Education Travel among the Big Six & Why Things Are Shifting
These are typically the most popular study/travel destinations: UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and sometimes UAE.
What the “Big Six” are
These are typically the most popular study/travel destinations: UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and sometimes UAE. They’ve long been seen as top for study abroad, visa sponsorship, post-study work, etc.
Recent Trends & Key Data
- Record visa applications & high rejection rates to Europe: Nigerians applied for 111,201 Schengen visas in 2024. Nearly 45.9% of those were rejected, the highest on record. That’s about €4.5 million in non-refundable application fees lost.
- Decline in Nigerian student visas in the UK: In the first half of 2024, the UK issued only 4,669 student visas to Nigerians, compared to 14,772 during the same period in 2023—a decline of approximately 68%. Many attribute this drop to new regulations restricting dependents, stricter immigration policies, and perceptions of increased strictness.
- US still growing but with headwinds: Nigeria is the 7th largest source of international students to the US; about 20,029 Nigerian students enrolled in US colleges/universities in the 2023/24 academic year—a 13.5% increase from the previous year. However, challenges such as foreign exchange rates, visa interview refusals, and the depreciating value of the naira have made studying in the US less financially accessible.
- Cost escalation: Rising foreign exchange costs in Nigeria have made tuition + living expenses much more expensive. There are reports that average cost for overseas study is now around ₦21 million per student in many cases. Also, many student visa applications get rejected because savings or proof of funds fail after naira devaluation.
🔍 Why People Are Shifting to Europe More
Here are the major forces at work:
- Restrictive Visa & Immigration Policies in Big Six
- UK changed its rules so that many postgraduate students can no longer bring their dependents. That discourages married students or those with families.
- Tighter rules for work after study, settlement, proof of funds, and stricter sponsor compliance.
- Cost Pressures (Foreign Exchange, Living, Tuition, Travel)
- Currency devaluation (naira losing value) increases cost of everything abroad.
- Flight costs, visa fees, banking, accommodation become very steep.
- Students calculate that for some European countries, tuition + cost of living + work permit opportunities might outweigh what they’d get in UK/US when costs are adjusted.
Better Alternatives in Europe
Some European countries offer lower tuition, work permits for international graduates, and in many cases easier visa procedures compared to the Big Six.
Countries like Germany, France, Italy, and others are improving English-taught Master’s programs and more attractive post-study work/residence policies.
In my community, we have passed the right information for people to migrate and also assist in decision making.