Research Snapshot: Education abroad and employability
Publication date: 14 October 2025
Between July and August 2025, The Forum on Education Abroad conducted the largest known career-focused survey of education abroad alumni and the first such survey since the major shifts in the field of education abroad and the higher education sector at large initiated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on responses from more than 8,000 education abroad alumni from around the world, this report explores how studying abroad influences alumni’s career paths, helps them build career-ready competencies and contributes to their success throughout their careers. The report outlines key insights that demonstrate the value of education abroad as a workforce development strategy and identifies opportunities to further leverage study abroad to fill current gaps in our workforce and meet future challenges.
We asked thousands of alumni how studying abroad impacted their careers — revealing why investing in international education is good for students and their families, institutions and communities.
Amelia Dietrich
Dr. Amelia Dietrich is Senior Director for Research and Publications at The Forum on Education Abroad and Managing Editor of Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad. She is a specialist in education abroad and student mobility.
Key findings of the research:
1. More than 90% of education abroad alumni say that education abroad helped them build job skills.
2. Top skills developed through education abroad: adaptability, communication and interpersonal skills, intercultural communication, navigating differences and creative problem-solving.
3. Education abroad participation supports career decision-making, self-actualisation and career success across the lifespan. The majority of respondents report that education abroad participation had a very or extremely important influence on their career path and contributed to their career advancement. About half of respondents say that education abroad was asked about in their first job interview and helped them secure their first job after higher education
