Numerous indicators such as population, economics and education capacity point to Sri Lanka as a growing important source market for international students.
The island nation boasts a young population: 4 in 10 are under 24 years of age. It is projected that the country will see one of the fastest growing tertiary enrolments through 2025.
But the country doesn’t seem ready to sustain this projected growth. Locally, there are only enough university seats to accommodate just 10% of those who sit tertiary entrance exams each year.
This is a major gap in its supply and demand. And as a result, more and more families are sending their children overseas for their tertiary studies.
As average income level is expected to grow beyond 2020, the demand for education is most likely to expand further.
According to recent study by UNESCO, the top 3 destination countries for Sri Lankan students are Australia, the USA and Malaysia.