A recent study of student enrollment behavior carried out by Middle Eastern universities showed several interesting trends about how higher education is evolving in the region. Search habits, device usage, and even registration behavior were evaluated by looking at how students use university websites and web apps.

I am always on the lookout for interesting trends in the Middle East region and when I saw this piece I decided it had to be an infographic. If you’re a college or university in the GCC region or you market to these customers you’ll want to take a look at the below data.

I promise it will help you create a more effective digital presence.

The Middle East’s University Landscape:

The Middle East now has over 500 Universities across the region and over 200 of those are located in GCC countries:

• 92 Universities in United Arab Emirates
• 47 Universities in Saudi Arabia
• 22 Universities in Bahrain
• 12 Universities in Kuwait
• 12 Universities in Oman
• 10 Universities in Qatar

How Do Students Find Universities?

Google dominates the higher education searches and is used by 95% of prospective students.

• Common Searches Include:
  • Best Universities in ‘Location’
  • Degree specific searches
    • Computer Science
    • Communications
    • Government/ Political Science
    • Business
    • Economics
  • Career guides

Once prospective students land on a university website they usually view just 3.5 Pages before submitting an online application.

Onsite Behaviour and Browsing Habits

Many prospective students research their university choices on mobile but when it comes time to submit their application, 71% prefer using a computer:

• Top Mobile Devices Used by Prospective Students:
  • Apple iPhone – 50%
  • Apple iPad – 7%
  • Samsung Galaxy Note 4 – 2%
  • Samsung Galaxy S5 – 2%
  • Other – 39%
• Top Desktop Browsers Used by Prospective Students:
  • Chrome 49%
  • Safari 24%
  • Firefox 13%
  • Internet Explorer 9%
  • Others 5%

Applicant Gender Demographics – UAE vs. KSA

In both countries, graduate applicants are mostly male while undergraduate programs see more female applicants:

• Demographics: United Arab Emirates Applicants by Gender
  • Undergraduate Applicants
    • Male: 43%
    • Female: 57%
  • Graduate Applicants
    • Male: 51%
    • Female: 49%
• Demographics: Saudi Arabia Applicants by Gender
  • Undergraduate Applicants
    • Male: 48%
    • Female: 52%
  • Graduate Applicants
    • Male: 58%
    • Female: 42%