Faced with increasingly competitive university placements in South Africa, more students are pursuing higher education opportunities overseas. According to International Education Link (EduLink), which assists African students with applications and funding, demand has surged, driven by local placement challenges and growing interest from township and rural students, often inspired by peers already studying abroad.
Christine Whittaker, EduLink’s founder, says: “We’ve seen communities rally behind bright students from underprivileged backgrounds who excel academically but lack financial resources. The spirit of Ubuntu is alive, with relatives and teachers helping them study overseas.”
Kabelo Makeke, Standard Bank’s Head of Personal and Private Banking, says this demand will continue as South Africa integrates into the global economy. “Globalisation makes international experience highly valuable, and many students are also drawn to the personal growth and cultural exchange that come with studying abroad.”
Affluent students favour destinations such as the USA, UK, Netherlands, and South Korea, while cost-conscious students increasingly opt for Malaysia, Hungary, North Cyprus, and Zambia. South Korea and Japan, offering part-time English teaching opportunities, attract students seeking to support themselves financially. Popular fields include medicine, veterinary studies, and engineering, with Hungary and Zambia preferred for affordable medical programmes. Affordable international MBAs are also popular among working professionals.
This rising interest has increased demand for international student loans and Standard Bank has been offering student loans for overseas studies for many years.
Its loans for overseas studies cover tuition, accommodation, textbooks, and essential equipment such as laptops, with flexible repayment terms, including interest-only payments if someone signs surety during studies. Key requirements include proof of acceptance from an accredited institution, South African citizenship for both the student and surety, and the surety holding a Standard Bank account. Terms, conditions, and product rules apply.
“Recognising the growing demand and its costs, we continuously adapt our products to help more students pursue international education,” says Makeke. “For many South African students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, our student loans open doors to global opportunities.”
Expanding University Options Drive Down Costs
As demand rises, so has the number of universities joining EduLink’s annual roadshows. From just a handful 20 years ago, EduLink now partners with over 400 institutions, including Ivy League and publicly funded universities. The upcoming roadshow, from 17 to 21 February 2025, will feature 30 universities from over 16 countries and include visits to top South African schools.
These roadshows show families that international studies can be affordable, with some European and Zambian universities offering tuition fees lower than many private South African schools. “In Malaysia, North Cyprus, and Zambia, students can get high-quality education at a fraction of the cost in South Africa,” says Whittaker. “A year’s tuition, accommodation, meals, health insurance, and transport in North Cyprus costs around R110,000, with scholarships further reducing fees.”
For high achievers, certain European universities offer 100% merit-based scholarships, with no cap on the number awarded.
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