These 6 Asian Countries Plan to Attract Master’s Students by the Thousands in 2025

Southeast Asia is becoming a hotspot for international students, and it’s easy to see why. While many students come from neighbouring countries like India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, there’s a noticeable rise in interest from students in the United States, United Kingdom, Türkiye, and Germany.

Asian universities have been stepping up their game, pouring resources into improving the quality of their programmes and research and improving their international rankings. They’ve expanded the number of English-taught degrees, simplified visa processes, and rolled out scholarships, making studying in this vibrant and diverse region easier.

How we did this...

This article explores how Japan, Malaysia, China, South Korea, India, and Thailand have improved their international student intake and become more popular student destinations.

• To compile this list, we analysed all Asian countries offering study programmes on our platforms and picked those with the highest growth in student interest.
• We also consulted reliable sources to review recent changes in their international student policies.
• This article focused only on available Master’s programmes and considered on-campus degrees tied to study visas and related policies.

Let’s have a detailed look at these countries and how they plan to encourage international students to study there:

Japan

Japan is on a mission to welcome 400,000 international students by 2033. This big push is part of a broader plan to attract talent and tackle population challenges. According to a University World News article from 2023, quoting the Japanese Ministry of Justice, “Japan wants to attract more doctoral and masters students who can help enhance it’s international competitiveness”.  The Japanese government has rolled out some exciting changes:

• English-Taught Programmes: Expanding the number of degree programmes available in English to attract non-Japanese-speaking students.
• Specialised Visas: Introducing job-search visas for graduates, allowing them to remain in Japan for up to two years while seeking employment.
• Scholarships: Enhancing financial aid, including the Monbukagakusho (MEXT) scholarship, which fully funds tuition and living expenses (one example is this MEXT scholarship provided by the Tohoku University in Japan, but there are many others you can find on the Studyportals Scholarships platform).
• Support Networks: Providing mentorship and language assistance to help students integrate into academic and professional environments.

Browse through hundreds of Master’s degrees to study in Japan

Malaysia

International student intakes in Malaysian universities have spiked, Pie News reports. This Asian country quickly becomes a top choice for international students, thanks to its student-friendly policies and focus on quality education. Malaysia aims to host 250,000 international students by 2025 and has introduced several initiatives to make studying there more accessible and rewarding. Here’s what makes Malaysia stand out:

• Simplified Visa Procedures: A centralised platform through Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) speeds up visa approvals, making the process hassle-free.
• International Branch Campuses: Top universities like the University of Nottingham and Monash University have campuses in Malaysia, offering globally recognised degrees.
• Affordable and Diverse Study Options: Malaysia offers budget-friendly tuition fees and a wide variety of programmes across public and private institutions.
• Pathways to Work: Students benefit from internships and job placement services, providing a solid start to their careers after graduation.
• Studyportals data reveals spikes in interest among students from India, Indonesia, the United States, United Arab Emirates and Egypt.

Browse through over a thousand Master’s degrees to study in Malaysia

China

China is making bold moves to attract international students, strengthening its position as a global education hub. The country has become an increasingly popular choice for students worldwide through scholarships, English-taught programmes, and supportive policies. Here’s how China is making it happen:

• Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Scholarships: Numerous scholarships are offered to students from BRI-participating countries, promoting cultural and educational exchanges.
• China Scholarship Council (CSC) Programs: These government-funded scholarships cover tuition, accommodation, and living expenses for students at all levels, from undergraduate to postdoctoral studies.
• Expansion of English-Taught Programmes: Chinese universities now offer a growing number of degrees in English, making them accessible to non-Chinese-speaking students.
• Simplified Visa Policies: International students can engage in part-time work and internships, gaining valuable experience while studying.
• Post-Graduation Opportunities: New policies allow students to stay in China for internships or employment after graduation, with pathways to permanent residency for those with advanced degrees.

Browse through more than a thousand of Master’s degrees to study in China

South Korea

South Korea is pulling out all the stops with its Study Korea 300K Project, aiming to host 300,000 international students by 2027 and secure its place as a top 10 global study destination. The initiative targets a more diverse student population, focusing on countries like India, Pakistan, Poland, and the United States, with an emphasis on STEM programmes. Here's how South Korea is making studying there more appealing:

• Easing Language Requirements: There are more English-taught programmes in South Korea, and free Korean language classes are available for international students.
• Visa Simplification: The visa process is being streamlined to cut down on wait times and reduce paperwork.
• Scholarships: The government is expanding the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) programme to offer more scholarship opportunities to international students.
• Pathways to Residency: Clearer routes to permanent residency for master's and doctoral students encourage them to stay, work, and contribute to South Korea's economy and innovation sectors.
• Our data shows that students from Sri Lanka, Nepal, Nigeria, Germany, and Vietnam are very interested in studying in South Korea.

Browse through hundreds of Master’s degrees to study in South Korea

India

India is taking significant steps to become a global study destination: it plans to reach 500,000 international students during the next couple of decades. It launched initiatives designed to attract students worldwide to achieve this huge goal. While most of its students come from neighbouring countries, there’s growing interest from places like the United States, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Canada. Here’s how India is making its education system more appealing to international students:

• Study in India Programme: Launched in 2018, this programme partners with over 160 top institutions, offering 2,600+ courses and financial support through scholarships to study in India and fee waivers.
• National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: The NEP focuses on internationalising higher education by fostering partnerships with global institutions, encouraging research collaboration, and allowing prestigious universities to set up campuses in India.
• Target Enrollment Goals: India aims to enrol 500,000 international students by 2047, underscoring its ambition to become a central education hub.
• Simplified Admission Processes: New UGC guidelines create additional seats for international students, ensuring more straightforward access to undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

Find your Master’s in India among over 1,000 degrees

Thailand

Thailand approved longer stays for tourists, students, and remote workers. Foreign students can now stay an additional year after graduation, facilitating extended educational and employment opportunities. The country also implemented so-called "digital nomad" visas for self-employed, remote workers will be extended to five years. 

• Extended Stay Options: Allowing students to remain in the country for one additional year after graduation to explore employment opportunities.
• Simplified Visa Rules: Introducing digital platforms for faster visa processing and reducing documentation requirements.
• Broad Applicability: Applying the changes not just to degree-seeking students but also to remote workers and short-term trainees.
• Support for International Programmes: Increasing English-language courses and enhancing partnerships with global institutions.

Browse through hundreds of Master’s degrees to study in Thailand

In conclusion..

Asian countries are stepping up to make studying abroad more accessible and rewarding for international students. With simplified visa processes, expanded English-taught programmes, scholarships, and pathways to work after graduation, destinations like Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, and China are becoming increasingly appealing.

Whether you’re looking for quality education, cultural diversity, or career opportunities, these countries offer a promising future for students ready to explore..