Article · International student recruitment
Past and Present of Bangladeshi Student Recruitment Abroad
Originally published on LinkedIn on 8 October 2019, lightly edited for clarity. Figures reflect the time of writing. For the latest rules and numbers, see study abroad news.
I have worked in study abroad and international higher education since 2015, and I have seen many changes in the international student recruitment market. In my experience, Bangladesh is the second-largest international student recruitment market in South Asia, with huge potential.
Who moved first?
The UK was the first to recruit Bangladeshi students at scale, followed by the USA and then Malaysia. Canada is now recruiting more Bangladeshi students every year. Other Asian and European countries also recruit from Bangladesh, but they have been slower to act.
The growth of local consultancies
In the early days, very few consultancies in Bangladesh knew how to support students applying abroad. Today there are many, which is a good sign. However, some have limited experience and need more training, because inexperienced advice can mislead students. A student who is poorly advised may be refused a visa and lose the dream of studying abroad.
On 4 April 2016, I appeared on Uccha Shikkhay Desh Videsh on Channel i to share essential advice for Bangladeshi students planning to study abroad. That advice remains largely the same whichever country a student chooses.