This article will talk about the 20 Best Countries to Study Abroad for English Speakers.
Globalization of Education
The UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) reported over 6.4 million international students in 2021. This increased from 2 million in 2000. According to QS World University Rankings, this number is expected to reach 8 million by 2025. This is because more and more students are now seeking study-abroad opportunities.
The most popular study-abroad destination is the United States. The US is home to 20% of the total international students globally, as of 2023, according to Project Atlas. This is followed by 10% in the UK, 9% in Canada, and 7% in Australia. These countries are filled with prestigious institutions that have spent decades building academic excellence, but another reason for their attraction to international students is the language medium of instruction – English.
English Language Dominance in Academia
English is the language of business and academia. It is the most spoken language among non-native speakers, with prevalence in over 65 countries. Both native and non-native English speakers find it easier to look for academic study programs in English instead of learning another language. So, countries like the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland remain popular destinations for international students.
Previously, English-language programs were mainly offered in native English-speaking countries. But this has changed. Many institutions in non-English-speaking countries now provide several programs and even entire degrees taught in English. Additionally, many of these institutions make English proficiency courses widely accessible.
Europe has made leaps in this regard. Countries like Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden are constantly improving their higher education standards, and increasing English-taught degree programs, particularly at the master’s level. Asian countries like China, India, and Thailand are also making similar adaptations for international students.
The British Council predicted that by 2024, China and India would cater to a large intake of international students, hitting 338,000 and 209,000 respectively. Such a rise shows how English speakers are now looking for global study-abroad opportunities, and not just in English-speaking countries. This is because they want a well-rounded academic experience incorporating cultural exchange, and English-language instruction makes it easier.
Economic Contribution of International Students
In 2023, Universities UK reported that every 11 non-EU international students generated $1.3 million for the UK’s economy. This was shown by a total of about $54 billion generated by international students in 2021-2022, compared to the $40 billion raised in 2018-19. Similar trends are available for non-English speaking countries as well.
It’s important to note here that while English-speaking countries get a major economic benefit from high tuition fees for international students, students are moving to non-English-speaking countries for affordability. Non-English-speaking countries typically have comparatively lower fees.
Many countries, especially in Europe, offer fully-funded free degree programs. Germany is a great example. Such countries expect payback on their funding through international student retention so that their future skilled labor can contribute to the economy.
In 2023, The Pie News reported that 60% of the international students who came to Germany in 2015 were still there, showing a promising retention rate. Germany hit a record of 370,000 international students in 2022-2023. These international students are expected to become skilled workers to gradually boost the country’s economy.
So, the German Federal Ministry of Education, and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), have collaborated to recruit more international students and graduates. The program is visioned for 2028 and is backed by $130 million from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
Online and Distance-Learning Options
Despite wide funding options, moving abroad for education still comes with many foreseen and unforeseen costs. If you have uncertain finances, it is always safer to go for online and distance-learning options. This is especially true today when education technology companies are on the rise.
In 2023, ProPublica reported that the annual total of venture capital investments in education technology companies increased from $5.4 billion to $16.8 billion in the 2019 to 2021 period. These investment trends highly raised the standard of these ed-tech companies.
One such company is Coursera Inc. (NYSE:COUR). Coursera Inc. (NYSE:COUR) is an online platform offering various university-level courses. It’s like a big online school that has the best teachers from around the world. Whether you want to pursue economics or cooking, you can learn it all on this platform.
You can earn certificates and complete entire degree programs on Coursera Inc. (NYSE:COUR). It partners with different universities, colleges, and industry experts to develop its content, making it accessible to students worldwide. The content is in the form of course materials, video lectures, assignments, and assessments. The company has partnerships with over 325 universities and companies across the globe.
To better understand why ed-tech companies like Coursera Inc. (NYSE:COUR) offer affordability, we can look at the example of an MBA degree from The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a public research university and a flagship institution present in Illinois, United States.
The total cost for an online MBA from The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is around $24,000 on Coursera Inc. (NYSE:COUR). Whereas on-campus, the same MBA costs more than $60,000. This cost varies with courses and program duration, as stated by the University of Illinois.
While it’s also true that some partner institutions offer on-campus courses for a lesser fee than their online courses, the final expenditure is a complicated sum. On-campus education comes with additional costs like residence, meal plans, health services, parking fees, and other associated costs. These are not reflected in the tuition fees.
20 Best Countries to Study Abroad for English Speakers
Our Methodology
We sifted through internet rankings and Reddit threads about the best countries for English-speaking students to study and formed an initial list based on the consensus. We then utilized the Insider Monkey Global Education Index to select 20 countries with top-ranked QS universities. Then we ranked the countries with more top universities offering English-taught courses. The list is sorted in ascending order of the number of QS Universities (that are in the top 1000) in each country.
Note: We have excluded English-speaking countries from this list i.e. the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland.
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20 Best Countries to Study Abroad for English Speakers
20. Singapore
Number of QS Universities: 4
The National University of Singapore is one of its top institutions. It’s a flagship university, known for high education standards and research quality.
NUS offers several English-taught programs across different disciplines. The university also offers whole degrees that are predominantly taught in English. These include Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Engineering, Master of Business Administration, Master of Computing, and Master of Public Policy. All these programs are designed to cater to both local and international students.
19. Egypt
Number of QS Universities: 4
Cairo University is one of the finest Schools of Law and Medicine in Egypt. Its Medical School was one of the first ones in Africa and the Middle East. However, this university offers a very insignificant number of English-taught courses, in fields like engineering and business.
Nonetheless, Egypt is one of the best higher-education destinations for international English-speaking students. The country is home to many top universities, like the American University in Cairo and Nile University. Both offer several undergraduate and graduate English-taught programs taught in English in disciplines like business, engineering, sciences, and humanities.
18. Denmark
Number of QS Universities: 5
The University of Copenhagen is a top university in Europe and not just Denmark. It is greatly recognized for its research and academic excellence.
The university offers many English-taught programs, especially at the master’s level. Some of these include Computer Science, Business Administration (MBA), Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, Public Health, Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, and Molecular Biomedicine.
17. Greece
Number of QS Universities: 6
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens is a top university and the oldest one in Greece, recognized for its academic excellence and research contributions.
The university offers several programs taught in English, particularly at the master’s level. These include Computer Science, International and European Studies, Environmental Studies, Public Health, Archaeology, and Statistics.
16. Austria
Number of QS Universities: 8
The University of Vienna is the largest education and research university in Austria and has a top ranking based on its academic reputation in Mathematics and Arts and Humanities.
The University of Vienna offers many English-taught programs at the master’s level despite being a German-speaking country. Some of the courses include Business Administration, Computer Science, Environmental Sciences, and Philosophy.
15. Switzerland
Number of QS Universities: 10
The top university in Switzerland is the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, also more commonly known as ETH Zurich. The institute is recognized for its engineering, technology, and natural sciences programs and consistently makes itself stand out among the best universities globally.
ETH Zurich offers many English-taught master’s level programs, such as Computer Science, Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Architecture, Data Science, and Finance: These programs allow English-speaking international students to study in Switzerland.
14. Brazil
Number of QS Universities: 10
The University of São Paulo is the most prestigious university in Brazil and is highly regarded in Latin America, as well as globally. It is the largest university in the country and is responsible for a major proportion of the country’s graduate degrees.
The institution offers a variety of programs taught in English at the master’s level. These include Business Administration, International Relations, Computer Science, Environmental Sciences, and Law.
13. Turkey
Number of QS Universities: 10
A top university in Turkey is Boğaziçi University in Istanbul. It is known for its academic and research excellence. The university has a major focus on liberal arts education. Boğaziçi University also practices liberal values, which allows interdisciplinary and international research to be conducted in a tolerant environment where different worldviews can coexist.
The institution offers several programs in English, which include a Bachelor in Economics, Computer Engineering, Political Science and International Relations, and Electrical Engineering. There are also masters in History, Business Administration, and English Literature.
12. Mexico
Number of QS Universities: 11
The top university in Mexico is Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. It is also the largest university in Latin America, highly recognized for its academic excellence and research contributions.
National University of Mexico offers a range of English-taught programs at the graduate level, including International Relations, Public Administration, Business Administration, and Environmental Sciences. It also has English-taught programs at the bachelor’s level, such as that in Business Administration, and Computer Science
11. The Netherlands
Number of QS Universities: 13
Delft University of Technology is one of the top universities in the Netherlands, globally known for its engineering and technology programs. It is also the oldest and largest Dutch public STEM university.
Delft University of Technology offers a wide range of technical English-taught programs, such as a master’s in Aerospace Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Design Engineering, and Computer Science.
10. Saudi Arabia
Number of QS Universities: 14
King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah is one of the finest universities in Saudi Arabia. It is known for its academic and research excellence. It is ranked among the best universities in the Arab world, and one reason is the unique specializations it offers, unlike other Saudi Universities. For instance, the university offers Marine Science, Nuclear Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, and Astronomy.
Popular English-taught graduate programs at King Abdulaziz University Business Administration, Computer Science, Engineering, Public Health, and International Relations. It also has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing taught in English.
9. Malaysia
Number of QS Universities: 19
The top university in Malaysia is Universiti Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, which is also its oldest university. The institution has built its reputation through academic and research quality. The university is also known for graduating 5 prime ministers of Malaysia.
Universiti Malaya offers many programs taught in English, which include a bachelor’s in Business Administration, and Computer Science; and also a master’s in International Relations, Business Administration, Environmental Management, Education, and Engineering.
8. France
Number of QS Universities: 25
A top university in Europe is Université PSL (Paris Sciences & Lettres) in France. It ranks among the best universities because of its program diversity. This university also participates in the development of the overall European Education and Research.
Popular English-taught programs at Université PSL are its graduate programs in Finance, Data Science, Economics, Management, Public Policy, Cognitive Science, and Philosophy among others.
7. Russia
Number of QS Universities: 26
Lomonosov Moscow State University is the highest-ranking university in Russia and is known for its strong academic programs and research. While this is a major traditional educational institution, it offers courses and programs in almost all branches of modern science and humanities.
Moscow State University has many popular English-taught master’s programs, such as International Relations, Business Administration, Computer Science, Economics, Political Science, and Environmental Management.
6. Spain
Number of QS Universities: 28
Universidad de Barcelona is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Spain, highly recognized for its quality education and research.
Universidad de Barcelona has a variety of master’s programs that are taught in English. Some of these popular courses include International Business, Public Health, Data Science, Economics, Political Science, and Business Administration.