This Week in Study Abroad (TWISA) is a weekly read on what current and prospective international students should be paying attention to, powered by Radius.
Vol. 05 · May 13–19, 2026
TL;DR
Five stories reshaping student mobility, from work-hour limits in France to biometric border checks across Europe.
• France caps foreign student work at 964 hours per calendar year, and the clock does not follow your academic year.
• Asian universities report record undergraduate enrolment gains in Q1 2026
• Nepal unites its private universities to attract 10,000 international students within three years.
• Ireland confirms 80% of graduates land jobs within nine months.
• The EU’s Entry/Exit System goes live, introducing biometric registration for all non-EU travellers to the Schengen area.
TOP STORIES
France’s 964-hour rule: what every working student must know.
Non-EU foreign students in France are legally permitted to work up to 964 hours per calendar year without a separate work permit. The purpose is explicit: students may partially fund their studies, but academic activity must remain the priority. Exceeding the 964-hour threshold requires a separate work authorisation..
Source: Meridiane.fr
Germany Hosts Record 420,000 International Students for 2025/26
Germany has cemented its position as a top-tier study destination, attracting a record 420,000 international students in the 2025/26 academic year,a 4% year-on-year increase. Public universities in Germany remain largely tuition-free for all nationalities (students pay only €100–€400/semester in service fees). The country now stands to gain competitive advantage as France introduces its new mandatory fee structure.
Source: SchengenTracker / ICEF Monitor, April 2026
Nepal to attract 10,000 international students
In what is described as a first-of-its-kind private sector initiative, Nepalese universities have begun coordinating efforts to draw international students to the country. The ambition is significant: more than a sixfold increase in international enrolment within three years, with Nepal positioning itself as an emerging South Asian education destination.
Source: The PIE News
Ireland confirms 80% graduate employment rate within nine months.
Ireland’s standing as a study and work destination continues to strengthen. Fresh data confirms that 80% of graduates from Irish institutions secure employment within nine months of completing their degrees. The figure reflects a deliberate national policy emphasis on employability: Irish universities maintain structured links with industry, and degree programmes are designed with job-market outcomes in view rather than as a secondary consideration.
Source: Y-Axis
Australia: Offshore-to-Onshore Visa Switches No Longer Permitted
Students on visitor visas or temporary graduate visas can no longer switch to a student visa from within Australia, all applications must now be submitted offshore (from outside Australia). The Subclass 500 student visa requires: a valid Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE), IELTS/TOEFL/PTE score with an overall minimum of 6.0 IELTS, Genuine Student documentation, proof of funds (minimum AUD 29,710/year for living costs plus tuition and OSHC), and a valid passport. Fees for offshore applications are now capped at A$2,000.
Source: ImmiLaw Global / IDP Education, 2026
News You Don’t Want to Miss
Ireland: The Stamp 1G Stay-Back Visa is available only to graduates who are already in Ireland at the time of graduation. Students who leave before applying lose access to this route. Timing your departure matters.
Asia broadly: The Q1 2026 enrolment data showing zero institutions reporting a decline is worth noting for students considering Asian destinations. The pipeline is growing and institutions are investing. More competition for places is the predictable consequence.
Europe (Schengen): If you travel frequently between your home country and an EU Schengen destination, your movement is now being logged in a centralised biometric database. This is not a barrier to travel but it is a change in how border crossings are recorded and monitored.
UK: Recently released UK government data revealed a 40% year-over-year decline in study visa applications in April, with 8,900 international students applying to study in the UK, compared to 14,800 the previous year.
Ireland’s Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) has launched a temporary Bridging Permission that allows eligible non-EEA English-language students to remain in the State while they transition to a recognised third-level programme starting in September/October 2026.
WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK.
• If you are studying and working in France, start tracking your hours now against the calendar year, not the academic year. Build a simple log. If you are approaching 800 hours before September, you need to either slow down or investigate whether a separate work authorisation applies to your situation.
• If Ireland is on your list, do not leave before you have explored the Stamp 1G route. If you are in your final year, understand exactly when you need to apply and confirm your eligibility with the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service.
• If you are planning to travel to any of the 29 EES countries, allow additional time at the border on your first crossing. Biometric registration is mandatory and queues at automated kiosks are reported to be longer than expected during the roll-out period. Do not schedule tight connections around your first Schengen entry.
• If Nepal is on your research list as an emerging destination, begin gathering information now. The sector is moving quickly and early movers typically get the most favourable admission and scholarship conditions.
• If you are targeting European universities and the enrollment data concerns you, do not narrow your application to a single country. The split between institutions gaining students and those losing them suggests that destination-level data conceals significant institution-level variation. Research at the university level, not just the country level.
BOTTOM LINE
This week’s stories connect to a single underlying shift: the administrative burden of international study is rising everywhere, but not uniformly. France’s work-hour cap has always existed, what is new is that enforcement and awareness are both increasing. The EU’s biometric border system has been discussed for years, it is now operational. Ireland’s graduate employment rate is not new news, but the 80% figure in a week when other destinations are tightening is a pointed contrast. Nepal’s university coalition is genuinely new, and it signals something worth watching: as the traditional destinations raise barriers, non-traditional ones are actively lowering them.
We'll be back next Tuesday. Until then, your only job is to act on what you've just read
Regards,
The Radius Team
