The line graph illustrates the number of students from three nations – the US, the UK, and Australia, who pursued their education abroad from 2002 to 2008.
Overall, the number of British students studying abroad experienced an upward trend throughout the period, while the figures for American and Australian students fluctuated significantly. By the end of the period, the UK had moved from the lowest to the second-highest positions in terms of students studying abroad.
In 2002, only 10,000 students went overseas from the UK, but this figure doubled to 20,000 in the following year. A gradual increase continued over the years, reaching 40,000 in 2006, before peaking at 50,000 in 2008. The figures for American learners started off at 30,000 in 2002, and saw a gradual rise, peaking at just below 60,000 in 2004. After plummeting to around 35,000 in 2006, the figures began to grow moderately to around 45,000 at the end of the period.
The learners from Australia started from 50,000 at the outset of the given years, rose to around 60,000 in 2003. After the numbers declining to 40,000 in 2004, they pleatued at the same level until 2005. The figures for Australian students started to climb slightly to roughly 55,000 by 2008.