Interest in studying in the Gulf has fallen sharply in recent months, with new data from Studyportals showing a significant shift in student behaviour following the onset of the current Middle East conflict.
According to Studyportals, demand for study in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries demand for study in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, has declined by 43% from its peak in late December 2025, and is down around 30% since early February.
The figures mark a notable interruption to the region’s recent growth in higher education demand, signalling an accelerating downturn rather than a short-lived fluctuation.
The investments and commitment in the region are very fundamental. We will be watching the data closely to see how the situation unfolds
Edwin van Rest, Studyportals
In the years leading up to the current crisis, Gulf countries had been steadily strengthening their position in the international education market, backed by substantial government investment that enabled universities across the region to expand capacity, attract international institutions and diversify their program offerings.
Branch campuses of US, UK, and Australian universities were among the early entrants, followed more recently by a broader mix of European and Asian institutions. This expansion has helped position the Gulf as an increasingly viable alternative to traditional study destinations, particularly for students in Asia and Africa seeking quality degrees closer to home.
“The Gulf has astonishing momentum as a study destination. Most recently, even students who would have traditionally looked at studying in the ‘Big 4’ destinations were starting to consider it seriously and our enrolments from these segments were growing steeply. What we’re seeing now is that conflict changes the calculation,” said Edwin van Rest, CEO, Studyportals.
Meanwhile, in Iran, the data highlights a separate but compounding factor affecting regional demand — restricted internet access, with connectivity dropping to around 1–4% of normal levels following strikes in late February 2026.
Though options for Iranian students to study abroad have been restricted in some key destinations, interest in pursuing an international education remains high.
However, on a more positive note, previous patterns suggest that this effect may be temporary. During earlier disruptions, including the Twelve-Day War, student search activity rebounded once internet services were restored, indicating that the underlying demand for international education remains intact.
The region’s strategy has relied heavily on internationalisation, drawing students from abroad, building global partnerships, and positioning itself as an education hub, and a sustained drop in demand could challenge both recruitment pipelines and longer-term policy goals. However, the fundamentals underpinning that strategy — investment, infrastructure, and institutional partnerships — remain in place.
“The investments and commitment in the region are very fundamental. We will be watching the data closely to see how the situation unfolds,” stated van Rest.
“Our thoughts are with the many talented students, families, and university staff in the region who are facing uncertainty, disruption, and harm.”
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