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Tess Wilkinson is Director of Education Services at Henley & Partners.
As political unrest, escalating regional wars, economic disruption, and volatile immigration policies sweep across the globe in 2025, one trend is becoming crystal clear: the world’s wealthiest families are on the move — and education lies at the heart of their mobility strategies.
For over a decade, studying abroad has been a rite of passage for high-net-worth individuals and ambitious, wealthy families, offering children the promise of world-class universities, international exposure, and a competitive career edge. But today, that path is no longer guaranteed. Countries once considered safe havens for international students — the USA, the UK, Canada, and Australia — are now enforcing tighter student visa regimes, limiting post-study opportunities, and fueling a growing sense of uncertainty.
Against this backdrop, finding and securing a place at the right school or university and building a bridge between education, migration, and long-term opportunity is becoming much more difficult and complex, requiring specialist knowledge and support.
The international education landscape is undergoing profound shifts. According to IDP Education’s latest data, student placement volumes have dropped significantly, with a 28% year-on-year decline across top destinations. Projections suggest this will likely worsen, as geopolitical instability, immigration clampdowns, and shifting national interests reshape pathways that once seemed secure.
Families now face a harsh reality: even after gaining admission to a top institution, a student’s ability to remain, work, or settle in their host country is uncertain. The UK has revoked dependent visas and is reducing post-study work rights. Canada has imposed visa caps. Australia has tightened its migration policy, and the USA remains unpredictable, with post-graduation opportunities dependent on H-1B lotteries and employer sponsorship.
This means that a global degree alone no longer guarantees a global future. For today’s high-net-worth families, the stakes have risen. Education is no longer an isolated choice — it’s part of a larger, strategic migration plan.
Henley & Partners understands this shift better than anyone. As the global leader in investment migration, we recognize that educational planning must now be paired with residence and citizenship by investment solutions that safeguard long-term access, mobility, and opportunity.
Families are increasingly turning to investment migration programs as proactive responses to emerging global challenges. Rather than rely on uncertain student visa policies, they are opting for more stable migration routes for their children. These programs provide residence or citizenship options that open doors not just to education, but to the right to live, work, and build a future after graduation.
For instance, entrepreneurial families opting for the US EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program gain permanent residence in the USA without having to rely on H-1B quotas. Those exploring the UK’s Innovator Founder Program or Canada’s Start-Up Visa Program establish long-term migration solutions tied to business innovation. In Europe, initiatives such as the Portugal Golden Residence Permit Program and the Greece Golden Visa Program grant travel mobility across Europe’s Schengen Area and EU citizenship potential, while UAE Residence by Investment offers flexible long-term residence for those seeking both regional education and business opportunities.
These pathways do more than address risk. They create certainty. They allow families to plan boldly — not just for their child’s degree, but for their future independence and integration into society.
Henley & Partners’ Education division complements these mobility strategies with a robust and deeply personalized educational support system. Our services are designed to help families navigate every aspect of the educational journey — from academic assessment and school selection to mentoring, coaching, and post-admission planning.
Central to our offering is the Henley Academic Profiling Assessment (HAPA). This adaptive online tool assesses students aged six to sixteen in core academic areas including maths, English, and verbal and non-verbal reasoning. Families receive a comprehensive report that benchmarks their child’s performance against international peers. This is followed by an individualized session with a Henley & Partners Education specialist to discuss the results and map out the optimal academic pathways.
Beyond assessment, Henley & Partners Education offers expert counseling for global school and university placement. Our advisors focus on the best fit — academically, culturally, and socially — rather than on rankings, ensuring that each child’s unique strengths and aspirations are fully considered in the decision-making process. This includes comprehensive undergraduate and postgraduate planning tailored to the specific demands of each destination.
We also partner with the award-winning mentorship organization Oppidan Education to deliver bespoke, one-on-one academic mentoring. These sessions support not only test preparation and subject mastery, but also the development of confidence, independence, and executive function — essential life skills for students adjusting to new environments.
Coaching is another critical component, especially for older students navigating the transition to university. Our coaching model is based on proactive engagement and trust-building. Students work with our advisors to refine soft skills, explore career options, set goals, and prepare for interviews and applications. For those targeting elite universities in the USA, Henley & Partners Education offers a structured four-year roadmap beginning in Grade 9, which includes academic planning, extracurricular alignment, college tours, test preparation, application strategy, and personal branding.
Henley & Partners Education also provides specialized services for families with children who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Our dedicated SEND team offers diagnostic assessments, bespoke education plans, coaching, school liaison, and access to a global network of therapists and tutors. This ensures that no matter their learning profile, every child receives the support they need to thrive.
For families exploring international higher education options, we offer custom university tours that go far beyond traditional open days. In partnership with a leading tour provider, Henley & Partners Education arranges deep-dive campus visits tailored to each student’s academic interests and extracurricular passions. These tours may include attending lectures, engaging with faculty, exploring labs and arts spaces, and even participating in interviews with admissions teams. With access to over 240 institutions in the UK and the USA, these immersive experiences help families make informed, confident decisions.
In this new era of border-conscious decision-making, Henley & Partners Education delivers the missing link: the ability to match educational ambitions with secure, long-term migration strategies. Our services offer families the chance to access the world’s best institutions, as well as the power to remain, work, and build lasting lives in their countries of choice.
Education is no longer a standalone investment — it’s an integrated life strategy. And in a world where policies may shift overnight, we can provide the certainty, flexibility, and vision families need to navigate with confidence.
In a world where the future of studying abroad is increasingly fragile, opportunity belongs to those who plan for more than just admission — those who plan for permanence.
Henley & Partners assists international clients in obtaining residence and citizenship under the respective programs. Contact us to arrange an initial private consultation.
