Consumer Behaviour in Cross-Border Educational Services: A Data and Scarcity Analysis

Abstract

Cross-border educational services-spanning degree mobility and transnational delivery-have expanded rapidly over the past decade. This article analyzes consumer behaviour in this market through the twin lenses of data and scarcity. Drawing on recent international mobility statistics and sector analyses, we synthesize global trends, push-pull dynamics, affordability constraints, and information environments that shape high-stakes choices. We argue that multiple scarcities-quality seats at home, funding, time and attention, and post-study pathways-act as filters that narrow feasible choice sets and amplify signals of exclusivity, while institutional marketing and policy incentives (scholarships, flexible visas, work rights) countervail these constraints. We map how data-driven recruitment (CRM tracking, predictive modelling, segmentation) aligns offerings with segmented demand and accelerates conversion, and we highlight emerging strategies in alternative destinations and delivery modes. The paper distils managerial and policy implications across three fronts: capacity expansion (branch campuses, joint degrees, online delivery), access enablement (targeted funding and flexible finance), and data-enabled market engagement (personalized messaging and responsive admissions). By integrating scarcity economics with evidence on student mobility, we offer a structured framework for understanding and influencing consumer decisions in a persistently supply-constrained market, and outline priorities for more equitable and efficient growth in cross-border higher education.