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. 11 · June 23rd -June 30th, 2026
TL;DR
TOP STORIES FROM ACROSS GLOBE
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CAPES-Move Africa programme to boost Brazil-Africa Higher Education relations
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TED, ETS and Khan launch new $10k AI degree
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Southern Cross offers TAFE graduates fast-track route into university degrees
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Bill introduced to make college more affordable for students
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UK to close Turing exchange scheme when it rejoins Erasmus+
BRAZIL-AFRICA
Higher education is being positioned as a key pillar in the growing relationship between Brazil and Africa, following the launch of the (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel) CAPES-Move Africa programme to support the mobility of postgraduate African students to Brazilian universities.
This involves the launch of a scholarship programme for 2,600 masters and doctoral students from Africa to study at Brazilian higher education institutions.
Experts have described the development as a “milestone” in building a permanent cooperation agenda between higher education institutions in Brazil and Africa, including the establishment of a “strategic long-term pillar” in South-South internationalisation policies
Source;University World News
EDTECH NEWS
ETS, TED and the Khan Academy have jointly launched a new AI degree model at a fraction of traditional college costs, vowing to create a globally accessible education pathway backed by global corporate giants.
The model leverages AI to deliver remote undergraduate degrees at $10,000, with founding partners vowing to expand access to learning pathways and AI education, without losing sight of the human skills required in employment.
Source; PIE News (EdTech)
AUSTRALIA
Southern Cross University has become the latest Australian institution to offer Technical and Further Education (TAFE) graduates a quicker and cheaper route into higher education, with eligible students able to enter directly into the second year of selected degrees.
The initiative will provide up to one year of credit across eight degrees spanning tourism, hotel management, science, IT, business, nursing and education, potentially saving students up to A$17,000 in tuition costs.
Southern Cross University confirmed that the pathways program will also be available to international students, who can apply through the university’s international admissions process. Depending on the course, students may be able to study online, offshore or in Australia.
Source; The PIE News
USA
On Tuesday 23rd June, United States Representatives Mark Pocan (D-WI) and Robert C ‘Bobby’ Scott (D-VA) and US Senators Mazie K Hirono (D-HI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced bicameral legislation to make higher education more affordable for millions of working- and middle-class students across the country.
The Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act of 2026 would nearly double the Pell Grant maximum award, index the maximum award for inflation, and make other changes to expand the award for working students, while also protecting the programme from budget shortfalls and eligibility changes.
Source; University World News
UK
The UK’s Turing international exchange scheme will end when the country rejoins Erasmus+, the government has confirmed.
Turing, which has run since 2021, will not operate in the 2027-28 academic year, when the UK will instead take part in the European Union’s flagship programme after a six-year absence.
It brings an end to the UK’s experiment in running its own exchange scheme, which allowed for placements in a wider range of countries around the world but was hampered by bureaucratic hurdles and waning interest.
The government confirmed it would rejoin Erasmus+ in December last year as part of strengthening of ties with the EU, 10 years after the Brexit referendum. Ministers are hoping 100,000 people will benefit in its first year alone, including not just university students but also apprentices, further education students, and adult learners.
Source; Times Higher Education
What to do this week
Based on this week's developments, here is exactly what a prospective international student should be doing right now:
1. If you're African and considering a postgraduate degree, look into the CAPES-Move Africa programme. 2,600 funded spots (masters and doctoral) at Brazilian universities are on the table.
2. Check out the ETS/TED/Khan Academy $10k AI degree model. If cost has been your barrier to a US-accredited undergraduate degree, this is worth a serious look.
3. If you hold a TAFE qualification in Australia, you may be able to skip the first year entirely across 8 degree programmes, including options for offshore and online study.
4. If you're targeting US study, track the Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act. It hasn't passed yet, but if it does, the maximum award nearly doubles
5. UK-bound students: note that Turing ends in 2027-28 and Erasmus+ returns. If an exchange year is part of your plan, factor this into your timeline, Erasmus+ opens access to EU institutions that Turing didn't prioritise.
IN SUMMARY;
This week's developments cluster around one theme: access to international education is being renegotiated. Brazil's scholarship programme signals new South-South pathways for African students.
The ETS/TED/Khan Academy degree and Southern Cross's TAFE pathway both challenge the cost of traditional credentials, from different angles; one through technology, the other through recognition of prior learning.
Meanwhile, the US and UK are course-correcting on funding and mobility: the Pell Grant bill aims to restore lost purchasing power, while the UK's return to Erasmus+ closes the book on Turing's six-year run as an independent alternative
The through-line across all five stories is access being expanded, repriced, rerouted, and in some cases, rescued.
We'll be back next Tuesday. Until then, your only job is to act on what you've just read
Regards,
The Radius Team
