OECD data shows race for international graduate students

Line drawing: a globe, an arrow and a graduation cap on a stack of books under a STEM label

What happened

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has published Education at a Glance 2026, based on 2023/24 data. Across OECD countries in 2024, international students made up 11% of new bachelor's entrants, 24% of master's entrants and 34% of doctoral entrants. They were more likely than local students to graduate in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths): 30% versus 23% on average, and 53% versus 20% in the US.

ICEF Monitor then looks at newer figures. In the US, active student visa records for master's students in September 2026 were 13.8% lower than a year earlier, and a survey of 55 research universities found 21% fewer international PhD applications for fall 2026. The government is moving to restrict Optional Practical Training (OPT), the post-study work scheme.

Canada exempted master's and PhD students at public universities from its study permit cap from January 2026. Spouses of students in master's programmes of at least 16 months, or in PhDs, can get an open work permit. Permits for these students doubled in the second quarter of 2026.

In the UK, taught master's students have not been able to bring family since January 2024. In Australia, taught master's starts fell 10% in the first half of 2026.

What it means for you

Canada has reopened its door to master's and PhD students at public universities, including open work permits for spouses on longer programmes.
If you are aiming for the US, watch the proposed limits on OPT closely, because many students rely on it to work after a STEM master's.
Countries such as Germany, France, South Korea and Japan are courting graduate students, so it is worth looking beyond the usual four destinations.