Software Engineering is the Most Popular Search Category on the ApplyBoard Platform. Here’s Why.

As students click, search and filter their way through the thousands of programs on the ApplyBoard Platform, they provide us with key insights. Insights that can tell us which subject areas are most popular among certain nationalities, how program preferences differ by destination, and so much more.

Previously, we’ve leaned on this internal data to understand the habits and motivations of students interested in particular subject areas. We began with searches made within the sciences category, and followed up with students interested in business and management. In the third edition of the ApplyInsights program search deep dive series, we’re analyzing prospective engineering and technology students. 

Why do certain nationalities of students pursue game design and animation degrees at a higher rate than others? And which destination country is by far the most popular choice for software and IT students?

Get the answers to these questions, and more, in this edition of ApplyInsights.

Unpacking Engineering and Technology Searches on the ApplyBoard Platform

So far in 2023, 25% of all program searches on the ApplyBoard Platform have been for programs within the engineering and technology subject category, up from 23% in 2022. This makes engineering programs the second most popular program type on the ApplyBoard Platform, behind business and management.

Let’s break down the sub-categories that drove student interest in engineering during 2023:

Technology, software engineering, computer programming and IT has dominated searches in this category over the last two years. 46% of all engineering and technology searches were for this subcategory in 2023, up from 45% in 2022. 

This makes technology, software engineering, computer programming and IT not only the most popular subcategory in engineering and technology, but also the most popular subcategory on the entire ApplyBoard Platform. 

12% of all searches on ApplyBoard in 2023 were for technology, software engineering, computer programming and IT. That’s 4 percentage points higher than the second most popular subcategory, management and administration.

With both “computer” and “IT” emerging among the six most popular search terms on the ApplyBoard Platform in 2022, this subcategory looks poised to only continue to grow. 

Exploring Country-Specific Engineering Search Trends

We know that technology, software engineering, computer programming and IT is the most popular engineering and technology subcategory, but in which destination market is it the most popular?

To learn how the popularity of different subcategories changes across ApplyBoard’s top four destination markets, take a look at this chart. Click on each individual country in the chart legend to toggle between that country’s data being hidden or shown:

Some of the most popular engineering and technology subcategories are seeing peak search numbers at US schools. Technology, software engineering, computer programming and IT (45.9%); mechanical, manufacturing and robotics engineering (10.6%); and electrical engineering (7.4%)—three of the top four subcategories in 2023—were all more popular in the US than Canada, the UK or Australia.

UK searches within this category see a much more even distribution. Aside from civil engineering and construction, where the UK sees a larger share of searches than the other three top destination markets (9.4%), UK universities are receiving a level of interest in most engineering subcategories that’s reflective of the all-markets average.

Canada led the way in several smaller but growing subject categories in 2023. Electronic engineering; game design, game animation and game creation; and chemical engineering were all slightly more popular in Canadian searches than searches for Australia, the UK, or the US. Canada was the second most popular choice for students in five additional subcategories. 

Technology, software engineering, computer programming and IT only drew 42% of Australian searches, the lowest share among the four destination markets. But while Australia may not have been the most popular destination for hopeful software engineers and IT professionals, it drew major attention within other engineering streams. Environmental engineering, material engineering, and agriculture were all most popular among Australian searches. 

Which Student Groups Should Engineering Programs Recruit to Diversify Their International Student Populations?

As international recruitment offices look to diversify their student populations, it’s important to understand the priorities and interests of different nationalities.

To uncover which markets have a particular interest or lack of interest in certain subcategories, we analyzed the data from the top 10 markets by search volume within the engineering and technology subject filter in 2023. Then, we ranked each country’s share of searches by how much they exceeded the all-markets average.

Technology, software engineering, computer programming and IT is more popular among students from Nepal (60.1%), India (50.7%), and Sri Lanka (50.1%) than the all-markets average.

Environmental engineering has been more popular among Iranian students than any other nationality on the ApplyBoard Platform so far this year. 9.4% of Iranian students searched for environmental engineering in 2023—that’s over three times the all-markets average.

Electrical engineering, which drew just one out of every 15 searches in engineering and technology in 2023, has been the second most popular search for both Pakistani and Bangladeshi students so far this year. Electrical engineering ranked fourth among all markets in 2023, trailing number two-ranked Mechanical, Manufacturing, Robotic Engineering by 2.2 percentage points.

Students from Iran (-16.8%), China (-13.2%), and the Philippines (-11%) all expressed significantly lower interest in technology, software engineering, computer programming and IT compared to the all-markets average.

We also need to recognize the popularity of game design, game animation and game creation among Chinese students. This was the seventh-ranked engineering and technology subcategory across all markets in 2023, but was the number three choice for Chinese students. Students from China searched for game design, game animation and game creation at two and a half times the rate of students from all markets.

How Do Student Preferences Differ by Destination Market?

In this mini-series, we’re constantly in search of outliers: specific data points that made a certain market stand out due to its interest or lack of interest in a particular subcategory.

Today, we’re taking that analysis one step further and breaking it down by destination market. This allows us to understand where a group of students are most interested in pursuing a particular subject area.

We analyzed the data from the top 10 source countries by search volume within the engineering and technology filter in 2023 across Canada, the US, and the UK. Then, we compared each destination country’s share of subcategory searches for that source country to the all-markets average and ranked them by the largest disparities.

Here’s what we found:

This data provides us with some really interesting insights into where the popularity of software engineering comes from. In Canada, we’re seeing that students from Nepal (+14.8%), Brazil (+13.2%) and Türkiye (+6.8%) are all expressing significantly more interest in technology, software engineering, computer programming and IT programs than the all-market average.

In the US, India (+7.1%) and Nepal (+5.2) are driving interest in these programs.

Sri Lankan students, who searched for software engineering at a below average rate in Australia and the US, sought out this popular subcategory at a higher rate than any other nationality of student in the UK.

Electrical engineering received more than double the share of searches from both Pakistani and Bangladeshi students in Canada compared to the all-markets average.

We can also see that Canadian institutions are the driving force behind the popularity of game design, game animation and game creation among Chinese students. 8.6% of Chinese searches in Canada within the engineering and technology category were for game design, while game design accounted for less than 3% of overall searches in the category.

Here’s How Institutions Can Act on This Information

Our data paints a clear picture of the growing interest in technology and engineering fields among international students in 2023. With technology-related programs, including software engineering, leading the way as the most-searched subjects, institutions should take note of these trends to remain competitive and attract diverse student populations.

To capitalize on these insights, here are some actionable recommendations for education institutions:

1. Curriculum Enhancement: Institutions should consider enhancing their technology and engineering programs to meet the demands of international students. Updating course content to align with industry trends, considering the use of AI within coursework, and offering cutting-edge technological resources can make programs more attractive.
2. International Partnerships: Foster partnerships with institutions in countries like Nepal, India, and Sri Lanka, where technology-related fields are particularly popular. Collaborative programs and exchanges can help institutions tap into these markets.
3. Tailored Recruitment Strategies: Recognize unique student interests. While software engineering may be popular among many nationalities, some may have unique preferences, such as environmental engineering among Iranian students. Tailor recruitment strategies accordingly.
4. Career Services: Provide robust career services and job placement support for graduates in technology fields. The career opportunities available upon completion of these programs can be a strong selling point.

It’s more than likely that the popularity of technology and engineering programs will continue to rise. With “computer” and “IT” becoming more popular search terms and interest among students consistently growing, these fields will likely remain at the top of the podium. We’re excited to see how institutions will prepare for this sustained interest and adapt their strategies accordingly to stay competitive in the international education landscape.

About the ApplyInsights Team