Educational trends in Colombia have evolved towards training abroad, especially in postgraduate studies. Although the departure of students remains constant, it also The needs of the education system require strategies towards the internationalization of universities and the students themselves.
An example of this is the student mobility of Colombians abroad this year. According to Colombian migration data, with a cut-off date until September, a little more than 90,000 students have registered studies as a reason for traveling. EvenIf the monthly behavior is analyzed, January was the month that recorded the most departures, with about 17,352 students.
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In that sense, according to Francisco Egaña, director of Admissions and Development at ESCP Business School, Madrid campus, There is a trend in Colombian students that is divided into two characteristics.
The first of them, he confirms, is the willingness of Colombians to study outside the country, “aware of the need to acquire new experiences, a new perspective on things and ultimately build a better future”.
Also, he explained that another quality that stands out to Colombians in their studies abroad has to do with the desire to return to the country to apply the knowledge and experiences acquired abroad. “We can affirm that these are students who fit very well with students from all over the world, due to their open personality, their teamwork mentality and their desire to learn.”, he mentioned.
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January was the month with the most student mobility, with 17,352 registered departures.
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Now, one of the keys to migrating in the sense of education has to do with the granting of scholarships, or financing for studies abroad.
Reviewing Colfuturo data, For 2025 alone, 4,999 scholarship applications were submitted to the foundation, the highest since 1992, but of that total only 1,220 people were selected. This implies financial support of at least US$53.3 million, to finance 1,044 master’s degrees and 176 doctorates.
According to the director of ESCP Business School, there is a trend of interest in areas such as marketing and Management, both in relation to generic MBA-type programs. “They also ask us for more and more sustainability subjects in any program they study.”, he mentioned.
On the other hand, one of the concerns about education abroad has to do with financing.. In recent days it was announced that Icetex was going to have a reduction in the projected budget for this yearso a cloud of uncertainty was generated about the future of resources for young people outside the country.
Colfuturo received 4,999 applications for scholarships in 2025, but only 1,220 people were selected.
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It is worth highlighting that this entity is responsible for benefiting thousands of students, where based on its figures in 2024 alone, some 931 people obtained an international scholarship.
“In 2024, scholarship and mobility opportunities abroad were strengthened: more than 1,757 people benefited from these opportunities and 3,641 people accessed international programs, such as scholarships for abroad or Colombia scholarships for foreigners, International Experts, Young Talents, Language Assistants, Young Engineers and Alianza Pacífico, among others.“, they pointed out in Icetex.
Additionally, in 2023 the institution delivered at least 3,000 loans that ended up financing programs in Spain, Australia, Canada and the United States.
(Read also: Australia consolidates its attractiveness among Colombian students)
The United Kingdom, Australia, the United States and Spain are the main destinations for Colombian students.
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A need for internationalization?
Currently, one of the focuses that the country must work on is internationalization strategies for the educational community. According to Francisco Egaña, The opportunity to train abroad not only opens paths for students, but also creates a global and enriching environment.
Likewise, the Australian ambassador, Anna Chrisp, assured Portafolio that this educational cooperation not only implies the migration of students, but also the joint exchange of research and institutional relations between entities of the two countries.
It is important to mention that based on Colfuturo data, The countries that led the selection of Colombian students this year were the United Kingdom with 282 students, Australia with 207, followed by the United States with 201 and Spain with 117. In addition, there are other destinations such as Germany (101), Italy (58), Netherlands (54), France (53), Canada (31), Mexico (26), Sweden (25) and Brazil (14).
(See also: ‘The link with companies is key to university education’: Unie)
In 2024, Icetex awarded 931 international scholarships and financed more than 3,000 programs abroad.
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The areas of study of greatest interest
According to Colfuturo statistics, this year, Colombian students were more interested in engineeringsince at least 273 people were selected for this discipline. Likewise, there is administration with 226 students, social with 120 and health with 104 students.
Additionally, according to the foundation There is an interest in basic areas with at least 97 students, followed by policies with 71, as well as arts with 71 selected. On the other hand, 63 students were beneficiaries in architecture, as were another 60 in education, while 56 people were linked to agriculture, followed by 54 in law and finally 25 in economics.
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DIANA K. RODRÍGUEZ T.
Portfolio Journalist
