Article · International student recruitment
Why More Bangladeshi Students Are Choosing to Study Abroad
Originally published on LinkedIn on 26 September 2019, lightly edited for clarity. Figures reflect the time of writing. For the latest rules and numbers, see study abroad news.
There are several positive reasons why more and more Bangladeshi students are heading to universities abroad.
1. A fast-growing economy
According to the IMF, Bangladesh was the second-fastest-growing major economy in 2016, with growth of 7.1%. Trading Economics expected annual GDP growth of around 8% in 2019. IMF data put GDP per capita in 2019 at US$4,992 (PPP) and US$1,888 (nominal). More families can now afford to support a child's education overseas.
2. A large pool of new students every year
In 2019, 1,336,629 students from 9,081 institutions sat the HSC and equivalent examinations under Bangladesh's ten education boards: 703,000 male and 633,629 female candidates. The overall pass rate was 73.93%, up from 66.64% in 2018, with 76.44% of female and 71.67% of male candidates passing. That is close to 1 million new HSC graduates a year, many of whom are prospective international students.
3. Limited public university places
According to the University Grants Commission, Bangladesh had 49 public universities, 45 of them with academic activities, offering a total of 465,675 seats. Roughly half of HSC graduates therefore cannot get a public university place. Those who miss out in the highly competitive admission tests must choose a private university or study abroad. Some private universities lack the infrastructure and resources for quality tertiary education, while those that have them can cost as much as studying in a developed country.
4. A proven track record
UNESCO Institute for Statistics data showed 60,390 Bangladeshi students pursuing higher education abroad in 2017. As Professor Abdul Mannan, then Chairman of the University Grants Commission, observed, students go abroad to gain qualifications and skills, become global citizens and improve their employment prospects.
Summary
With close to 1 million HSC graduates, only around 465,000 public university places and public university admissions closing by January 2020, the remaining students would either attend a private university or study abroad. For universities, this made late 2019 an ideal time to recruit from Bangladesh.
Sources cited in the original article: IMF, Trading Economics, Dhaka Tribune (HSC 2019 results), The Independent (Bangladesh) and New Age.