MANILA - Canada and Australia emerged as the top destinations for Filipino students, IDP Philippines Country Director Jose Miguel Habana said on Wednesday.

The two countries offer good opportunities for Filipinos, including a chance to work while studying, as well as a chance to migrate in the future, he said.

IDP, an Australian listed company, helps students study abroad from the application process and getting visas, up until the student arrives and studies in their country of choice.

IDP also co-owns the English language proficiency test IELTS. In the Philippines, it offers study abroad services for free to anyone who is interested.

Habana said Canada is the lead country destination because Canada wants to entice many people to work and migrate there after studying.

“You can actually work while you’re there and help fund your living expenses. It’s a great opportunity for our Filipino students,” he said.

Aside from Canada and Australia, other top destinations for Filipino students are the United Kingdom, New Zealand, the United States, and Ireland. The top courses or fields of study Filipinos take are Business, Health Services, and Hospitality, revealed Habana. But engineering and I.T.-related courses are also growing.

“Roughly around 53,000 Filipinos in the top 5 destinations. And it has been growing. We foresee this market to continue to grow maybe 8-10% every year,” he added saying that most are taking post-graduate degrees.

The number of Filipinos looking to study abroad is growing again post-pandemic. Habana said the reasons for this are many want to work overseas eventually, some just want to study in a foreign land because their desired course is not available in the Philippines, and some parents want their kids to study in a country with quality education and a safe environment.

But also urged would-be students to really prepare - mentally, emotionally, and also financially. There are scholarships available, but for self-funded students, school fees would range from P1.8 million to 2.5 million per year. That does not include the cost of living expenses. Habana said there are ways to lessen costs such as partial scholarships, living with relatives abroad, and working while studying in countries that allow this setup.

IDP has recently opened an office in Quezon City with the expected influx of more potential students. It already has branches in Pasig, Makati, and Cebu City, as well as other IELTS centers in other cities.

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