From Four to Fourteen

In many ways, international admissions is a numbers game. And in recent years, the numbers have shifted dramatically.

The classic “Big Four” destinations—Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States—have been joined by at least 10 other countries. The countries that make up what’s now being called the “Big 14” vary, but commonly cited candidates include France, Germany, Hong Kong (and the rest of China), Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam.

As a sign of how much things have changed, China—once the dominant source of international students in the United States—now collectively sends more students to non-Big Four destinations than to any single Big Four country.

Here are six things to know about this ongoing dynamic.

1. Headwinds are hurting the Big Four.

Along with the immigration policy shifts that have dominated the news since the Trump administration took office, the perception of the United States as a safe and welcoming place to study has deteriorated during the past year.

In IDP Education’s fall 2025 Emerging Futures 8 survey, the United States was ranked dead last on perceptions of safety and welcoming, post-study work visa policies, and international student policies. But the United States isn’t the only country that has implemented more restrictive international education policies among the Big Four.

Australia and Canada have both introduced caps on international student enrollment, and the United Kingdom has imposed stricter regulations for master’s level programs