For many young people around the world, international qualifications are the key to open up a world of opportunities. Rigorous, recognised by universities around the world and promoting a global mindset, Cambridge International AS & A Levels equip students with the skills to thrive at university and beyond.
It is perhaps no wonder that in June 2024, Cambridge saw a record rise in exam entries – 9% rise on the previous year – across all secondary stages – from Cambridge IGCSE and O Level to A Level.
With more students around the world opting for Cambridge qualifications, we wanted to find out what they were doing with them.
Destination Survey
Every year, we invite all schools with Cambridge International AS & A Level graduates to complete our Destination Survey (below) and tell us where and what students went on to study. This year we heard from 372 schools from around the world with a combined student cohort of approximately 20,582 students.
Although there was a drop of 3% compared to the previous year, a whopping 92% of Cambridge students from the schools who responded are using their Cambridge International AS & A Levels to get into university. The UK, USA, Canada and Australia remained the most popular international destinations.
Highflyers
Impressively, what we can see from the data is that 66% of Cambridge students from schools who completed the survey went on to attend a top-500 ranked university (as defined by QS world rankings). This is up 5% from 2022, suggesting that although fewer students are going to university, the ones who do are progressing to some of the most highly ranked institutions around the world.
For example, in the top ten destinations for Cambridge students, was Imperial College London, UK, which recently made headlines as it rose to second best university in the world and first in Europe (overtaking both Oxford and Cambridge). QS highlighted Imperial’s world-leading research performance, outstanding employability scores, and exceptional sustainability commitment as some of the reasons why the university is in the top two in the world.
Top ten destinations for students globally:
- UCL (University College London)
- University of Toronto
- = The University of Manchester
- University of Melbourne
- Monash University
- University of Sydney
- King’s College London (KCL)
- Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS)
- The University of Warwick
- Imperial College London
The most popular university destination for Cambridge students from East Asia were UK universities. When asked in the survey what their students’ main reasons for choosing a UK university were, 73% of schools responded it was because of the university’s reputation, closely followed by 64% citing future job opportunities.
However, data showed that other countries are growing in popularity as a study destination. For the first time, the Netherlands was reported to be a first-choice university destination for European students. Similarly, students from North America chose France as their third most popular destination.
Staying close to home
As well as progressing to university outside of a respondent’s home country, the Destination Survey showed that more students wanted to stay at home to study than the previous year. In 2022, only 46% of students remained in their own country to study, compared to 51% in 2023.
Financial considerations around cost and affordability are a factor, with a higher percentage of schools choosing the ‘value for money’ option against Australian and Canadian universities. In addition, European students were less likely to want to study in the UK post-Brexit due to higher fees.
A world of opportunities
“We have more students choosing not to go to university, they seem to be more eager to get into the working world” (Free text field quote from a US school, Destination Survey).
As we saw above, financial and political concerns affected where students decided to study. But these were also a factor when considering whether to embark on higher education at all.
With the threat of increased university fees in the UK, there is increased media focus on whether university is good value for money. Apprenticeships and higher apprenticeships starts have both seen an increase as students are opting to build their skills with on-the-job training instead of taking on a university education that could possibly leave them in debt and looking for graduate jobs in an increasingly competitive market.
Similarly, in the US, growing scepticism about the return on a college education, the cost of which has soared in recent decades, is fuelling a rise in school leavers going into the trades. Two of 19 US schools in our survey reported that students were less keen on the traditional four-year university course and more interested in vocational courses at state colleges that lead directly to employment opportunities.
For Cambridge, this data is an indicator that maybe not every student who is now taking Cambridge International AS and A Levels wants to go to university. The skills students learn at this level give them the freedom to tread paths other than higher education, whether it’s apprenticeships, work, or more vocational types of qualification. In terms of being ready for the world, Cambridge students are finding that Cambridge International AS and A Levels prepare them not only for higher education, but also for the demands of work too.
We recently spoke to members of our Strategic Higher Education Advisory Council – senior enrolment staff at leading institutions in the US, Canada, Australia, Japan and the UK – about what makes Cambridge students excel at university. What stood out to us, was that the skills they list are some of those highly desired by employers too.
Ready for the world
The data from our Destination Survey highlights the significant impact that Cambridge International AS & A Levels have on students’ futures; those who choose the higher education route are using their Cambridge qualifications to gain entry into some of the world’s top universities.
Moreover, the flexibility and skills provided by Cambridge International AS & A Levels are equipping students not only for academic success but also for diverse career paths. Whether choosing to attend university, enter the workforce, or pursue vocational training, Cambridge students are well-prepared to excel in their chosen fields.
As we continue to support and track our students’ progress, it is clear that a Cambridge education opens doors to a whole host of opportunities, fostering highly-adaptable and capable individuals ready for the world.
