Market Intelligence Brief - Kuwait 2019-20

Kuwaitis under the age of 24 account for 40 per cent of the total population, meaning a particularly high proportion are at student age. The development of education is a key factor in utilizing the youth bulge and presents a major opportunity for the government as it seeks to diversify away from oil. The National Vision 2035: New Kuwait policy blueprint, launched in 2017, emphasises education reform to improve provision and to help develop a creative human capital that can support the changing economy.

With its financial resources, high personal disposable incomes and growing student population, Kuwait is an important source of internationally mobile students and the high degree of mobility is bolstered by the availability of scholarships for overseas study. The United States has historically been the most popular destination for internationally mobile students, but interest is waning and Kuwaiti enrolments fell by nearly 10 per cent compared to the previous year. The UK is the second most popular destination and is growing in popularity among Kuwaiti students, increasing 15 per cent from the previous year. The UK received more Kuwaiti students on government scholarships than the US in 2018/19 making the UK the most popular destination for scholarship students for the first time.