The coronavirus pandemic has had an impact on society and economy; thus, education is no exception. Universities either started teaching online or postponed it until further notice. But, what impact can the spread of coronavirus have on international student mobility? What are the expectations of prospective students from studying abroad?

According to a survey conducted by the studyportals website, about 50% of surveyed claimed that a pandemic would significantly affect their studies over the next year. They expect their universitities not only to provide online classes, but also to improve on-campus hygiene measures, provide 24/7 online counseling with experts, and extand deadlines.

When it comes to prospective students who have planned to continue their academic studies abroad, travel and financial support appear as two major concerns. Namely, there is a fear that they will not be able to travel or that their mobility will be significantly reduced compared to the previous periods. Also, as a result of the anticipated recession in the world, they fear that the cost of studying abroad will increase while scholarship and financial support funds will decrease.

According to the results of this survey, prospective students will choose a country for further academic development based on the measures taken by the states during COVID-19. In the period before the spread of coronavirus, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Italy, and Spain were among the most desirable countries to study, whereas the effects of both the ongoing pandemic and the recession are likely to hit them the most.

The pandemic is still ongoing, so the question remains how to ensure the openness and inclusiveness of education with the mobility of students, which have been fundaments for advancements of societies around the world. For the time being, the main recommendations concern the provision of timely and verified information, the provision of support (psychological, logistical and/or medical) and rights (such as the right to housing), and the strengthening of international and cross-sectoral cooperation between universities, national institutions, students' and youth organizations to overcome the effects of the crisis.

Belgrade Open School Team in the field of Academic Counseling