Postgraduate Research Global Update as of May 2025

Our unique Pulse trackers and Share of Search data provide insights on thousands of prospective students interested in Global PhD opportunities. As of May 2025, we’re seeing that:

• Interest in US research continues to fall from all tracked audiences, and this fall is now more pronounced than we’ve seen in recent months. Australia and Germany appear to be two of the major benefactors, with neither lower than the 4th most popular destination across all audiences.
  
  
• On Campus delivery remains the most popular delivery method for all audiences despite a slight shift towards flexibility. Blended study remains more popular than Online at PhD level.
  
  
• Autumn 2025 continues to be the focus for audiences across all major destinations; however, almost half of the audience for North American study are now looking ahead to 2026.
  
  
• Fields of Biological research remain popular across most of our tracked destinations, but in the USA interests are more likely to be geared towards Computer Science and Engineering specialisms.