Artificial intelligence is gaining a significant influence on how students plan their international education, new data shows. A recent global survey by IDP Education finds that artificial intelligence is increasingly influencing how students pick where and what to study abroad.

According to the Emerging Futures: Voice of the International Student survey, which was carried out in July and August 2025 among 7,900 current and prospective students, more than half now intend to use AI tools like ChatGPT to choose their study destination, institution, or programme.

The survey finds that 54 per cent of students want to use ChatGPT to choose a university, and 53 per cent will use it to choose a programme, up from 35 per cent and 38 per cent in 2024.

The findings show an important rise in students' comfort using AI as part of their decision-making process. At the same time, 85 per cent of students are serious about exploring more than one destination, Economic Times reports.

“While students are still turning to counsellors and universities for advice, many are telling us that AI is becoming part of their decision-making toolkit. As a result, AI is shaping the early stage of students’ journeys,” Simon Emmett, chief partnerships officer at IDP Education, said.

AI is also transforming how college counsellors communicate with students, IDP finds. Vaishali Jain, senior education counsellor at IDP Education, observes that more students now contact counsellors with a better awareness of their goals.

“We’re seeing a growing number of students using AI tools like ChatGPT to explore study options before they even speak to a counsellor. AI is helping students clarify their interests, compare institutions, and come to us with more focused questions, while still having the support and guidance of counsellors to keep them on track until the visa has been granted,” she said.