Page 34 - StudyTravel Magazine May 2025 Issue

UK

MARKET ANALYSIS

Student numbers at UK language schools increased
by 10 per cent between 2023 and 2024 with agents
becoming increasingly important. Schools report
having to be inventive with new courses in order
to stay competitive, as Bethan Norris reports.

LANGUAGE

KEY
AGENTS
2014 INTERNET
2019 LOCAL BOOKINGS
2024 REPEAT BOOKINGS

Thank you to the schools who participated in our survey. The full list can be
found at https://studytravel.network/magazine/issues/854

Change in recruitment methods in the UK (2014-2024) Kevin
McNally,
22% 11% 13% Owner and
54% other Director of
IH Torquay
and President of IALC
12% 6% talks to us...
77% 5% other “Before we left the EU, it was

very common for young adults to
11% come to the UK from Europe, work
81% part-time and study part-time in
2%
5% 1%
other a language school. Most of these
students found a school once
they were in the UK, so agents
£1,335
Average cost of... 1,350 £1,288 were not involved. I believe that
1,250 these days the cost-benefit to
a one-month course, 950 a small school like mine makes
excl. accommodation 900 £946 direct selling untenable. We
350 £305 prefer to focus our limited time,
host family 250 £234 £279 energy and money on developing
accommodation p/w £256 and maintaining relationships
150 £183 £188 with agents who are the
residential experts in their markets.”
accommodation p/w 2014 2019 2024 https://ihtorquay.uk/

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