Capital: Bogotá

Population: 53 million (2024)

Youth population: 17% of the population is aged 15–24

Median age: 32.7

GDP: US$386 billion (2024)

Currency: Colombian peso (COP)

Language: Spanish

Main language of instruction: Spanish in public schools and universities, though some Colombian universities offer courses taught in English.

English proficiency: “Low� .

Religion: Christian, predominantly Roman Catholic.

Geography: Colombia is in northwestern South America, bordered by the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea and by the countries of Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Venezuela, and Panama.

Academic year: February to November, with some local variations.

Outbound students: At least 75,000 in higher education, with tens of thousands abroad for English-language studies as well.

Top fields of study for Colombians looking at study abroad: According to the , Colombian students are drawn to programmes in business administration, management, finance, banking, marketing, and engineering.

Along with Brazil, Colombia is a South American outbound student market that is firmly on the radar of many recruiters going into 2025. It has been sending ever-greater numbers of students abroad for all levels of study, from higher education to vocational training, and from K-12 to English-language studies.

There are about 20,000 Colombians studying in Argentina and 18,000 in Spain. Last year, there were some rumblings that Argentina would lose most, if not all, its Colombian students because of a government proposal to end free tuition for international students. This proposal was voted down in February 2024.

English-language destinations have seen tremendous growth from Colombia: Canadian institutions (colleges, universities, schools, and English-language programmes lasting six months or more) hosted 15,200 Colombian students in 2023 (+23% y-o-y), while US colleges and universities hosted 9,100 (+13%).

Australia saw 39,720 Colombians on study visas in 2023 (+43% y-o-y). The majority (73%) were enrolled in English-language programmes (ELICOS). France and Germany each host about 4,000 Colombian students in higher education institutions.

Levels of study

While Australia’s stream of Colombian students flows mostly to ELICOS programmes, the vocational sector (VET) is also popular – as shown in the chart below. A fascinating bit of research from several years ago demonstrated the great extent to which the ELICOS sector fuels the health of other sectors in Australia over time. Colombian students have generally low English-language proficiency and so it bodes well for all Australian universities and VET providers that so many of them are enrolling in language courses and thus preparing themselves for success in further studies.

Colombian students are well distributed across the Canadian education landscape, and as illustrated in the following chart from , college courses are the main draw. However, Canadian colleges could lose some traction in the market now that the partners of international college students are no longer eligible for a work visa.

In the US, Colombian students are well represented at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, as shown below in IIE Open Doors data for 2022/23. Overall, Colombia was one of the fastest growing higher education markets for the US that year (+12.6%), exceeding growth from the top South American market, Brazil (+7.6%). There are also close to 3,000 Colombian students in (IEPs), and Colombia is the 9th largest source of students for that sector.

Key considerations when recruiting in Colombia

1. There is clearly great potential for outbound student flows to expand further in Colombia. Foreign education credentials continue to be a huge advantage in a country where the unemployment rate is relatively high (around 10%, compared with Argentina’s 7.5% and Brazil’s 8%). As the US Trade Administration notes about Colombia, “it is difficult to obtain a high-level position within the government or an important national or multinational company without proficient English skills and/or a graduate degree … Moreover, a degree from a U.S. university can serve to make job applicants that much more competitive in the Colombian workplace.�

There is another, very unfortunate reason that the demand for study abroad in Colombia is especially high right now. The security situation in the country has once again deteriorated after a few years of respite. Not only are thousands of Colombians fleeing their country, but Colombia is also home to “the third largest population of refugees and other people in need of international protection worldwide,� . Many of those refugees are from Venezuela.

2. Low English-language proficiency is a serious issue affecting the ability of Colombian students to be eligible for, or to study successfully in, English-taught higher education programmes abroad. Younger Colombians are especially likely to be challenged in this way: the EF English-language Index puts 18-20-year-old Colombians in the “very low� category.

Savvy institutions and governments are addressing Colombians’ generally low English fluency through initiatives designed to help them gain proficiency and/or translate marketing and communications into Spanish. For example, the US Embassy in Bogota has launched technology projects such as and offers small scholarships for English-language studies.

Similarly, Austrade launched the Study Experience Platform in Spanish and Portuguese for Latin American students in 2022, and has been crucial to driving interest among Colombians and Brazilians in pursuing studies in Australia. Study Experience offers virtual events such as webinars, masterclasses, and live chats and offers Latin American students the ability to:

• “Watch weekly videos from real students in Australia.
• Find out about exclusive scholarships.
• Join live events every week.
• Receive exciting news from the Australian government firsthand.â€�

Within a few months of its launch date, the Study Experience platform had already achieved remarkable success. As reported by Mirage News in April 2022 (three months post-launch):

• “1 million people have viewed Australian education messaging due to a regional PR campaign.
• More than 193,0000 visitors have interacted with the platform with over 22,000 registered users.
• Over 1000 qualified leads have been provided to clients, with at least one Confirmation of Enrolment issued.
• 5853 people participated in 16 online events.â€�

ApplyBoard emphasises the importance of English-language assistance for those recruiting in Colombia by offering this advice:

“First and foremost for institutions looking to build their Colombian enrollment, we recommend offering more integrated English learning programs with curriculum. Providing more language pathway resources is crucial to meeting the needs of these students. And because the age-related proficiency gap exists throughout Latin America, investments toward bolstering these resources will help students from a multitude of source countries.�

3. Financial challenges are a significant barrier for many prospective Colombian students. Colombia is among the least equal societies in the world in terms of income distribution. While students attending private bilingual schools may not need financial assistance, many other students will. About 36% of the population falls below the poverty line, and .

Even a little financial assistance can go a long way. For example, EducationUSA offers “� for “highly qualified students who are likely to be awarded full financial support from accredited U.S. universities but who do not have the financial resources to cover the up-front costs related to applying and obtaining admission.�

The model is fascinating: “Over the course of approximately one year, selected students work closely with an EducationUSA adviser and with the cohort of other Opportunity Fund students to prepare and submit applications to up to eight U.S. universities where they have a strong chance of receiving a full scholarship from the university to cover tuition and living expenses.�

The Opportunity Fund serves several purposes: (1) it helps bright, but relatively poor, Colombian students to gain admission to top US universities, (2) it helps US universities to recruit students with the best chance of success, and (3) it helps the US as a whole to attract the kind of international students who are most likely to enrichen the US economy if they immigrate after completing their studies.

Institutions that do not factor in the financial constraints of many Colombian students stand to lose a significant segment of the potential market. When Colombian students were asked why they were refused a Canadian study permit in 2021/22, 36% said that it was partly due to insufficient finances.

ApplyBoard notes:

“While this percentage does not seem high, it’s important to keep in mind that students who know or believe they don’t have the financial resources to study abroad will often defer applying. As a result, this refusal percentage does not fully represent the price sensitivity of prospective students, particularly for a country experiencing currency devaluation like Colombia.�

4. Dual degrees and academic collaborations are in demand. Germany, for example, has nearly active 280 higher education cooperation projects with Colombia, whether through researcher exchanges or through . Canada has also become more interested in partnering through exchanges, internships, scholarships, and research collaborations.

In Colombia, there are main two scholarship organisations: the Colombian Institute for Educational Loans and Technical Studies Abroad (ICETEX) and COLFUTURO. ICETEX’s model is providing funding for students at the undergraduate or graduate levels – either in Colombia or abroad, while COLFUTURO is totally dedicated to financial aid for study abroad. The reports that “In 2022, COLFUTURO awarded 1,534 loan-scholarships for master’s and Ph.D. programs, with 311 of those being for programs in the United States.�

Where are the students?

As in other student markets, IB schools are good points of access to bright Colombian students who are interested in higher education studies abroad. As per EducationFairs.net, these schools include:

• – Bogota
• – Bogota
• – Bogota
• – Bogota
• – Cali

In terms of higher education, the Government of Alberta provides on how the system is administered in Colombia. Here is an excerpt:

“Currently, higher education consists of the following types of institutions: professional technical institutions, technological institutions, technological schools, university institutions and universities. The most important characteristic that sets the universities apart from other post-secondary institutions is the emphasis on research activities.

The obligatory licensing of institutions and registration of programs should not be confused with accreditation, which is voluntary in Colombia. An institution can be fully authorized to offer a non-accredited program. The National System of Accreditation (Sistema Nacional de Acreditación), maintains a searchable online database of information about all registered higher education institutions and programs.

Accreditation is awarded on a program-by-program basis, starting at the undergraduate level. The CNA maintains a list of all accredited programs. The ultimate level of accreditation pertains to the entire institution and is separate from the accreditation of individual programs.�

The US International Trade Administration offers this guidance as well:

“At the higher education level, private universities also offer important recruitment opportunities for undergraduate and graduate programs. U.S. universities should make initial contact with the office of foreign relations in each university in order to introduce the U.S. university and its programs and areas of specialization to prospective students looking to expand their opportunities abroad.�

Several Colombian universities feature in the QS Top 500 World University Rankings, and over 50 are in the .

For additional background, please see:

• “Outbound mobility trends for key Latin Markets: Brazil, Colombia, Mexicoâ€�
• “Affordability a top concern for South American and Mexican studentsâ€�

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Capital: Brasília

Population: 218 million (2024)

Youth population: 44% below the age of 30

Median age: 33

GDP: US$1.92 trillion (2022)

Currency: Brazilian real (BRL)

Language: Portuguese

Main language of instruction: Portuguese but English is now a compulsory subject in secondary school.

English proficiency: “Low� (#70 of 113 countries ranked on the EF English Proficiency Index, #15 of 20 Latin American countries).

Religion: Predominantly Catholic – Brazil has more Roman Catholics than any other country in the world.

Geography: Brazil occupies almost half of South America and borders the Atlantic Ocean. Its border countries are Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Key student cities: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, Salvador, Campinas, and Curitiba.

Outbound students: The latest UNESCO count of Brazilians abroad for higher education was 89,150. However, that number will primarily reflect those that go abroad for higher education. And, as you’ll read in this article, our own research shows more than 110,000 Brazilian students abroad at various levels – and including English-language study – in 2023/24.

Top levels of study for Brazilian students looking at study abroad: Most of Brazil’s outbound students are pursuing English-language courses, but there are also significant numbers opting for higher education.

Brazil is quite simply one of the most promising markets for international recruiters in 2024.

A massive economy with unmet potential

Brazil is one of the world’s most important economies. It is usually counted in the top ten or just outside that tier, and it is a founding member of the powerful BRICS+ trading bloc. Even before the expansion of this bloc in January 2024, the initial five nations of BRICS – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – contributed 26% of the world’s GDP. Now, with the addition of Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, the BRICS+ accounts for 37.5% of global GDP. This is higher than that of the EU, and the GDP of BRICS+ is forecasted to exceed that of the G7 nations within the next two decades.

Within the BRICS+, Brazil contributes the third-largest proportion of GDP after China and India, but some of its market fundamentals are weaker than those in China and India. For example:

• Brazil’s population is aging quickly: between 2010–2022, the median age of Brazilians increased from 29 years to 35 years.
• Despite abundant natural resources, Brazil has fared poorly in studies measuring , including digital competitiveness (#57 out of 64 countries assessed by IMD).
• Average income is low – in February 2024.
• Youth unemployment is high, as are drop-out rates of secondary students. Many young Brazilians simply give up on the idea of looking for a job. Brazil had the dubious position in 2020 of placing 3rd among OECD countries in terms of .
• Government funding for education has in recent years.

At the root of many of these problems, say experts, is an education system which, while very large, offers only a fraction of Brazilian youth the kind of credentials that lead to well-paying jobs. Brazil is one of the most unequal societies in the world in terms of opportunities and income distribution. It is in this context that we can understand that obtaining an undergraduate degree is a highly coveted way for Brazilians to obtain social mobility.

There has been a notable expansion of access and enrolments in the Brazilian education system thanks to recent reforms, but in 2018, only just over 18% of the Brazilian workforce had an undergraduate degree. Less than 1% of Brazilians hold a master’s degree or a PhD.

has reported that most Brazilian students hoping to proceed to higher education sit for the ENEM exam, which “is said to be the biggest nationwide test in the world after China’s massive Gaokao examination—5.5 million students registered to sit for the ENEM in 2018.�

However, WENR notes:

“Competition for the limited number of open seats at public institutions is fierce. Not only do public universities provide tuition-free undergraduate education and offer a much broader variety of programs, they are also consistently ranked highest in terms of quality, according to the General Index of Courses (�ndice Geral de Cursos, IGC), an education quality indicator established by the MOE.�

No more Science Without Borders, but other scholarships help to fill some of the gap

Brazil has a wealth of potential, but it clearly needs more of its youth to be educated to draw nearer to the pace of growth and competitiveness underway in China and India – and it needs this to happen rapidly.

The former government of President Dilma Rousseff recognised this urgency to such a great extent that she launched the Science Without Borders scholarship programme with an initial investment of US$1.2 billion. More than 100,000 Brazilian youth studied abroad under the programme, but Science Without Borders was wound up in 2017 after struggling administratively and logistically (and following the impeachment of Rousseff).

Many Brazilian students continue to study via scholarships provided by the Brazilian national government, state governments, host destinations (such as Canada’s ), and foreign institutions (such as the University of West Florida’s Latin American Caribbean Scholarship). There is also the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Initiative launched by former US President Barack Obama, which is focused on increasing educational exchange in the Americas, and which has included Brazil-only rounds of submission. QS features for Brazilian students.

We expect to see more scholarships offered to Brazilian students given the intensity of competition that now exists in this fast-growing source market.

Low English-language proficiency

A major problem limiting the potential of Science Without Borders was that many Brazilian students did not have the English-language proficiency to succeed in Western university programmes, and many of the receiving Western universities did not have supports in place to help to rectify this gap. Institutions recruiting Brazilian students today must be aware that English proficiency is still very low in Brazil and that language supports are crucial for many Brazilians entering undergraduate or graduate programmes.

High demand for English-language programmes

Thousands of Brazilian students go abroad every year to improve their English – and many of them have a further plan to study abroad in higher education.

A recent webinar from the research firm BONARD on recruiting students in Brazil featured Alexandre Argenta (Brazilian Educational & Language Travel Association, BELTA), Maura Leão (YET Education & Travel), André Simonetti (CI – Central de Intercâmbio Viagens) and Ivana Bartosik (BONARD). The panelists noted a “shift from General English to English Plus programs, especially among juniors, who are increasingly academically focused, seeking broader educational content alongside language learning.â€� As you can see in the chart below, language studies are by far the most common type of programme Brazilian students pursue abroad, and enrolment growth in this sector is much higher than for K-12 or higher education.

Select verbatims from the webinar underline the promise of the Brazilian market:

• André Simonetti: “Demand is really increasing [in 2024] and will keep on growing.”
• Maura Leão: “Brazilians need a visa to go to certain countries so the trends move a little bit according to how [easily] they can get a visa. Brazil has more than 200 million people, and we have 44% between 5 and 34 years old. So it’s a very young country and it’s a country with a lot of potential.”
• Alexandre Argenta: “We have already forgotten the pandemic in Brazil. Since 2022, we see larger [outbound numbers] than in 2020, and we expect at least stability in 2023 and 2024.â€�

Highlights from an April 2024 Brazilian Educational & Language Travel Association (BELTA) survey of 569 agencies include:

• The top three age ranges for Brazilian language students are (in order) 25-29, 18-24, 15-17;
• The most preferred study durations are (in order) up to one month (34%), 4-6 months (18%), and 7-11 months (11%);
• The main influences on study abroad choices are (in order) friends (25%), information on websites specialising in language programmes (20%), social media (20%), parents (19%), student fairs devoted to study, work, and travel programmes (15%);
• The most preferred study destinations are (in order) Canada, UK, US, Ireland, Australia, Malta, South Africa, Spain, New Zealand, and France.
• The top factors influencing destination choice are recommendations from family and friends (18%), location (14%), and natural beauty and tourist attractions (14%).

Higher education trends

QS’s recent survey report “On your radar: Latin America and the Caribbean� (drawn from a sample of over 3,000 students mostly researching higher education options in 2023) found that students from the region are most concerned with the cost of living when looking at study abroad destinations (79%) and look closely for available scholarships (69%).

In addition:

• 30% wanted to receive information on the outcome of their application within three days;
• 57% expected full and personalised responses to enquiries within three days;
• 51% said their top priority was for a destination to be safe and welcoming to international students;
• 64% said their top motivation for choosing a university was the availability of scholarships;
• 36% researched the sustainability efforts of institutions;
• The most appreciated assistance for students considering a university were “help with [their] application (52%), the ability to connect with existing international students (51%) and meeting with admissions staff at fairs or information sessions (50%).â€�

Enrolments across destinations

Our own research finds that there are at least 110,000 Brazilians studying abroad in 2024. Some destinations do not offer specific numbers, but rather growth rates, so 110,000 is likely a conservative estimate.

Argentina: 20,515 Brazilian students were in Argentina in 2020 according to the latest UNESCO data.

Australia: Brazil was Australia’s 8th largest market in 2023 (16,370 on study visas) and is, so far, 10th in 2024 (as of March 2024 government data, marking an increase in enrolments (17,540). In 2022, it was the Australian English-language sector’s #5 market (9,655 students, 296,460 weeks). BONARD notes, however, that Brazilian visa grants were down by 39% between Q1 2023 and Q1 2024 and calls this “an opportunity for other destinations.�

Canada: Brazil was the #12 top market overall in 2023 (15,615 students), posting 8% growth over 2022. For the language sector, it was #2 after Japan in 2022, with 12,370 students enrolled, up massively from 4,330 in 2021.

France: French institutions hosted 5,435 Brazilian students in 2021/22, up 7% from the year before.

Germany: There were 4,670 Brazilian students in Germany according to the last UNESCO count (2020).

Ireland: More than 12,700 Brazilian students were in Irish English-language programmes in 2023, making Brazil the 3rd largest market for the ELE sector.

Malta: Brazil was the 6th largest market for Maltese ELT providers in 2022, sending 2,090 students (under half the level of enrolments in 2019).

Portugal: Portuguese universities hosted 17,030 Brazilian students in full-degree programmes in 2022/23, making Brazil the top sending market.

Spain: There were 3,810 Brazilian students at all levels in Spain in 2021/22, mostly in degree programmes. Brazil was the 15th largest student market for Spain that year.

UK: Brazilian students contributed the 3rd largest volume of student weeks to UK ELT providers in 2023 and in 2022 was the second fastest growing market.

US: Brazil was the #4 market for US Intensive English Programs (IEPs) in the 2022 calendar year and for higher education providers, the 9th largest market in 2022/23 (16,030, +8% over 2021/22).

The Brazilian education system and recruiting environment

• The vast majority (over 75%) of Brazil’s more than 2,500 higher education institutions are private, and they account for almost 90% of enrolments in higher education. The quality of education delivered at these institutions is variable, and there is much more of a focus on practical training than on research.

• That said, top Brazilian universities have important areas of research expertise: including agriculture, biomedicine, engineering, physics, tropical diseases, biodiversity, and biofuels.

• Brazil hosts the most top-ranked universities in Latin America, with four in the top ten for the region: Universidade de São Paulo (#1), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp) (#3). Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (#6), and UNESP (8).

• Secondary school completion rates are far, far higher in the largest cities of Brazil than in rural areas and much higher among white Brazilians. Most affluent Brazilians attend private schools, where tuition is out of range for poorer households. There is also a growing list of international schools in Brazil.

• Many Brazilian outbound students have already completed an undergraduate degree in their country. They then go abroad for English-language studies to increase their chances at a job, and a growing proportion are interested in graduate studies. For example, in 2022/23, 49% of Brazilian students in the US were enrolled in undergraduate programmes but a significant 32% were studying at the graduate level.

• The Canadian province of Alberta offers to the Brazilian education system, including structure, accreditation, and credential comparison.

The US also offers these important insights that are relevant not just to US recruiters but those in all destinations:

“Approximately 80 percent of Brazilian students who study abroad come from Brazil’s southern and central eastern states (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia, Minas Gerais, Pernambuco, Rio Grande do Sul, and Paraná). Among these states (each of which presents excellent opportunities for overseas recruitment), São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Brasilia represent the three best locations to recruit Brazilian students to study in the United States. São Paulo has the largest applicant pool (36 percent) and attracts the most talented students to its own university campuses. The capital city of Brasília (11.6 percent) located in Distrito Federal (Federal District) has the country’s highest GDP per capita at approximately USD $16,500, over twice that of São Paulo, the region with the second-highest GDP per capita. The state of Rio de Janeiro (13.3 percent), the country’s hub for the oil and gas industry, attracts many engineering and science majors.�

For additional background, please see:

• “Brazilian agents reporting strong growth this year with many exceeding pre-pandemic volumesâ€�
• “Outbound mobility trends for key Latin American markets: Brazil, Colombia, Mexicoâ€�

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The overall trend, however, is toward growth with volumes up 18% on average compared to 2019.

Growth in Brazilian student outbound is the main takeaway from this year’s agent survey from the (Belta). The survey draws on responses from 317 agents across the country, both members of Belta and non-members, that were collected between December 2022 and April 2023.

Agents report that Brazilian demand remains overwhelmingly weighted towards language studies. But as we see in table below, there are some important shifts this year compared to 2019, especially with regard to professional courses (certificates or diplomas), which have jumped from the 5th most popular programme option in 2019 to 2nd this year.

The survey reveals that Brazilian students are primarily motivated to study abroad by their interest in having an international experience, building language skills, and experiencing a new culture. Student preferences this year are very consistent with the patterns we saw before the pandemic, with English-speaking destinations – Canada, the US, United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia – claiming the top spots in the table of preferred destinations.

Perhaps not surprisingly, aside from any delays or difficulties in obtaining a visa, all major hurdles for students (as reported by agents) relate to rising costs this year. This reflects student or parent concerns around how the Brazilian real is performing against other major world currencies alongside rising costs of travel and costs of living across destinations this year.

Those cost concerns are reflected in the average reported spend for Brazilian students in 2022 of US$8,307 – a roughly 40% increase from the average spend reported for 2019.

That increased spending this year translated into an estimated combined total business volume of R$3.7 billion (US$760 million) for responding agents this year.

A parallel student survey, also conducted by Belta, finds that roughly two-thirds of outbound Brazilian students (64%) book their programmes through an agency. But the survey suggests as well that students rely heavily on social sources to inform their preferences and plans, including social media but also their immediate circle of friends and family.

Taken together, the findings point to continued strong demand in the Brazilian market, the importance of affordability and managing costs, the crucial role of education agents in recruiting Brazilian students, and the major influence of family and friends in shaping student choice.

For additional background, please see:

• “Outbound mobility trends for key Latin markets: Brazil, Colombia, Mexico“
• “Brazilian market showing its strength this year“
• “Brazil: Affordability will be key to unleashing demand for study abroad“

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This time, we turn to the Americas: Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico. These countries, and the region in general, account for some of the most remarkable recent increases in students for major destinations – particularly Canada.

We use 2020 UNESCO data on tertiary outbound mobility as our baseline, then factor in more recent data from government sources in leading destinations (Australia, Canada, US) where available to see how mobility is trending in 2022. Please note: Australian, Canadian, and US data includes enrolments in other sectors as well as higher education.

Students from Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico of course go to other countries as well, but our focus here is on destinations enrolling more than 2,000 students from these countries.

Brazil

The most recent UNESCO data (2020) counts 89,150 Brazilian students abroad in higher education. This number is likely higher today if we go on the basis of rapid growth in student numbers in Australia and Canada in particular – some of which will be in the higher education sector. There were 30% more Brazilian students at all levels/types of education in Australia in 2022 than in 2021, and Canada registered the same percentage increase. Numbers have not grown as significantly in the US.

• Argentina: 20,515 in 2020 (UNESCO)
• Australia: 19,055 in 2022 (+30% y-o-y)
• Portugal: 18,080 in 2020 (UNESCO)
• Canada: 14,465 in 2022 (+30%)
• US: 14,895 in 2021/22 (+6%)
• France: 5,435 in 2021/22 (+7%) according to
• Germany: 4,670 (UNESCO)
• Spain: 2,070 (UNESCO)

Many Brazilian students travel abroad for language programmes. In 2022, a BELTA survey found that the top preferences for Brazilian language students were Canada, the United States, UK, Ireland, and Australia. Here’s an astounding bit of information: the Brazilian embassy in Ireland estimates that the number of Brazilian students in Ireland rose from 13,600 in 2016 to 70,000 in 2021.

While language studies are the most popular option for Brazilian students, the survey also found that more Brazilian students are considering university studies abroad. As the second chart (below) indicates, undergraduate programmes moved from 7th place in 2019 to 6th place in 2022 in terms of their popularity, and graduate programmes moved from 9th to 7th.

Colombia

The most recent UNESCO data (2020) counts 34,780 Colombian students abroad in higher education. Colombian student outbound is more degree-oriented than is the case in Brazil or Mexico, though many Colombian students take a language course to prepare them for their degree programme. Given this feature of the Colombian market, we can assume that Australian, Canadian, and the US universities – as well as language programmes – were seeing many more Colombian students in 2022 than in 2021.

Canada has seen dramatic growth from the Colombian market. The number of Colombian students in Canada in 2022 (12,440) was 123% higher than in 2019, when there were only 5,580 students. By contrast, Australian institutions welcomed 7% more Colombian students and US institutions hosted 4% more students over that same time frame (2019–2022).

• Australia: 22,260 in 2022 (+52% y-o-y)
• Spain: 16,460 in 2019/20 according to
• Argentina: 13,480 in 2020 (UNESCO)
• Canada: 12,440 in 2022 (+54%)
• US: 8,075 in 2021/22 (+14%)
• Germany: 3,530 in 2020 (UNESCO)
• Chile: 2,465 in 2020 (UNESCO)
• Ecuador: 2,170 in 2020 (UNESCO)

Mexico

The most recent UNESCO data (2020) counts 56,910 Mexican students abroad in higher education. Since then, more Mexicans have opted to study abroad, and Canada, again, is rising in popularity. Canadian institutions welcomed 30% more Mexicans in 2022 than in 2021, and growth is even more significant compared with 2019. That year, there were only 8,670 Mexican students in Canada – the jump in 2022 to 14,930 represents a 72% increase over the span of three years. By contrast, the US recorded only a 1% increase and the number of Mexican students in Australia fell by 30% over the three years from 2019 to 2022.

• Canada: 14,930 in 2022 (+30% y-o-y)
• US: 14,500 in 2021/22 (+12%)
• Spain: 8,475 in 2019/20 according to the Spanish government
• France: 2,258 in 2020 (UNESCO)
• Australia: 2,160 (+67%)
• Germany: 3,450 in 2020 (UNESCO)

Canada’s big push in Latin America

Clearly, Canadian institutions have intensified their recruiting in Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico. But the focus is wider than that – the entire Latin and South American region is sending many more students to Canada than before. For example:

• Peru: 4,025 in 2022 (+114% y-o-y) – up 289% since 2019
• Ecuador: 2,550 in 2022 (+33%) – up 80% since 2019
• Chile: 1,990 in 2022 (+30%) – up 169% since 2019
• Trinidad and Tobago: 1,000 (+32%) – up 34% since 2019
• Argentina: 870 (+30%) – up 117% since 2019
• Bolivia: 370 (+37%) – up 147% since 2019

While some of those numbers may seem small – especially compared with the tens of thousands of students from Canada’s top five markets – they are significant and reflect a surge of popularity for Canada in Latin and South America. Many of the markets more than doubled in size for Canada over the span of just three years. The larger bases of students from each country now could provide the basis for an even stronger growth trajectory – provided the current cohort enjoys their experience in Canada and conveys their satisfaction to peers at home.

Canada’s Student Direct Stream (SDS) – an expedited study permit processing programme for students from certain countries applying to study at a Canadian post-secondary institution – may be part of the reason that Canada is outperforming other top destinations. Of the 14 countries on the SDS list, seven are in Latin/South America or the Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Australia is also increasing its efforts in the region

Australian institutions also seem to have their sights set on South and Latin America in their diversification strategies. A March 2023 indicates significant investment in the region, with key activities centring on events and student fairs, scholarships, and loans. Austrade notes that Colombia “has become a focal point for institutions appointing staff in the region.” In 2022, Austrade launched a Study Australia Experience website aimed at the Latin American market, with content translated into Spanish and Portuguese. The overarching goal of the initiative is to help participating Australian institutions (33 in total) to increase enrolments from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru and Mexico. The website is part of a that also involves school representatives, social media, agents, and online events.

For additional background, please see:

• “Canada’s foreign enrolment grew by more than 30% in 2022â€�
• “Immigration and work opportunities key for Mexican studentsâ€�
• “Brazilian market showing its strength this yearâ€�
• “UK removes visitor visa requirement for Colombian travellersâ€�

The post Outbound mobility trends for key Latin markets: Brazil, Colombia, Mexico appeared first on ºÚÁϹÙÍø Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

Speaking at ºÚÁϹÙÍø Berlin this week, Alexandre Argenta, president of Brazilian Educational and Language Travel Association () and CEO of TravelMate Intercâmbio, presented the findings from the latest cycle of the BELTA Seal market research programme.

The survey was conducted in October 2022 and drew responses from 756 respondents, roughly 80% of which were BELTA member agencies.

The headline finding for this year’s survey is that 55% of respondents are reporting growth year-to-date through September. This is 13% higher than the proportion of agents that reported growth for the same period in the 2019 BELTA survey. This is perhaps not surprising given the overall recovery in outbound mobility in countries around the world, but it nevertheless an encouraging observation for such an important sending market.

This year’s findings reflect some important pre-pandemic demand patterns with the top destinations for Brazilian students once again Canada, the United States, UK, Ireland, and Australia.

And once again we see that language study remains the key programme area for Brazilian students, followed, quite interestingly, by programmes for junior students, secondary schools, and work-study courses.

Mr Argenta noted that the main factors driving demand this year were the easing of concern and public health measures around the pandemic, alongside more durable factors for Brazilian students, including an interest in gaining a competitive advantage in the labour market and a strong underlying demand for language study.

In contrast, factors that are dampening demand this year are the devaluation of the Brazilian currency (the real) against other world currencies, and increasing costs for flights and housing abroad. The real is a relatively volatile currency, which is of course impacted by global economic trends as well as the political and business outlook in Brazil.

For additional background, please see:

• “Students grappling with effects of a strong US dollar“
• “Brazilian outbound recovery projected for 2022“
• “Brazil: Affordability will be key to unleashing demand for study abroad“
• “Brazil’s outbound numbers surged in 2018“

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For all of those reasons, the need for a visitor visa has been seen as an irritant and an impediment to Colombian travel to the UK. And so it was big news this week when the UK Ambassador to Colombia George Hodgson announced the removal of the visitor visa requirement, effective 9 November 2022. “The UK will open up its doors to tourism and other sectors for Colombians,â€� said the Ambassador during a 18 October press conference. “This is a great step forward in our bilateral relations.”

¡Tenemos una gran noticia! A partir del 9 de noviembre de 2022, los nacionales no necesitarán una visa de visitante para viajar al por periodos de hasta 6 meses.

Visita para revisar toda la información.

¡Reino Unido los está esperando!

— Embajador Británico – George Hodgson (@HodgsonGeorge)

Colombians will now be able travel to the UK as ““, which means they can stay in the country for up to six months, for “tourism, business, study (courses up to 6 months) and other permitted activities.” Needless to say, the move improves the competitive position of institutions and schools in the UK that aim to recruit Colombian students for short-term programmes.

The British embassy in Bogota reports that roughly 12,000 Colombians travelled to the UK in the first half of 2022, and projects that there are between 24,000 and 25,000 Colombian visitors annually – a number that is expected to rise now that the visa requirement has been removed. Ambassador Hodgson added that any Colombian travellers that have already applied for a visitor visa, can now withdraw their application and apply for a refund of their visa fees.

For additional background, please see:

• “UK ELT shows real gains through second quarter of 2022“
• “UK resumes priority visa processing“
• “UK extends visa waiver programme for Gulf states“

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One such trend is to be found in Latin America right now.

Many Latin American countries have been sending increasing numbers of students abroad – but many are also home to important and sophisticated institutions that are competing ever more strongly for students from all over the world.

Latin American outbound

Spain is a highly popular country for Latin American students. Spanish institutions have been receiving increasing numbers of Latin American students for several years: Ecuador is the #2 market and Colombia is #4. Both are growing much faster than the remaining countries in Spain’s top 5 list.

In Portugal, where the number of international students in higher education has more than doubled in the past decade, 41% of the nearly 50,000 international students enrolled in Portuguese universities were from Brazil.

Latin America is also an increasingly important region for Canada. Canadian institutions hosted 81% more Mexican students in 2021 than 2020, while Bolivia, Chile, and Peru sent 153%, 133%, and 113% more students, respectively. In the US, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Venezuela are in the top 25 markets.

Moving to Australia, the fastest growing source region for students is Latin America. Between 2013–17, the number of Latin American students in Australian institutions , and the vocational and English-language sectors are responsible for a lot of that growth. In 2018, 40,000 Brazilian students were in Australia, making them the fourth-largest international student group. Colombia is also now in Australia’s top 10 source markets.

That’s a lot of outbound. But it’s only part of the story of Latin American internationalisation right now.

International collaborations are a top priority

In 2019, QS conducted a survey that found that fully . The strategies’ goals included:

• Comprehensive internationalisation (49%)
• Expansion and improvement of international mobility (41%)
• Development and promotion of new international partnerships (31%)
• Encouragement of international academic collaboration (26%)
• Improvement of international activities management and processes (17%)

By “comprehensive internationalisation,� respondents meant that they were committed to developing their “programmes, staff, and activities that will ultimately help to attract international talent and develop academic staff to become experts in their field of research.�

The level of development was high enough already in 2019 that Latin American countries were receiving almost as many students (137,000) as they were sending students abroad (195,400), according to UNESCO data.

Institutions responding to the QS survey painted a picture of collaboration and global-mindedness: “Most universities in the region [had] between 50 to 400 official international agreements (65%) and up to 100 unofficial collaborations (54%) with global partner institutions.�

In 2022 – despite the pandemic – Latin American universities have only upped their game. reports that at the 2022 NAFSA conference,

“Dr Rodrigo Cintra, chief international officer of Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing (ESPM or Higher School of Advertising and Marketing) in São Paulo, Brazil, put the American and European universities that have dominated international education on notice, saying: ‘We are here to play with you.’�

Underpinning the confidence is the fact that Latin American universities invested heavily in technology and online platforms during the pandemic. Dr Brigitte Baptiste, rector of the Universidad Ean in Bogotá, Colombia, told the NAFSA audience,

“We invested lots of money in our technological capacities. But also, in creating new languages or making virtual interaction less boring, less heavy, much more attractive for learners.�

Encouraging intra-regional mobility has been a heavier priority for Latin American countries of late. In 2019, we reported that 23 Latin American countries had signed on to a new Convention for the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Higher Education Diplomas in Latin America and the Caribbean. The agreement was born out of concern that too many Latin American students were going overseas to study rather than staying within the region. The hope attached to the agreement was that encouraging intra-regional mobility would concentrate graduate talent in Latin America rather than see too much of it migrate overseas.

The growing niche Latin American universities are carving out for high-quality online platforms and teaching is complemented by their investment in the kind of programmes the world needs most right now. Focuses include trauma-informed pedagogy, racial literacy and critical thinking (Universidad Veritas in Costa Rica) as well as sustainability, pollution, and climate change. reports that Ms Baptiste “challenged her audience to re-imagine “tourism, agricultural, food and entrepreneurship programmes from a sustainable point of view.�

A greater focus on intra-regional?

It will be interesting and exciting to see if Latin America follows a similar internationalisation trajectory as Asia has over the past few years. As we reported in 2019, Asian students have had more and more reason to stay within their region rather than study in the West. Reasons for that, we noted in 2019, included:

• “A dozen of the world’s 100 top ranked universities are now in Asia – in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea. (Editor’s update: In the , the number of Asian institutions in the top 100 is now 26, meaning that a quarter of the world’s best-ranked universities are now in Asia.)

• Asia is the world’s fastest-growing regional economy; China, India, Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea are driving the most expansion. Students realise that Asian universities can help them to access industry internships and jobs in the region.

• China, the continent’s powerhouse, invests heavily in its massive, multifaceted soft-power initiative known as One Belt, One Road, which stretches through more than a hundred countries and through South and East Asia. China is creating thousands of scholarships to attract Asian as well as African students. It is increasing higher education capacity and tempting Asian students from within the region to choose China rather than go overseas. (Editor’s update: China has closed its borders for more than two years now as a result of COVID. It will be interesting to see whether, once China opens up, international students return to the country in the same massive volumes as before the pandemic.)

• Students everywhere are gravitating towards programmes with strong and immediate employment outcomes. Asian universities are performing very well in this regard. QS’s 2019 Graduate Employability Rankings include four Asian universities – Tsinghua, Peking, Hong Kong and Tokyo – among the top 20 institutions. QS notes that “Asian universities are among the world’s best at enhancing their alumni’s job market prospects.â€� (Editor’s update: In QS’s , 23 Asian institutions were in the top 100).

• More than half a dozen Asian countries have national strategies aimed at making them major destinations, with several setting international student targets. China is now the world’s fourth most popular study destination after the US, Australia, and Canada. (Editor’s update: This is no longer the case given that no international students have been able to enter China for more than two years. Again, it will be interesting to see what happens when China lifts its travel restrictions).â€�

As it stands, six Latin American universities are in the 2022 QS World University Rankings.

For additional background, please see:

• “New scheme aims to boost student mobility within Latin Americaâ€�
• “Closer to home: Intra-regional mobility in Asia“
• “ºÚÁϹÙÍø Exchange podcast: Latin America market update: agent and educator reaction to COVID-19â€�

The post Latin American institutions increasingly prepared to compete for international students appeared first on ºÚÁϹÙÍø Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

Speaking at ºÚÁϹÙÍø Virtual Latin America 2021 this week, Alexandre Argenta, President of the (BELTA), shared recent research on the Brazilian market commissioned by Education New Zealand. It shows that that destination ranking is holding steady during COVID, with Canada, the US, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland still the most popular choices among Brazilian students.

Surveys of both Brazilian agents and prospective students found that Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK were most highly rated among leading destinations for their pandemic response and perceived safety. Those parallel surveys also clearly showed, however, that student confidence or readiness to undertake study abroad generally lagged behind agents’ perception of destination readiness to receive students.

Mr Argenta, who is also the CEO of the agency, noted that those same student surveys indicate that 90% of Brazilian students are waiting for the opening of borders of their intended destination countries before investing in studies abroad. “At this point during the pandemic, students tend to start organizing or re-organising their exchange programme abroad to countries that have started to process and issue student visas. Canada and the US are the first destinations that started to process student visas so that has helped to put those countries at the top of our list.”

Mr Argenta also highlighted the important role of financial factors in student planning, including currency exchange rates and flexibility in payment plans. “In Brazil, the currency exchange rate is always fluctuating so the agents are forced to organise – through their own funds or with the help of banks or Credit card companies – different payment options for clients,” he explains. “Not everyone comes to the agency and pays for their programme with one payment. Brazilians are culturally used to paying things in monthly installments.”

The immediate outlook

“Throughout the pandemic, the main courses chosen by Brazilian students were, number one, higher education, [then] high school, and then language courses,” said Mr Argenta, who added as well that this had a lot to do with how destination countries began to tackle visa application backlogs this year. “Countries that restarted processing visas for Brazilians, they started with higher education programmes, and then high school programmes, and then only [in September 2021] they started processing visas for language programmes.”

BELTA estimates that roughly 390,000 Brazilian students went abroad in 2019, and that member agencies sent only about 25% of that volume in 2020. The association expects that outbound volumes will recover to roughly 50% of 2019 levels this year, and then will reach or exceed pre-pandemic numbers in 2022. “When borders are 100% open for Brazilians once again, and consulates are processing visas once again, we should be able to see the market back to normal.”

That outlook will be buoyed by continuing progress in Brazil’s COVID vaccination programmes. The rollout is going slowly but as of September 2021, just over 40% of the population is fully vaccinated against the virus.

Meanwhile, the Brazilian currency, the real, has depreciated significantly against the US dollar since 2018 (see chart below). It has however stabilised over the past year and is largely expected to hold its current value over the next 12 months.

For additional background, please see:

• “Brazil: Affordability will be key to unleashing demand for study abroad“
• “Brazil’s outbound numbers surged in 2018“

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