person learning models:

Note: Considering the current global public health situation, many Canadian universities have removed their Hybrid Learning options from most of their courses, however, some universities may still keep this option available for select courses and classes only.

Study in Ireland

With a commitment to protecting the health of all people studying, living, or working in Ireland, the Government of the country has formulated a reopening plan for universities to start welcoming both current and prospective students during these unprecedented times.

However, the Government of Ireland has been actively working toward attracting Indian students to Irish universities. Over the past few years, Education in Ireland along with the Irish Embassy in India has been working tirelessly to bring more and more students into the country, while Ireland continues to work towards offering new and exciting opportunities to graduating students.

The current education scenario in Ireland for prospective international students can be found in detail below:

• Since March 6, 2022, Ireland has removed all requirements for presenting proof of vaccination or negative Covid-19 tests. All international travellers are now allowed to enter the country without having to submit a passenger locator form, or even a proof of recovery if they are entering Ireland.

• Most universities and colleges in Ireland are teaching through a blend of online and face-to-face learning depending on the situation with Covid-19.

• The Covid-19 vaccine is available for international students in Ireland.

• Third level students who had been studying remotely from their home countries due to the pandemic will be able to apply for the Third Level Graduate Scheme after completing their course at an Irish university.

• Through its Third Level Graduate Scheme, Ireland aims to retain its international student graduates and help them find relevant jobs upon graduation. Subsequently, this may even lead to permanent residency in Ireland for most international students, provided they meet certain criteria.

Note: While the Irish government has removed all Covid-19-based restrictions for all international travellers, the government urges everyone to maintain proper public health norms such as keeping yourself isolated if you display symptoms of the virus and wearing masks in public to curb the spread of the virus.

Top Universities in Ireland for International Students

Check out the table below mentioning some of the top universities in Ireland for international students offering a variety of hybrid and in-person courses and programmes across different levels and disciplines:

Note: As Ireland has removed all its public health restrictions, universities and colleges in Ireland have also resumed in-person classes. Therefore, if you are planning to study in Ireland, you will most likely need to travel to Ireland and pursue your higher education dreams.

Study in Germany

Among the top study abroad destinations in the world that saw a difference in the number of international student enrolment was Germany. The country, due to its strict public health restrictions but fairly welcoming border regulations, was able to attract many international students during the pandemic.

As countries like Australia and New Zealand kept their borders closed without any notice regarding when the borders might reopen for international students, many prospective students turned towards countries like Germany, Canada and the UK, who had been actively working towards admitting students.

However, understanding the need to keep the citizens and incoming international travellers safe during such unprecedented times, Germany established strict public health codes that dictated public movement, use of masks and other public health safety norms. Some of these norms included:

• At first, Germany kept its borders open only to other EU member states and those associated with Schengen. However, with the decline in the number of active Covid-19 cases, Germany now has opened its borders to international travellers from all countries, provided they meet certain criteria.

• International students can now enter Germany provided they present valid proof of vaccination or negative Covid-19 test. Please note that Germany will only accept vaccination approved by the EU.

• Most German universities are conducting both online and in-person classes depending on the current situation.

Note: As the current global health situation is dynamically changing, Germany has mandated present valid proof of vaccination, negative Covid-19 test or proof of recovery at the point of entry into Germany. This rule is common for all entering the country.

Top Universities in Germany for International Students

Listed below are some of the top universities in Germany offering international students a variety of programmes offered via hybrid or in-person learning models:

Note: Several German universities have reverted to offering only in-person classes, whereas a limited number of universities are still offering hybrid classes, as can be seen from the table above. Connect with us and find out which German universities are offering you the option of hybrid classes.

Study in Australia

At the onset of the pandemic, Australia imposed one of the strictest border restrictions anywhere in the world, practically cutting off completely from the world for 2 years, nearly. With such stringent border regulations, several aspirants were left stranded offshore, attending online/remote classes across different levels and disciplines.

However, with the decline in Covid-19 cases around the world, Australia began working toward reopening its border, which in December of 2021, opened borders for the first few cohorts of international students. Subsequently, in February 2022, Australia finally opened its borders to all international travellers, provided certain entry requirements are met.

Here are some of the measures and steps that were taken by the Australian government to welcome international students back after 2 years, thus returning to being one of the top study abroad destinations once again.

• When the country first closed its borders, no international flights were permitted to land in the country. This included foreign nationals, international students who had already been studying in the country as well as Australian nationals who had travelled abroad.

• However, as vaccinations rolled out and more and more Australian nationals within the border were vaccinated against the virus, the Australian government started working towards welcoming international flights, through “air bubbles”.

• The Australian government also announced provisions to vaccinate international students within the borders, free of charge.

• In December 2021, Australia first announced relaxing restrictions for specific categories of international travellers, including international students. Further relaxations were further announced in February 2022, which permitted all international travellers to enter the country.

• Currently, the international student entry requirements in Australia dictate that all incoming international students must be fully vaccinated with one of the accepted vaccines. They must also quarantine immediately at home or in private accommodation as well as take a Covid-19 test (Antigen or PCR Test) within 24 hours.

  • Students must quarantine themselves until their negative Covid-19 test result has been produced.

• International students must also hold a valid student visa to enter the country.

Note: Before applying to any university in Australia, it is crucial to check the entry requirements at the time of application. Register and connect with highly experienced study abroad counsellors to study at your dream location abroad.

Top Universities in Australia for International Student Admissions

Here is a list of universities in Australia that accept international student admissions along with the learning modes available for international students:

Note: As the country has taken a cautious approach to handling the pandemic, universities and colleges in Australia have offered several courses in Online and Hybrid formats. However, there may be certain universities offering In-person courses as well.

Wish to learn more about studying in any one of the above-mentioned countries? Register and connect with experienced study abroad counsellors who can help you apply to your dream university and course abroad.

Feel free to reach out to us at abroad@collegedekho.com and raise any queries you may have regarding studying.