Those topline findings, notes the study report, show that, “Education abroad delivers outcomes that go far beyond employability…For most students, the mindset shift is clear — exposure to new cultures, languages and perspectives helps them see themselves as part of a wider global community, not just visitors in another country.”

The findings come from a new impact study published by sector research specialists . The study is a pilot and the beginning of a wider effort to benchmark the impact of education abroad.

The pilot cohort was made up of more than 4,250 students enrolled at 21 higher education institutions across multiple countries. However, the majority of the study participants were citizens of Australia (36%), the United Kingdom (31%), the United States (10%), or New Zealand (6%).

As we see in the following chart, more than half of the pilot cohort participated in a semester abroad, with another third attending a short international programme. The remaining 14% participated in a varsity of work placements, internships, or volunteer assignments.

When it comes to why they choose an international programme, miXabroad says, “Students are strongly motivated by the chance to step outside the familiar and experience something different.” CEO Emily O’Callaghan adds that study abroad participants, “Seek connection, culture and experience – reminding us that meaning, not just resume building, is at the heart of global learning.”

We see that reflected clearly in the next chart below, which illustrates that that pursuit of a new experience, across cultures and personal networks, is the primary motivator for international programme participants.

The vast majority of respondents (96%) report being satisfied or very satisfied (72%) with their international experience. A similar proportion of(97%) said they would likely recommend their international programme, with 77% indicating they definitely would.

“Our focus is on those who are very satisfied – because that’s when students are most inspired to actively recommend their experience, strengthening institutional reputation and driving future participation,” adds the report. “In short: the higher the satisfaction, the stronger the advocacy. Providers that aim to deliver truly satisfying experiences will see students become champions.”

Based on the research findings, miXabroad offers a number of important takeaways for programme designers and leaders.

• Centre personal growth in program design. “Build in opportunities for cultural immersion, social connection and self-discovery. These are the elements students value most and where they report the greatest personal impact.”

• Share student stories to illustrate those personal benefits.

• Engage with students before they start university. Nearly half of students consider going abroad before beginning their university programmes. Universities can boost student engagement and participation in programmes abroad by exposing prospective or incoming students to international opportunities as early as possible.

• Measure personal and social outcomes. Along with grades, universities are encouraged to track the impact of education abroad on student confidence, adaptability, and cultural awareness.

• Strengthen support at every stage of the student journey. “Pair pre-departure preparation and local orientation with ongoing pastoral and academic support. Students who feel guided, included and connected report the highest satisfaction.”

For additional background, please see:

• “���Ϲ��� Podcast: Beyond the offer letter: The services that drive international student success“
• “Global student satisfaction survey highlights growing attention to career services“
• “How likely are students to recommend your institution?“

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According to a 4 June 2025 report, international students contribute over US$40 billion to the US economy. The article mentioned rumours of potential curbs to Optional Practical Training (OPT), a key pathway for foreign graduates to gain work experience.

In the UK, the Government has announced its intention to reduce post-study work term of the Graduate Route from two years to 18 months. As our latest research shows, these adjustments threaten to undermine the very model that sustains this student flow. What was once a soft benefit is now a critical pillar of financial viability.

An Indian student returning home immediately after a US undergraduate degree at a private university could work more than 30 years to recover the cost. Stay and work for two years post-graduation, and that figure drops by 11 years, or as little as three in Canada and Australia. For Chinese graduates, a stint of post-study work can cut almost six years from the payback period. (These figures are based on average graduate salaries in the relevant countries and allow for taxation at prevailing rates.)

Across scenarios, students who can work after studying earn back their investment much faster than those who cannot. The economic impact is undeniable—and increasingly, unavoidable.

China

As we see in the first chart above, students returning to China immediately on graduation would need to work for almost 14 years to earn the equivalent cost of a three-year undergraduate Russell Group education (including living expenses), and for four years less, if they took advantage of a two-year post-study work opportunity. Masters students who return home immediately can earn the total cost of a one-year Masters in around 4.6 years but can reduce that recovery time by half if they do some post-study work in the UK.

The same undergraduate student who works in a graduate level job in the UK and then returns home can cut almost five years off the repayment term, earning the equivalent back in just under four years.

India

The charts again reflect that students returning to India immediately on graduation would need to work for 14 years to earn the equivalent cost of a three-year undergraduate Russell Group education (including living expenses), and for two years less, if they studied at a non-Russell Group university. Masters students who return home immediately can earn the total cost of a one-year Masters in just under five years.

The same undergraduate student who works in a graduate level job in the UK and then returns home can cut more than eight years off the repayment term, earning the equivalent back in just under five and a half years.

But universities cannot rely on immigration policy alone to make education affordable. Reducing fees may not be fiscally viable. Instead, institutions must rethink delivery. Offshore degrees, hybrid models, and transnational partnerships offer students the chance to begin their studies at home – at lower cost – and finish overseas, gaining the international exposure and credentials employers value most.

These shifts are happening at pace. An opinion piece in by Dr Cheryl You points out that, “More students are opting for in-country pathways, such as foundation programmes or 2+2 joint degree arrangements between Chinese and Western universities, as more practical and supportive alternatives. In addition, they are increasingly looking beyond traditional overseas study destinations to closer-to-home alternatives, such as , Macao or elsewhere in Asia.”

And, as for post-study work, it is a critical part of the offer for students. It is not a pathway to permanent migration nor a drain on public resources. Students on post-study work in the UK pay an additional surcharge to use [National Health Service] services, for example. A period of post-study work makes a world class education more affordable for students and provides the receiving country with a valuable talent pipeline – especially in areas where there are major labour shortages – such as in technology and other skilled fields which are such important drivers of economic growth.

For universities and policymakers alike, the message is clear: that return on investment for the visiting student is no longer optional. Rather, it is increasingly the global currency of trust in higher education. Global student mobility works best when the math does too.

A note on methodology: We used an average of tuition fees and living expenses for each of the destination countries.vOur team then calculated graduate starting salaries – net of income tax for each of the three post-graduation options.

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“We know that international students choose their study destination based on factors that help them become job ready, with access to post-study employment being the key influence,” said Simon Emmett, chief partner officer at IDP Education. “The research serves as a timely reminder for governments and policymakers to embrace international students, who go on to fill vital skill gaps and foster long-lasting diplomatic ties between their home and host countries.”

Roughly a third of respondents were prospective international students (29%), another 43% had applied to study abroad, and 21% were already enrolled overseas. Consistent with earlier cycles of Emerging Futures findings, just over two-thirds of respondents (67%) cited “career development” as their main motivation for study abroad. Only “education quality” received a comparable rating (also 67%), with other factors such as “acquiring global knowledge” and “reputable qualifications” coming in slightly lower.

Respondents are also keenly looking at graduate outcomes. “Graduate employment rate” ranked as the top indicator of “high-quality education” abroad, ahead of “institution ranking” or “quality of academic staff.” In a similar vein, “job outcomes from the institution” represent the top non-academic factor for students, ahead of “range of scholarships” or “access to part-time work opportunities.”

Affordability continues to be a major concern

When asked about their main concerns about studying abroad, most students (66%) cited “cost and finances.” That concern placed well ahead of the next-most pressing item: “visa challenges” (47%). Those factors, along with a growing student interest in post-study outcomes, are reflected in the following chart, which measures the relative attractiveness of leading study destinations across a range of criteria.

In fact, concerns around affordability are so high that one in two students told IDP they would consider switching to another destination if it had lower savings requirements.

The bottom line, says IDP, is that, “Students are driven by career development, job outcomes, and return on their investment when choosing where to study internationally. Employability is a critical priority, underscoring the need for institutions to strengthen career support and industry connections to enhance students’ international study experience.”

For additional background, please see:

• “The impact of immigration settings, affordability, and job opportunities on international students’ study abroad decisions“
• “Reimagining career services for international students“
• “The three persistent themes in student accommodation: affordability, availability, and accountability“

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IW concludes that Germany recovers its investment in educating and supporting international students in German higher education. If 40% of the foreign student cohort remains in the country after graduation, their taxes and other contributions to the German economy will cover the costs of their education within three years of graduation. If that retention rate remains stable over time, that means that each new cohort of students contributes a net of €15.5 billion over their lifetime. “Even with a retention rate of only 30%, income would exceed expenditure by €7.4 billion in the long term,” adds IW. “If 50% of a cohort were to remain in Germany in the long term, the surplus would even amount to €26 billion.”

“Investing in the education of international students strengthens the skilled labour base and thus economic growth in Germany in the long term. They help to overcome the challenges of demographic change. In addition, the investments are highly profitable from a public sector perspective and strengthen public budgets in the long term,” said IW Director Prof Dr Michael Hüther.

“The new IW study impressively demonstrates the economic importance of international students for Germany,” added DAAD President Dr Joybrato Mukherjee. “Although most universities do not charge tuition fees, international students make significantly higher contributions to our society over the course of their working lives than Germany invests in their studies and beyond. International students are an asset to our country in many ways, academically of course, but also economically.”

Germany has seen steady growth in its foreign enrolment in recent years. DAAD estimates that there are currently 405,000 international students in the country, and 65% of students responding to a recent survey said that they intend to stay in Germany after graduation. The OECD has recently reported as well that Germany has the highest retention rate of international students among leading study destinations (together with Canada). The OECD reports that ten years after starting their studies, 45% of foreign graduates are still in the country.

For additional background, please see:

• “Germany projected to exceed 400,000 international students in 2024/25“
• “Beyond the Big Four: How demand for study abroad is shifting to destinations in Asia and Europe“

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If you think about it, one of the most pressing questions we all want answers to is, “What do students really care about when making study abroad decisions?”

The answers will differ based on factors including a student’s country of origin, degree of financial security, and intention to return home or seek permanent residence in a new country. But if we take a macro lens and explore significant global research conducted this year, we get insights into common themes to consider when recruiting and hosting students.

Practical priorities

Keystone Education Group’s survey asked more than 27,000 students not just what they consider when comparing institutions, but also what matters to them in a programme.

There are some clear implications in the graphic above. For example:

At the institution level:

• Gather and communicate data on graduate employment outcomes. If this is hard to come by, feature successful alumni in marketing campaigns.
• Highlight rankings. If programme/field rankings are more impressive than institutional rankings, focus on those.
• Understand that accommodation is a top five issue for students researching institutions. Good student housing is a competitive differentiator.

At the programme level:

• Programmes become more competitive if they have an internship/work placement component. This priority was cited 46% more in 2024 than in 2023.
• Students need to know about funding and fees sooner rather than later. Don’t make them hunt for answers in these areas, and don’t let them (or you) be surprised late in the game when they realise they can’t afford your programme after all.

Speed matters

One of the statistics we saw cited the most this year is Keystone’s finding that 85% of students expect a response within 24 hours – a 35% increase over 2023. What’s more, 17% expect a response immediately, up 55% since 2023.

Student recruitment firms Edified and Uniquest collaborated on the 2024 edition of the Enquiry Experience Tracker mystery shopping survey, which found that too many student leads are being neglected. Six international student personas “shopped” 102 institutions in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and North America. They submitted their questions through enquiry forms, live chat, social media, email, and peer-topeer platforms. The highlights on the left show where there is room for improvement.

Efficient staff structures, a well-implemented customer relationship system, and AI tools can help to respond to the need for speed in international student recruitment.

Communication is crucial

IDP Education conducted important research this year looking at how much international students are influenced by government policies in destination countries. The answer: a lot.

Institutions and associations must continue to advocate for responsible policies that address immigration needs without damaging the ability of countries to attract talented international students. At the same time, institutions and agencies must endeavour to communicate policies in a timely and accurate manner to students and to provide expert advice on applying to programmes that offer them the highest chance of being accepted.

Open to alternatives

During the pandemic, students got used to having back-ups to their preferred destination – and to thoroughly researching border policies, vaccination and test requirements, and rules about on-campus study. These research habits are proving useful again.

In response to quickly changing immigration environments, students are:

• Exploring alternative places to study, researching cost of living, fees, visa rules, etc.;
• Looking into programmes tied to labour market demand. Canada and New Zealand are two examples of countries that now tie better post-graduation work rights to programmes leading to specific occupations (and those occupations are not always STEM-based).

In addition, a 2024 QS survey of more than 11,000 international students interested in business schools found that demand is spiking for programmes that:

• Include a focus in other fields, reflecting the niche and increasingly specialised needs of global employers;
• Have a sustainability orientation. The survey found that an institution’s commitment to sustainable values (including the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs) is now a top three factor affecting students’ choice of institution.

The QS research suggests that there is an urgency to informing students about niche potentials of programmes. Think of ways to market programmes in a creative light that goes well beyond mere description.

Eager for ROI

Students choose to study abroad for many reasons, but research shows time and again that employability is the top driver. For the past five years, for example, “future career impact” has topped the list of student motivations (96%) on Etio’s (ISB). This year, the ISB included 122,975 international students studying at 155 institutions in 24 countries, and as always, its data is definitely worth paying attention to.

Nannette Ripmeester, Etio’s director of client services for Europe and North America, wrote in ���Ϲ��� Monitor earlier this year:

“What can institutions and providers do to support this quest for employability? Take employability skills seriously. Globalise your curricula, build in global orientation and skills training because that career workshop at the end of a study programme will not be enough to create employable graduates. Maybe it all starts with the understanding that, for recruitment of new students, you need to start at the end of the student journey by taking steps to ensure better graduate outcomes for your students.”

Ms Ripmeester also believes that institutions – especially through their career services department – must help students to maximise the impact of their study abroad experience:

“When we asked employers [in two Erasmus Impact studies] if they recruit students simply because they have studied abroad, … we found there is no guarantee that study abroad in itself makes someone employable – there is more needed to make that happen. For starters, a graduate should be able to explain what they have gained while being abroad and how these skills can support them in their new role. When graduates can unpack what they have gained abroad, employers become keener in hiring that person. When that graduate can ‘repackage’ their skills in the language of a hiring manager (word of warning: there is no one-size-fits-all approach – this may differ per sector and per country), an employer is more likely to be interested in that graduate. After all, study abroad provides, by its very nature, situations where people develop the skills sought after by the future world of work.”

Key takeaways

There is a theme running through these research findings: think like a student. Think about their priorities, how they make decisions, their demand for immediate answers, and their increasing willingness to consider alternative destinations and programmes. Consider their need to show employers why investing in study abroad was such a good decision. Successful alumni are perhaps the best asset you have. Their success can drive the sustainability of your programmes, your marketing, and your reputation in key target markets.

For additional background, please see:

• “The way forward: Shifting to a more strategic and student-centred recruitment“
• “Industry experts conclude that better recruitment results begin with a focus on student outcomes“
• “In a time of shifting student demand, a speedy response to enquiries is a must“
• “Is employability still the holy grail for the new generation of international students?“

The post What do international students want? appeared first on ���Ϲ��� Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

Whatever their circumstances, many parents have even more reason to want their children to study abroad than they did before COVID changed the world. A of over 1,000 agents in more than 70 countries revealed that agents are working with a wide spectrum of families: some families have had their finances negatively affected by the pandemic, some have not been affected, and some have become more financially secure. Of the research, Jon Chew, Navitas’ Head of Strategic Insights and Analytics, points out that while of course wealthier families will find it easier, financially, to send their children abroad, those who have become less well-off might be doubly driven to send their children overseas for schooling:

“In fact, it is reasonable to expect that those who have had a difficult time during the pandemic might be more motivated to study abroad in order to improve their circumstances. The pandemic could thus have the effect of amplifying aspirations and ambitions.”

Mr Chew also mentions other possible new motivations for study abroad:

“Another driver … might stem from the psychological scarring of living through COVID in lockdown, without a strong government safety net, and with uncertain access to reliable healthcare. In the same way that economic security has historically been a driver for studying abroad, health security could well be a new reason for the COVID generation to pursue opportunities and life elsewhere.”

Mr Chew’s point about health security is borne out by a 2021 survey of 5,000 Indian students conducted by education platform . More than 7 in 10 (71%) of the survey participants said that “better healthcare infrastructure” was a key reason driving them to look for opportunities abroad. Akshay Chaturvedi, Leverage Edu founder & CEO, attributed the finding to a greater appreciation among students for the quality of a country’s healthcare system after India suffered such devastation from the Delta variant:

“Access to early vaccinations, as well as basics like healthcare infrastructure, quality of air we breathe, previously little-understood points, have gained a lot of relevance post the second wave in India.”

Yet another new “push” factor that may affect international student mobility is parents’ drive to repair the damage COVID has inflicted on their children’s education. among more than 20,000 adults in 29 markets confirms a high degree of parental worry about their children’s future tied to the fact that schooling was so drastically interrupted in 2020 and throughout parts of 2021. (Even now, absenteeism among students and teachers remains a persistent problem as the Omicron and related variants remain disruptive, if not as lethal.)

The Ipsos research, conducted in May and June of 2021, found that globally, over a third (35%) of people felt that “children will be unable to make up for missed formal education resulting in worse qualifications.” Another 30% felt that “young people will face higher unemployment rates and lost earnings in the future,” and this rose to 56% in South Africa.

The significant proportions of people expressing worry about children’s interrupted education carries with it several implications for international educators:

• Providing strong academic, language, and mental health supports for new international students is absolutely key as many students will have had inconsistent education in the past two years;
• Developing a strong parental outreach program is also highly important, as parents will need more reassurance that their children are safe, supported, and studying in an environment that allows them to flourish in their studies;
• Establishing internships and industry linkages to enable students to gain work experience while studying abroad is an excellent way to highlight the value of a programme;
• Making sure the institutional website clearly presents graduate outcomes, scholarships, and working opportunities (while studying and after) is essential.

In addition, the new pressures and concerns facing international students’ families suggests that:

• Strengthening career services departments should be a top priority for colleges and universities;
• Incorporating live chat and other ways to quickly respond to questions and confusion for students and parents browsing the institutional website should also be a priority;
• Gathering on-the-ground feedback from agents and current students about the real circumstances affecting families they know in key markets is a must.

Overall, the research underlines that barriers to, and drivers of, study abroad are unique according to where in the world students live and what kind of pandemic experience their families have had. Taking the time to have personal conversations with students, agents, and families will in their own way be as important as sophisticated digital campaigns when it comes to assuring families that deciding to study abroad with your institution is worth the investment.

For additional background, please see:

• “Are you paying enough attention to parents in your recruitment marketing?”
• “Agent survey highlights important demand factors for study abroad into 2022”
• “Student decision-making factors are changing: why and how?”
• “Integrating mental health supports throughout the international student journey”

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For many Chinese users, these homegrown social media platforms are the Internet – that is, they are both the primary activity for users as well as the main way in which they experience the web. The explosive growth of China’s social web in recent years coincided with the emergence of mobile technology, in particular the rapid adoption of smartphone devices. Many Chinese users first began to use the Internet on mobile devices, and mobile remains the predominant form of access in China today.

The latest report from consultants We Are Social – Digital, Social, and Mobile in China in 2015 – finds continued growth in Internet usage as well as ongoing heavy engagement with social and mobile platforms among Chinese users.

Out of a total population nearly 1.4 billion people, We Are Social estimates there were 668 million active Internet users in China as of August 2015. Nearly all of these Chinese netizens – 659 million – are also active social media users, a total which surpasses the user base of the US and Europe combined.

Chinese users spend an average of nearly four hours per day online on desktop or tablet devices and another three hours per day on mobile devices. Overall, digital media accounted for more than half of all media consumption among Chinese adults in 2015.

Average time per day spent on devices and major media, 2015. Source: We Are Social

Mobile continued to earn a larger share of Chinese Internet traffic in 2015. While desktop devices still account for the majority of pages served as of August 2015, mobile is closing quickly with 42% of all pages served in 2015 and year-over-year growth of 136%.

Share of Internet traffic by device, August 2015. Source: We Are Social

As the following chart illustrates, the major social channels in China continue to drive a lot of this increased usage.

Leading social platforms in China, 2015, based on number of accounts (in millions) claiming a login within the previous 30 days. Source: We Are Social

The most-popular channels remain the linked platforms, both of which have shown strong growth in their active user bases since 2014. The biggest gainer in 2015 may have been WeChat, which is up from a reported 355 million monthly active users as of March 2014 to 600 million by August 2015.

Owned by the dominant search platform, is a Reddit-like discussion forum. It makes the list of leading platforms for 2015, owing in part to major functional and interface changes over the last couple of years.

The student connection

We are learning more about how prospective students use different digital tools at different stages of the decision-making process for study abroad. In a number of world markets, search engines and school selection sites play a greater role during the discovery phase of students’ research – that is, the point at which they are learning about different institutions and trying to identify colleges or schools that could be a good fit. Many of these students will then use social media to further inform their choices after that initial discovery process.

A recent student survey from Chegg, however, suggests a greater role for social channels throughout the search and discovery process for Chinese students.

finds that nearly 70% of prospective Chinese students use a smart phone as their primary tool for researching study abroad options. The top search or research activities among these users include:

• 85% checked school information online (e.g., ranking, programmes available, costs);
• 38% watched a video from an institution or school;
• 28% posted a question to a school representative on social media;
• 27% participated in a live chat.

Overall, nearly 90% of prospective Chinese students indicate they will use social media when deciding on an institution or school. The following chart illustrates the types of sources and channels most often used by students to research study options abroad.

Tools and channels used to research study abroad options, as reported by prospective Chinese students, 2016. Source: Chegg

Note the significant role played by major search engines, but note too that the search landscape is very different in China. In contrast to Google’s clear dominance in many world markets, the search engines of choice in China are homegrown.

Baidu is the Chinese market leader and accounts for about 60% of all search activity in the country. This means that if you are not operating a dedicated site in China or otherwise ensuring that your out-of-China website is properly indexed by and optimised for engines such as Baidu, then your visibility in many Chinese is going to be greatly reduced.

The Chegg survey results also point to a significant role for both social media and messaging platforms in the prospective student’s search process. Nearly 60% of survey respondents said that instant-messaging apps, such as or QQ, would be the tools they are most likely to use when searching for colleges or schools abroad. Just over seven in ten responding students also indicated that connecting with currently enrolled students – again via social or messaging platforms – is their top priority during this research process.

This strong interest in connecting with peers is reflected in the following chart, which presents a different view of the importance of various search tools for Chinese students. The figure shows students’ ranking of the usefulness of different types of sites and tools for their study abroad search process, and here we see that social and messaging platforms are the highest-rated options among responding students.

Chinese student ranking of the usefulness of different search tools and channels, on a three-point scale. Source: Chegg

A related blog post, also from Chegg, reinforces the point by arguing that WeChat may be the single-most important platform for foreign institutions in China.

Such accounts pose a number of interesting challenge for foreign recruiters. As we noted in an earlier post on the subject, “When it comes to working your way up the learning curve, a consultant or agency can help orient you to social media in China – who is who and the do’s and don’ts – but in most cases an external agency probably can’t take the place of a solid in-house initiative.

That internal effort begins with appropriate staffing. You will need a Chinese-language speaker to navigate the country’s social networks.” Given the strong interest in peer connection that drives this social and messaging activity, institutions will also want to find creative ways to integrate current students or alumni into their outreach on Chinese platforms.

For additional background on approaching China’s distinct web platforms, please see “Making sense of China’s social and mobile web.”

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— Amy Rogers, UK ELT Marketing Manager for the

The British Council takes an active role in promoting the UK as a study destination, and in order to support the industry, one of the services they offer is an ongoing series of market intelligence reports, which are updated annually. These country profiles provide an overview of economic, demographic and education issues in various nations around the world. They are available free of charge to British Council accredited English language institutions in the UK; others can purchase them via the web.

Today we turn to three markets in particular in order to discover how to boost student recruitment results in Turkey, Italy, and Spain. Summaries of the reports appear below, but first, listen to our video interview with Ms Rogers as she puts the spotlight on Turkey.

Turkey

The country brief on Turkey is written by and is based on data collected  between 2007 and mid-2012, from more than 19,600 prospective international students from Turkey, located in-country at the time they were surveyed.

Findings indicate that about 15,000 Turkish students go to the UK each year to study English, and 17% of them are juniors. The British Council estimates they contribute GBP 86 million to the UK economy.

There are two main customer segments: high-income and low-income families. As a result, there are two defined markets: high sales of inexpensive courses and lower sales of high-end, expensive courses.

The length of study varies as follows:

• 4-8 weeks: 25%
• 12-24 weeks: 23%
• 8-12 weeks: 21%
• More than 24 weeks: 21%
• Less than 4 weeks: 10%

Recommendations for educators:

• Serious students – Recent trends have shown that most Turkish students are not interested in learning English for fun, or as a hobby – their concerns today are more practical. Prospective students are more likely to react to advertising that reflects an institution’s quality, reputation, alumni success stories, and career prospects. The report outlines, “Respondents interested in postgraduate study cited ‘career prospects’ (32%), ‘quality of the course’ (29%) and ‘offers scholarships’ (27%) as the main reasons for selecting an institution.”
• Watch the numbers – Ms Rogers cautions us that “educators should beware of exaggerated claims about the size of the Turkish market – around half a million students will finish high school each year but in reality only about 40,000 of them will go abroad to study (with 48% of them going to the UK, 21% to the US, and 7% to Canada).”
• Agent relations – Agents are the biggest marketing channel so providers would be wise to manage those relationships effectively, incorporate agents into their marketing strategy, and support them to develop good practice and credit control, and avoid non-payment issues. “It’s very much a two-way partnership,” says Ms Rogers. Schools looking to build their agent network could explore some of Turkey’s agent associations, such as TEAG, UED, or EDUDER.
• ROI – Educators should rethink their marketing spend (i.e., student fairs are plentiful but feedback indicates that they can yield a low return on investment, so brand building activities might be more effective). Another tip Ms Rogers also shared is that school inspection reports will be available to the public in 2013, so schools with clean reports should promote that in their advertising.

Italy

Research for the Italian market was conducted in May and June of 2012. The Internet, student recruitment agents, and word of mouth are the most common marketing channels. The report recommends that educational providers have Italian language versions of their websites and use social media to connect with young adults.

In terms of their buying behaviour, Italians work on short lead times, thus educators need to be flexible. For example, 1 in 3 students book 1-3 months in advance, and 1 in 3 student book 1-4 weeks in advance.

The US and Ireland are becoming more popular with Italian students, but the UK is still the number one destination due to its strong reputation for quality.

Typical courses for young learners (under 19 years old) include:

• 2-week study visits during term time
• 2-week study holiday during summer – most popular
• 4-week funded trips during summer

Students in their late teens (15-19 years old) might technically be ‘young learners’ but they don’t see themselves that way, therefore providers should consider tailoring their marketing and coursework accordingly.

Adults are more interested in General English, Exam preparation and English for Specific Purposes (ESP). Italian adults prefer full packages with education, flight and accommodation all included in the final offer. Time and money are the most common obstacles for adults, so language courses need to be tailored to fit clients’ needs. This is especially true of career-focused clients. They come via agencies or corporates and are looking for Business English in the areas of finance, legal, human resources, and engineering.

The report recommends providers experiment with gift boxes of language courses for teens or adults. In addition, language schools could group together to offer a full UK experience, for example, one week in Scotland, one week in Wales, and one week in England.

Spain

The country brief for Spain, which is free to download, indicates that educational providers should develop a marketing strategy by customer segment. For example:

• 6-15 year olds
  • English is compulsory in school for this age group, so General English courses are well-suited to them
• 16-19 year olds
  • The main growth segment for the next five years
  • University prep, exam prep for university entrance and/or language tests such as IELTS, pre- and post-programme support
  • This segment likes special offers like “Bring a friend” or “2 for the price of 1”

• University-level students
  • This segment enjoys web-based technology, many come via the government funded Erasmus programme
• Trainee teachers of English
  • Public and private schools should be contacted directly to send teachers and learn English as a group
• Individual professionals and business students
• Corporate and multinational market

This last segment is difficult to access and is therefore an untapped market in Spain, so the report advises providers to find partners in country via local language schools, human resources associations or industry groups such as agency association (Asociación Española de Promotores de Cursos en el Extranjero) which represents 70 agencies.

The report highlights additional gaps in the marketplace, such as:

• Web-based learning
  • For the unemployed and university aged students
  • English for Specific Purposes
• Adventure holidays in English
  • 16-25 year olds like learning outside the classroom
  • English Plus courses
• English for 60+ year olds
  • Cultural experience / hobby
  • Funding is available through the EU’s Grundtvik programme

Destination countries include:

• UK: 50-60%
• US: 15-20%
• Other: 20-35% (Malta, Ireland, South Africa, Canada)

Factors for decision making include safety, support for students, quality, cost, location, and climate.

There has been a decline in the Spanish market due to trying economic conditions and the increasing level of English teaching quality in Spain. Therefore, providers are advised to tackle the market earlier, by targeting younger learners, specifically through social media management of popular channels such as Facebook, Second Life, Twitter and LinkedIn.

New British Council reports on Russia, Brazil, and Japan will be available in early 2013.

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