Business studies is the most popular course for the majority of international students, according to new figures released this week. 

 The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)’s Education at a Glance 2011 report found that business studies attracts more international students than any other discipline at both the undergraduate and research levels in 14 out of 22 countries within the OECD enrolling international students. 

The research reveals that international students prefer to study social sciences, business and law when they go abroad, but in non-English speaking countries a higher proportion of international students are enrolled in education, humanities and the arts. 

The sciences attract fewer than 15% of international students even in countries popular for these subjects, such as Germany. 

Around half of all international students in Australia, Estonia and the Netherlands are enrolled in social sciences, business or law courses. 

More than one in five international students in Austria, Germany, Japan, Norway and Switzerland are enrolled to study humanities and arts degrees. Some countries attract students specifically for linguistic and cultural studies, and they include Japan, France, Austria and Germany. 

The sciences attract at least 15% of international students in Germany, Iceland, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and France but fewer than one in 50 in Japan. 

However when agriculture, engineering, manufacturing and construction are included among science disciplines, science subjects attract up to 50% of international students studying in Sweden, almost four in five overseas students in Germany and just over that number in Finland. 

To download the full report please visit the OECD website

Posted by Caroline Fox

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