'Big Four' era in doubt as Spain and Italy surge past Australia and Canada in student search rankings

Tthe traditional "Big Four" study destinations – the US, UK, Canada, and Australia – may no longer dominate the international education landscape as they once did. 

Keystone data, which tracks over five million student searches each month, shows international student interest is beginning to diversify significantly. In March 2025, the most-searched-for study destinations included not only traditional leaders like the US and UK but also several unexpected contenders. Spain and Italy climbed into the top three, while countries like Portugal, Switzerland, and the Netherlands also made strong showings. 

Keystone, which tracks more than five million student searches each month, found that as of March 2025, the top ten most-searched study destinations included:  

Experts point to policy stability and the tone of national narratives as critical factors in attracting international students. While the US remains the most-searched destination globally, its lead is narrowing. Countries that have traditionally been overlooked are now gaining ground by offering affordability, high-quality programs, and welcoming immigration policies. 

Dr. Balaji Krishnan, Vice Provost of International Affairs at the University of Memphis, spoke on this shift during a session at Keystone’s US Summit at Boston University. He said: 

“You have the big four, but there are also several other countries which are making a very deliberate and intentional strategy to increase the amount of international students they are trying to recruit, for example, Germany and France, and Italy not too far behind.  

“Some of the other countries that are not getting captured in the data – in my view – is the traffic to Eastern European countries.  

“Many of them are ‘upping their game’, and they are admittedly starting from a low base, but the growth percentages are phenomenal because they are able to offer education at an extremely low cost.  

“And when students are looking at the return on investment, or students’ parents are looking at the return on investment, that is a significant ROI as tuition costs are low, especially in areas like medicine.” 

Keystone’s data shows that while US interest has declined somewhat, the drop is far less dramatic than in countries like Canada and Australia, where recent policy changes—such as caps on international student numbers and stricter migration policies—are seen as deterrents. 

The good news for US institutions is that there was a sharp recovery in interest in general in February and March. 

The most impacted audiences have been Africa and South Asia, with the latter still trending down in terms of US interest. European interest, meanwhile, has recovered significantly.  

Meanwhile, the UK is seeing a steady rise in student interest.

For universities and colleges around the world, this data is a wake-up call. Student mobility patterns are evolving quickly, influenced by everything from geopolitics and immigration policy to affordability and access. Institutions that want to stay competitive will need to adapt by understanding where interest is growing—and why. 

As more countries step up with intentional strategies and student-centered offerings, the global education landscape is becoming less predictable, but also more exciting. The message is clear: the era of the "Big Four" may be fading, making way for a more inclusive and globally distributed higher education ecosystem.