Which City is Best for Study in 2025? Excerpts From ApplyBoard Top Recruiters Workshop

On Wednesday 27th November 2024 at Marriot Hotel Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria, ApplyBoard launched their AI technology, Abbie – an intelligence bot that matches students into top global universities fitting for their qualifications and personality – amidst a flurry of activities.

Chief amongst the activities was expounding on how African students can BEST navigate the recent changes in UK, Canadian, Australian and US immigration policies. For example, what will happen now that Donald Trump is in power? Read on below:

First, What is ApplyBoard?

ApplyBoard is a popular educational technology company founded by three international students who are schooling in Canada. It offers an “artificial intelligence-enabled recruitment platform” that helps international students apply for undergraduate and graduate studies in Canada, the UK, the US, Australia and Europe.

ApplyBoard essentially serves to put you in the right school, fit for your qualifications, in the right city and at the right time, covering all bases from application to admission. Their connections with several top public universities worldwide ensure direct contact and acceptance into these schools you would ordinarily not have achieved yourself.

What Happened at Top Recruiters Workshop 2024?

Keynote Speech

The Conference began with an opening speech by Nigeria’s Deputy High Commissioner to Canada, Carlos Rojas-Arbulu. Carlos remarked that Nigeria remains Canada’s 4th largest trade partner globally alongside India, China, and the Philippines. It is also the largest trading partner in Africa. Additionally, in 2023, Canada approved 45000 study permits amounting to $ 2.2 billion injected into the economy of Canada.

In October 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced new Post Graduate Work Permit requirements for international students. The PGWP program allows recent graduates from eligible Canadian institutions to stay and work in Canada for up to three years, depending on the duration and level of their studies.

Rojas-Arbulu acknowledges that this is a Canada-first measure designed to weed out ineffectiveness, enhance language skills and align studies with high-demand career fields.

Conference Session

Beginning the Conference proper was Vice President Middle East and Africa Recruitment of ApplyBoard, Khalid El Hennawy, who presented a Q3 2024 ApplyBoard survey of international students’ responses to how they choose what and where to study. Survey answers proved that 84% of students selected schools based on affordability and 68% on post-graduation work opportunities. Another 61% selected schools based on opportunities for permanent migration, 60% for opportunities to work while studying and 57% for visa processing and other approval rates. 

What to Expect in Coming Years

Khalid expressed optimism about immigration policies being cyclical, eventually coming around to accepting more international students in the future. stating the following in PowerPoint:

1. Students will eventually choose between the more popular competing destinations, UK and Canada being common choices
2. Students will demand study programs with clear career outcomes
3. Students will expect end-to-end service with recruitment providers, personalisation and AI tech.

On UK:

Another speech of note in the Conference was ApplyBoard’s Head of UK Recruitment, Justin Wood. Justin opined that there are currently 758,855 Nigerian international students in the United Kingdom and it is expected to have a four-fold growth in 5 years, according to research. This is despite the following:

1. Q1 2024 Dependant restrictions policy by UK Immigration
2. A 60% market decline of Nigerian students influx to the UK
3. Post Study work hours in question.

However, his optimism comes from the following 3-pointer questions:

1. Why are 84% still interested in studying in the UK? The UK is still ranked 4th top student destination in the world after Canada, US and Australia with 84% of prospects still interested in studying in the UK. It is up to recruiters to efficiently tailor these applications to fit the right schools and cover visa concerns. There’s also the availability of postgraduate scholarships in the UK more than any other country, Nottingham Trent University and North Eastern University are among some of the Universities that provide exclusive scholarships available through ApplyBoard.
2. Need for Speed? The UK is the quickest country to approve visas. Whereas Canadian visas take up to 10 weeks, UK visas take 3 weeks or less. The UK is however the slowest to grant admission letters because schools take their time to pick the right fit. Therefore, once again, it is imperative to profile the right student to the right university at the right time. You cannot have a third class and select a 1% Cambridge University for example or have disparities in your statement of funds. Everything must have been planned and articulated months prior. Schools like Regent University for example accept 3rd class degree results with the requirement of top-up classes if you are granted admission. On the other hand, Coventry University accepts HND certificates with at least five years of work experience. Choose wisely. 
3. Rising Opportunities in Post-Graduate Work Opportunities After School: The UK is still looking for immigrant workers to fill various job roles so even amid strict regulations, it is worth considering that finishing from a UK university might afford you a job in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

More on UK universities

Regent University

One of the universities present for the Conference, Regent University proclaims their desire to welcome international students in the coming admission session. International students generally pay £15,950 as tuition fees, however, a discount of £4,450 is given as a discount on the fees. That means that students will be expected to pay £11,550 a year for tuition. But, only £3,450 is required to be paid for CAS to be given and a £5,750 down payment before admission.

Coventry University 

Coventry University was also present at the event. The school boasts over 150 courses so international students have a variety to choose from. In addition, the school accepts students who graduated with HND as long as they have proof of 5 years of work experience. Alternatively, HND graduate students applying for a master’s program can opt for the top-up course for one year at the University before proceeding to their master’s program. The application fee is also free in addition to the tuition discounts the school offers. 

On Canada:

Schools in Canada were represented during a panel session held during the Conference. The general consensus was that Canadian schools are going to be increasingly selective and international students, positively competitive. It is then up to international students to identify the right schools. These were the facts presented at the event:

• Conestoga College has the largest body of international students with a whooping 34,200 from different countries. In terms of graduation rate, it tops the chart and also has a 90% placement rate after graduation. The College prides itself on being friendly towards different cultures and is ready to accommodate more students. Other schools mentioned for their international-friendly policies are Algoma College and Saskatchewan Polytechnic as well as the regions they are located in. Conestoga prides itself in not having scholarships for international students as a tool to trap them. If you’re coming to Conestoga, you must know the value it provides other than scholarships e.g. location. However, scholarship opportunities are currently in the works at the college. 
• Algoma College has a 72% visa approval rate, one of the highest known visa approval rates in all of Canada. Algoma is your best bet if excellence does not scream out of your qualifications.

What else is popular about Algoma College?

Algoma Bachelor’s degrees are 3-year programs. It is advisable, however, to choose a 4-year program if you also desire a Master’s degree in Canada.

Algoma College is also known for its popular programs/Faculties: School of Computer Science and Technology & Faculty of Science. It is a good choice if you want to have a Bachelor’s in Mobile Software Engineering, in Game Tech, a Master of Computer Science or a Graduate Certificate in IT.

In the Faculty of Science, its most popular programs among international students are Biology and Environmental science, both of which are sought-after fields in Canada.

International Business University, Canada: Furthermore, International Business University offers affordable tuition fees for students willing to pursue business-related courses. The tuition fee is CAD 35,000 with an ancillary fee of CAD 1,600. The school also offers the LATAM scholarship &5,000 CAD. The MBA programs are DLI-approved and one can defer via ApplyBoard in the case of visa rejection. 

Humber Polytechnic: Humber Polytechnic on the other hand was another institution present and it is Canada’s largest college with about 86,000 learners and over 220 programs. It also ranks as the top university when it comes to getting employment after six months. Another perk the Polytechnic offers is being located in Ontario, the second safest city globally. In terms of quality of living, it’s the second-best city in North America and the second-best study destination for students on the continent.

Interview Session

In an exclusive chat session with AfterSchoolAfrica, ApplyBoard reaffirmed their dedication to ensuring they continue to provide excellent services to students and recruiters altogether. Some of the steps taken is the cheap student loan option available to students to help with the cost of their education.

Additionally, to make things easy for students, they have a partnership with Duolingo that offers English test vouchers in Naira for students in Nigeria. This is to mitigate the impact of the current flunctuating exchange rate.

Furthermore, they also advised that students put in their best in their application preparation to enable them scale through even if it means taking the language proficiency test or any other required standardized tests. Evading the tests will only make you less competent in the eyes of admission providers.

Finally, students were encouraged to use Abbie, the new ApplyBoard AI service to evaluate their documents, ask critical questions about the schools and the cities they are located, and generally go through the admission application process in a more efficient way.