And it means, says BONARD’s , that the ELT sector was sitting at 73% of its pre-pandemic enrolment, and 75% of 2019’s student weeks, for 2024.

As to why, the report points to the same headwinds that are buffeting student flows to major study destinations in 2024 and 2025, but also that students are finding alternative options for language study.

“The data shows two dominant forces reshaping student mobility: visa barriers and affordability,” said Sarah Verkinova, Head of International Education at BONARD Education. “This has pushed many students to explore alternative destinations such as Dubai and the Philippines, which together attracted more than 100,000 ELT learners in 2024.” Among the top eight destinations represented in the report, only Ireland and Malta are trending above their respective pre-COVID benchmarks. BONARD attributes that progress to Ireland and Malta’s visa-friendly policies and work rights for language learners that helped, “attract students discouraged by stricter regulations, high course fees, and other expenses in other destinations.”

The report adds that, while ELT volumes in the UK declined in 2024, the United Kingdom remains the most popular destination for English language study, with an estimated 38% market share. Part of that strength arises from the UK’s dominant position in the junior market. Junior students accounted for 62% of total ELT enrolments in the UK in 2024, the most of any of the top eight destinations. Ireland and Malta – again, the only two destinations to reach above pre-pandemic levels in 2024 – also hosted significant numbers of junior students last year (55% and 50% of ELT enrolments respectively).

Softening source markets

The top ten sending markets for ELT accounted for nearly two-thirds (63%) of all student weeks in 2024. Brazil moved past Colombia to become the largest ELT market during the year. With the exception of Colombia, all of the top five senders have declined from pre-pandemic levels.

The outlook for this year

“In 2025, government interventions and economic conditions will continue to shape global ELT trends,” says the report. “Policy shifts, visa regulations, and financial pressures are expected to influence both student decision-making and destination performance.

“Junior student mobility to the traditional ‘Big Four’ countries is projected to decline further. Concerns around safety and perceptions of a less welcoming environment are discouraging parents and students from choosing these study destinations…In summary, 2025 is likely to bring another year of decline for the eight major ELT study destinations. The same combination of factors will continue to weigh on the sector: immigration and visa policies in several countries, persistent visa and affordability barriers, and significant share of international students, particularly from China, choosing not to travel.”

For additional background, please see:

• “Nearly 30 Canadian language programmes closed in Q1, marking the ‘sharpest decline in the sector’s history’“
• “Irish ELT sector sounds note of ‘cautious stability’ for 2024“
• “US ELT numbers moving toward pre-pandemic norms“
• “UK ELT reports a decline in student weeks for 2024“

The post Global ELT volumes dipped in 2024 appeared first on ���Ϲ��� Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

Here’s a look at both outbound and inbound trends in three important African markets: South Africa, Egypt, and Morocco. These countries offer competition to major destinations given their relatively low tuition rates and proximity. Egypt may become even more compelling given the Egyptian government’s new interest in partnerships with foreign institutions and embrace of branch campuses.

South Africa: Demand for study abroad is growing

South Africa has long been the major education hub on the continent, enrolling close to 41,000 international students in higher education in 2019, the vast majority from Sub-Saharan Africa (especially Zimbabwe). But internationalisation has lost some steam within South African universities. Tasmeera Singh, manager of international relations at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), reported in 2022 that:

“The percentage of international undergraduates registered in South Africa’s public higher education system had dropped from 5.93% to 3.09% at the end of 2020. The percentage of international postgraduates had dropped from 15.82% in 2015 to 12.94% in 2020.”

Writing in , Ms Singh explained that for several reasons – from COVID to natural disasters to political turmoil – “the leadership of all South African universities are besieged with crisis management, responding to the multiple daily challenges.”

estimates that the average tuition cost of the first year of an undergraduate degree in South Africa is about US$3,000, making South Africa an affordable option for students from the region.

The presence of good universities in South Africa has kept outbound mobility relatively low over the years. According to QS, seven of the top ten universities in Africa are in South Africa. The University of Capetown almost made the global (coming in at #237), and the University of Johannesburg, the University of Witswatersrand, and Stellensbosch University are in the top 500.

Currently there are about 12,000 South African students abroad. However, a 2022 study of over 30,000 higher income households by South African Internet research firm Brandmapp indicates that demand for overseas education is ticking upwards. Fully 12% of respondents said they were considering study abroad, and this intention rose to 48% of those aged 25 and under.

Growing interest in study abroad – and emigration – among young South Africans is linked :

“Seeking residency in other countries with better economic prospects is becoming increasingly attractive, especially for young South Africans faced with stagnant growth, rising living costs, and rampant corruption.”

According to UNESCO, the UK, the US, and Cuba (for medical studies) are the major hosts of South African students abroad. The US hosted 2,375 South African students in 2021/22, up 14% compared with the previous year. Canada hosted 1,370 South African students in 2022, up 36% y-o-y and up 86% from 2019. And the UK hosted roughly 2,000 in 2020/21.

Egypt: Expanding higher education through branch campuses

In 2020, there were more than 43,700 Egyptian students studying outside of the country, making Egypt the fourth largest sender of international students in the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) after Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Syria. Roughly a third of Egypt’s outbound students choose to study in UAE (5,260) or Saudi Arabia (4,890). In addition, close to 4,000 Egyptians are studying in the US, and between 2,000–3,000 are studying in Canada, the UK, France, Germany, and Malaysia. Most of those countries enrolled record numbers of Egyptians in the past two years.

At the same time, Egypt also attracts many international students from an eclectic assortment of countries – more than 34,000 according to UNESCO. Top sending countries are UAE, Germany, Turkey, the US, Saudi Arabia, and Ukraine. In a bid to boost the quality of its education system, the Egyptian economy, and Egypt’s attractiveness to international students, the Egyptian government has been welcoming a record number of foreign branch campuses to set up shop. University World News reports that the new Administrative Capital in Egypt now hosts:

• Two branches of the University of Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown, Canada, and Toronto Metropolitan University, hosted by the Canadian Universities Foundation;
• The Coventry University in the UK’s branch hosted by the International Knowledge Universities Foundation;
• A British University of Hertfordshire branch hosted by The Global Foundation;
• A branch for the University of London and the British University of Central Lancashire hosted by the European University Foundation.

International students now have a wider array of quality institutions at which to study in Egypt, and this should boost Egypt’s reputation as a preferred regional destination. The cost of a degree programme in Egypt ranges from US$7,000-US$15,000 a year, and students can choose from roughly 20 public universities and higher institutes of technical and professional training and the same number of private institutions. Two Egyptian universities are ranked in the QS top 1000: Cairo University and Ain Shams University in Cairo.

Morocco: More than 20,000 international students and growing

Morocco is a priority student market for both Canada and France, and both destinations have seen a surge of new Moroccan students in recent years. More than 31,000 Moroccan students were enrolled in France in 2021, up 3% y-o-y. Canadian institutions hosted a smaller number in 2022 – 7,220 – but this represents growth of 23% over 2021 and an increase of 60% since before the pandemic in 2019. Before the invasion, Ukraine hosted about 7,000 Moroccan students, and Germany hosts a fair number as well (3,000+). Overall, there are at least 63,000 Moroccans abroad.

Like South Africa and Egypt, Morocco is also a regional education hub for North Africans. Students from Gabon, Mali, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, and Senegal are the top nationalities represented in Morocco’s roughly 23,500-strong foreign enrolment.

Morocco’s Minister of Higher Education Abdellatif Miraoui Morocco’s growing popularity among African students reflects “the effective involvement of the kingdom in favor of strengthening its cooperation links with partners on the continent, within the framework of student mobility programs and teacher researchers.”

Most Moroccan degree programmes charge less than US$10,000 a year. There are courses available in Arabic, French, and English. Université Mohammad V de Rabat, Cadi Ayyad University, and Universit Internationale de Rabat rank in QS’s Top 100 Arab University Rankings.

For additional background, please see:

• “A primer on international student recruitment in Egypt”
• “Africa ascending: Four growth markets to watch”

The post Inbound and outbound student trends for South Africa, Egypt, and Morocco appeared first on ���Ϲ��� Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

“Schools have been waiting in limbo for borders to open, while the tourism sector continued to lobby the South African government to re-open borders,” said the peak ELT body Education South Africa (EduSA). “EduSA schools were authorised to re-open on 31 May, but, for most, this was not a financially viable option, as international borders were still closed. While some schools opened their doors to service existing students in the country, most continued to offer online tuition to their remaining students.”

EduSA reports that the President’s 15 September announcement was an important trigger for the reopening of member schools. Those schools that were still closed at that point have begun preparations for the resumption of face-to-face classes. The association expects that most member schools will be operational by the beginning of December, and that all will be open again by the middle of January 2021.

The traffic light system

“The re-opening of borders is the first hurdle in our recovery process,” says EduSA CEO Torrique Borges.

“South Africa needs to use this time to communicate to the world that not only are we open, but that we are a safe destination for travellers. There is a need to control what we can and stimulate the appetite for travel to South Africa as much as possible, during a time where international demand for travel is suppressed.”

Tourism operators and educators in South Africa will now also need to navigate a new classification scheme for travellers that the government has introduced as part of its reopening plan. Under this approach, traveller are classed as low, medium, or high risk.

The low risk categorisation applies to those arriving from countries with a lower infection rate than South Africa, whereas medium risk refers to travellers from countries with infection rates comparable to South Africa. The high risk designation applies only to travellers arriving from countries with infection rates higher than South Africa’s.

Those from low or medium risk countries may enter South Africa, but travellers arriving from high risk countries are, for the most part, still not permitted to visit, unless they have an exemption from the government or are planning a longer stay of three months or more.

On a bright note, the list of high risk countries was just reduced considerably with the last government update on 19 October. With that update, only 22 countries remain on the list, as opposed to 57 previously.

Nevertheless, this approach, which EduSA refer to as a “traffic light system” remains a hurdle for recovery in that the classifications are updated every two weeks. This, points out EduSA, “causes booking uncertainty amongst potential travellers, as countries can be added or removed from the list.” Further, some of South Africa’s key sending markets – including Brazil, Italy, Germany and France – are currently designated as high risk countries.

Pending any further changes to that high risk list, English language schools will be able to build on the following positive elements for the time being.

• The African continent has been classed as low risk. “Many African students take up an English course in South Africa as a pre-cursor to tertiary education in the country, so this, coupled with their proximity to South Africa, bodes well for the recovery of the African market, as tertiary institutes are permitted to open for the start of the academic year from February–March 2021.
  
• Saudi Arabia, another key sending market, is currently classed as low or medium risk.
  
• The border opening coincides with the key South African travel seasons of spring and summer.

Updated entry requirements

Along with 18 ports of entry at land borders, three South African airports are now open to international travellers: OR Tambo International (Johannesburg), Cape Town International, and King Shaka International (Durban).

All travellers are asked to download the COVID Alert app before arrival.

In addition, all travellers must comply with .

• They must have a certified negative result from a COVID PCR test (polymerase chain reaction) that is not older than 72 hours from the time of departure for South Africa. This test must be conducted by a certified medical practitioner and should have the name and signature of the practitioner who conducted such test.
  
• All travellers will also be screened for COVID symptoms on arrival in South Africa.
  
• Travellers are not required to undertake mandatory quarantine. However, they will need to provide proof of accommodation should they need to self-quarantine after arrival.
  
• Any travellers displaying symptoms or that have been in contact with an infected person will be required to take an additional COVID test at their own expense. Should the test come back positive, they will also be required to undertake a mandatory 10-day isolation period at a designated hotel quarantine site and at their expense.
  
• All travellers must carry mandatory insurance that can cover costs of testing or quarantine if need be.

“Interest has slowly started to build for those intending to study English in South Africa, but mainly from the African markets, as there is more certainty with regards to travel due to their risk rating,” adds EduSA. “There have also been many students from the rest of Africa on standby, waiting for borders to re-open, which augurs well for the industry restart. While the current high-risk list poses its own challenges, the industry is in a much more positive position than what was expected at this time only a few short months ago.”

EduSA schools hosted 10,068 foreign students in 2019 for a roughly 6% increase over the year before (and a near match of the previous enrolment peak in 2014). Students weeks also increased by more than 3% last year to reach a record high of 66,300. The top five sending markets in 2019 were Saudi Arabia (accounting for 22% of total student weeks), Brazil (15%), Congo (9%), Angola (8%), and Yemen (5%).

The increases recorded in 2019 marked a fourth consecutive year of growth for the country’s ELT sector.

For additional background, please see:

• “South Africa: ELT student weeks up again in 2018“
• “Slower growth and more intense competition in global ELT market“
• “South African language schools officially recognised by government“

The post South African ELT schools ramping up operations after early border opening appeared first on ���Ϲ��� Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

These are among the findings in the latest data release from Education South Africa (EduSA), the country’s peak body for ELT. EduSA reports a total enrolment of 9,512 among its member schools in 2018, down 5% from 10,042 students the year before. Student weeks, however, rose nearly 5% to reach a new high point of 64,102 for 2018.

This important shift in the composition of ELT enrolments in South Africa can be traced back to a November 2016 out-of-court settlement between EduSA and the South African government. That settlement ended two years of legal limbo where the country’s ELT providers were effectively kept outside of the student visa system. With the settlement, study visas could once again be issued for students enrolled with recognised ELT providers.

“The main reason why students are staying longer is due to our recent accreditation with the Department of Higher Education and Training in South Africa,” agrees EduSA CEO Ryan Peters. “The ELT industry now benefits from the collaboration with our government in a manner that opens the door for more long-term study visas.”

Brazil still number one

As the following charts reflect, South Africa has a fairly broadly based enrolment with strong representation from most global regions, with the exception of Asia.

Europe sent nearly a third of all students in 2018, but accounted for only 25% of student weeks. African students, in contrast, represented 22% of all ELT enrolments in the country but those bookings also made up 30% of all student weeks.

South Africa’s ELT enrolment by sending region in terms of student numbers (left) and student weeks (right). Source: EduSA

Nearly all of the students (and student weeks) attributed to the Americas come from Brazil, which remained South Africa’s leading sending country by far in 2018. “Brazilians and South Africans have a lot in common,” says Mr Peters. “We both offer cultural diversity, nature, wildlife, and a warm disposition. Another factor is that direct flights are affordable, allowing for more frequent movement between the two BRICS nations.”

Student numbers for most global regions increased last year, with the exception of Asia, which fell off 6% and Europe, where enrolments declined by 26%. EduSA attributes part of that European drop to in South Africa last year, which was widely covered in European media.

In contrast, enrolments from the Middle East jumped up 20% in 2018, marking it as an increasingly important growth market for South African providers.

“This could have been due to ongoing travel challenges that are redirecting Middle Eastern learners to our market,” acknowledges Mr Peters. “This was followed by an increase of 11% from the rest of Africa last year. The overall development of the African continent is a key contributing factor to the growth in the requirement for ELT.”

Finally, EduSA reports a growing interest in general from a widening range of sending markets. “Agents have indicated that prospective students are asking for ‘something different’, which is exactly what South Africa has to offer the ELT marketplace,” says Mr Peters. The EduSA data indicates that agents referred roughly two thirds (65%) of all ELT students to the country in 2018.

For additional background, please see:

• “South African language schools officially recognised by government”
• “From the Field: South African ELT rebounding this year”
• “South Africa remains an important regional hub for education”

The post South Africa: ELT student weeks up again in 2018 appeared first on ���Ϲ��� Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

In a recent presentation at ���Ϲ��� Berlin, Maria Cervenanova presented the latest global trends as compiled by . Ms Cervenanova is a senior research manager with the Vienna-based global market intelligence consultancy, and her overview of ELT trends among eight leading study destinations relies on StudentMarketing’s estimates of language training volumes in each country. These estimates are based on data from multiple sources, including some original research by StudentMarketing.

Those figures reveal that the total volume of student weeks reported for the eight leading ELT destinations has decreased by 7% over five years, falling from roughly 11.9 million weeks in 2013 to just over 11 million weeks in 2017. Meanwhile, overall student numbers for 2017 are more or less on par with the roughly 1.4 million reported for 2013.

Total ELT student numbers and student weeks, 2013–2017. Source: StudentMarketing

Junior students driving numbers

Looking at a shorter and more recent time period, student numbers are up over 2016: moving from roughly 1.33 million in 2016 to 1.4 million in 2017 – but this uptick is again largely due to an increase in junior students who stay for fewer weeks than adults. This explains some of the discrepancy between the 2016–2017 increase in global student numbers and the relatively slow growth in student weeks over the same period.

Turning for a moment to the fortunes of individual destinations, the UK in particular has seen gains in student numbers. Roughly 500,000 ELT students studied in the UK in 2016 and this moved to approximately 572,000 in 2017.

As we see reflected in the chart below, Canada, Ireland, and Malta also hosted significantly (but not dramatically) more ELT students in 2016 than in 2017. The US saw numbers fall from approximately 232,000 in 2016 to 198,000 in 2017.

ELT enrolments for leading destinations, 2013–2017. Source: StudentMarketing

A significant falloff in the US

In terms of student weeks, it is again the UK, Canada, and Ireland that registered notable increases in 2017. In the US, weeks fell from roughly 3.3 million in 2016 to 2.8 million in 2017.

Over the five-year time span, notable shifts have occurred in the market share of ELT each destination holds. Currently, the US remains #1, but has lost significant share over the past five years. The UK and Australia are virtually tied, with Canada trailing at some distance.

Meanwhile, the UK is benefitting from its large share of junior students (which accounted for 55% of total enrolment in 2017) while Australia has seen its market share grow steadily over the past five years.

Tracking market share (in student weeks) for leading ELT destinations, 2013–2017. Source: StudentMarketing, ���Ϲ��� Insights

As the final chart below reflects, Asia remains the leading sending region for ELT students, and in fact has accounted for a growing proportion of the global total over the last few years alone. In 2014, 38% of the world’s ELT students came from Asia, and this has increased significantly to 47% as of 2017. By contrast, Middle Eastern students are less likely to be going abroad for ELT than they were in 2014; they represented 22% of ELT students in 2014 and this has halved to 11%.

Proportion of ELT enrolments worldwide by sending region, 2014 and 2017. Source: StudentMarketing

For additional background, please see:

• “US ELT numbers continue downward trend”
• “British ELT rebounded in 2017”
• “Canadian language programmes hit double-digit growth”
• “2017 marks another year of growth for Ireland’s ELT sector”
• “Malta’s ELT student numbers jump by 14%”
• “Australian ELICOS remains flat through mid-year”

The post Slower growth and more intense competition in global ELT market appeared first on ���Ϲ��� Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

As such, the decision effectively makes it easier for students to study English in South Africa, and so provides greater regulatory stability and certainty in visa processing going forward.

After years of frustration, a welcome announcement

The news has long been awaited by the country’s English Language Teaching (ELT) sector. The sector suffered a major blow in 2014 – a year of record-high enrolments – when the South African government passed new immigration legislation that excluded language schools from the country’s Study Permit process.

The following year (2015), enrolments fell off by 37% and student weeks declined by 22%. EduSA brought the South African government to court over the matter, and in 2016 reached an out-of-court settlement that provided for Study Permits to once again be awarded for applicants to EduSA schools as an interim measure.

Still, formal government recognition and accreditation of the sector was concluded only through the recent DHET decision, of which EduSA says in a 28 August statement:

“After years of struggling with issues around where ELT fits into the educational environment of South Africa, after being referred from one government department to the next, several courts hearings, representations to parliament and government ministers in an array of roles, we now fall very clearly under the DHET as Private Colleges.”

A boost for an already recovering sector

Despite the legislative roadblock caused by the 2014 Immigration Act – and the subsequent hassles for ELT students who were required to apply for 90-day visitor’s permits and extensions – South African schools worked hard to rebound from the setback, targeting markets where students could immediately receive Visitor Visas to study in the country.

In 2016 and 2017, enrolments began climbing again, to the point where 2017’s numbers (10,040) nearly met those in the peak year of 2014 (10,110). And in 2017, student weeks (61,270) actually exceeded those achieved in 2014 (57,500).

Cooperation from embassies and streamlined processing

Johannes Kraus, Chairperson of EduSA, states: “We believe and hope that we will now have greater cooperation from South African embassies, consulates, and missions around the world. The process of Study Permit (visa) applications should now be clear, unambiguous, streamlined, and stress-free for all agents and students.”

Agents can now assure students that they can formally apply for a study permit to study at an
EduSA school, and therefore have the option to study in South Africa for extended periods.

Mr Kraus adds, “The last four years have been rather intense with various ups and downs, therefore, this accreditation with DHET means the world to the association and its member schools.”

For additional background, please see:

• “From the Field: South African ELT rebounding this year”
• “South African court case settled: English students now eligible for study visas”
• “South Africa remains an important regional hub for education”

The post South African language schools officially recognised by government appeared first on ���Ϲ��� Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

The country’s peak body for ELT, Education South Africa (EduSA) eventually sued the South African government over the matter, and, in November 2016, the case was subsequently settled out of court with the result that study visas could once again be issued for students enrolled with recognised ELT providers.

Coming as late in the year as it did, the legal settlement had little effect on ELT enrolment in South Africa last year. But providers nevertheless reported strong growth for the year, with a roughly 20% increase in both enrolments and student weeks compared to 2015’s low point.

And now the latest figures from EduSA reveal that the country’s ELT sector continued to rebuild its enrolment base through 2017, and that is has now essentially regained – and even slightly exceeded – the previous high water mark for student numbers from 2014. As the following table reflects, enrolments increased by more than 15% between 2016 and 2017, and student weeks by nearly 13%.

Enrolment in South African ELT by student numbers and student weeks, 2014–2017. Source: EduSA

We recently sat down with Johannes Kraus, the chairperson of EduSA, for a closer look at some of the important trends that are shaping the South African market this year. In our first interview segment below, he reviews the challenges the sector faced as a result of the 2014 amendments to the country’s immigration regulation.

In our next interview clip, Mr Kraus highlights the optimism that is now leading to further growth for the sector. At the time of our discussion, full-year numbers were not yet available (as we are now able to report here), but it was clear even at that point that ELT providers expected strong results for 2017.

There is no question that the legal settlement is a key development for the sector. But as Mr Kraus explains in our next interview excerpt below, language schools were also quick to adapt by targeting markets – notably in Europe but also Brazil – where students could receive a visitor visa on arrival in South Africa. “If you have a third-party influence on your business,” he points out, “you have to find a way to maneuver [around] that and make sure that you have growth. And I think that’s what the schools did successfully.”

In our final interview segment, Mr Kraus highlights the top sending markets for South African ELT providers in 2017, and looks ahead to a major new industry event – the first-ever  – to be held in Cape Town in May 2018.

For additional background, please see:

• “South African ELT recovery underway”
• “South Africa remains an important regional hub for education”
• “South African court case settled: English students now eligible for study visas”

The post South African ELT rebounding this year appeared first on ���Ϲ��� Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

While the sector has not fully rebounded from an even greater enrolment decline of -28% between 2014 and 2015, it appears well positioned for further growth through 2017.

Enrolment in South African ELT by student numbers and student weeks, 2014–2016. Source: EduSA

That significant drop in 2015 arises from amendments to South Africa’s immigration legislation the year before that effectively excluded language schools from the country’s student visa process. In a rather remarkable turn of events, this meant that students intending to pursue longer-term studies with a South African ELT provider could no longer get a student visa.

The country’s peak body for ELT, Education South Africa (EduSA) tried for nearly two years to resolve the matter with government officials with no success. This led in turn to an even more remarkable development when EduSA took the South African government to court in September 2016 in a bid to have the May 2014 amendments to the Immigration Act set aside or modified.

As we now know, that case was settled out of court in November 2016, with the result that study visas of up to 18 months can now be issued for students enrolled with recognised ELT providers.

While this landmark settlement resolved an issue that had badly hampered the industry since 2014, it would have come too late in the year to have any significant effect on 2016 numbers. This makes the industry’s progress last year even more noteworthy, and suggests that South African providers had adapted their programming and recruitment strategies to better target short-term ELT students during the year.

Making the shift to short term

“Schools have adapted to the visa issues,” agrees EduSA Chair Johannes Kraus. “We have managed to get students into South Africa through visitor visas and we were then helping the students who wanted to stay longer than 90 days with an extension to 180 days. The extension processes have mainly been smooth.”

“You can also see that the numbers from Europe have reached 2014 level again. Reason for that is, that most European countries do not need a visa to come to South Africa, they receive a 90-day visitors visa on arrival in South Africa and then the visa can be extended as well. Most schools, I presume, have focused on markets where visitor visas are easy to obtain. This has helped our numbers grow as well.”

As Mr Kraus suggests, EduSA members have placed a greater emphasis on markets where visas are easily acquired, or not required at all. The South African Department of Home Affairs maintains a list of countries – primarily in Latin America, Europe, and Africa – whose citizens are exempt from visas for stays of 90 days or less. Russia was recently added to the 90-day exemption list, and EduSA members are now looking to expand share in this important market, which appears poised as well for a recovery in outbound mobility this year.

In 2016, ELT providers in South Africa saw the greatest gains from markets in Europe (+21%), Latin America (+40%), and the Middle East (+109%), with Germany, Switzerland, France, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia driving much of the growth from those key regions.

EduSA members have also shown an increasing reliance on overseas agents over the last three years. In 2014, roughly six in ten ELT students (60%) were referred by agents. In 2016, the proportion of agent-recruited students increased to 66%.

Looking ahead

With the visa issue now resolved, EduSA members can hope for a further expansion in 2017, and for an increasing proportion of longer-term students in particular.

Mr Kraus adds, “I believe we are on a good path now to overcome the visa crisis. More and more embassies are finally enforcing the visa settlement in court and EduSA member schools that have applied for provisional registration with the Department of Higher Education and Training are receiving study permits from more and more embassies around the world. So, I sincerely hope that our 2017 student numbers will come closer to our record year of 2014.”

For additional background, please see:

• “Education South Africa takes government to court over visa rules”
• “South African court case settled: English students now eligible for study visas”

The post South African ELT recovery underway appeared first on ���Ϲ��� Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.