Recently released data from the Institute for International Education (IIE) shows good news for the US international education sector. In 2022, over 64,000 students were enrolled in an Intensive English Program (IEP) in the US, representing a growth of 63% from 2021.1 This covers over 700 U.S. IEPs and includes both in-person and online students.
Let’s take a closer look at how the sector has changed since 2021, where international language students are coming from and where they’re headed, and how language program enrollment compares to other destination markets.
Key Insights at a Glance
- International IEP student enrollment in 2022 grew by 63% compared to 2021, surpassing 64,000 students.
- Europe emerged as the fastest-growing source region in 2022, with an increase of over 20,000 IEP students. This represented a 69% rise over 2021.
- Brazil was the fastest-growing source country, with 149% more students enrolled in an IEP program in 2022 than in 2021.
US IEP Enrollment on the Rise
IEPs in the US have recovered remarkably well from the challenges posed by the pandemic. Following a steep decline in the last three years, IEPs in the US are on track to surpass pre-pandemic numbers, with more students returning to in-person study.
Let’s take a closer look at how IEP enrollment in the US has shifted over the last decade:
By fall 2022, 92% of IEPs had transitioned back to in-person instruction, with students typically studying for an average duration of 10 weeks in a US IEP program. Overall, 2022 had the largest single-year growth in IEP enrollment in the last ten years (63%), following the steep decline observed in 2020.
While IEPs are still far from the peak enrollment of over 133,000 students in 2015, we’re seeing a strong resurgence in the US IEP sector, approaching the pre-pandemic level of 75,000 students in 2019.
European and Latin American Countries Gain IEP Market Share in 2022
Historically, Asia has represented more than 50% of IEP enrollment in the US. However, last year, only 36% of enrolled IEP students were from an Asian source country. Let’s take a closer look at how US IEP source markets have shifted over the past year:
In 2022, Europe was the fastest-growing region, with over 20,000 IEP students and 69% more students enrolled compared to 2021. This record-setting growth for the region was three percentage points higher than the global average, and represented nearly 32% of the IEP market last year, further tightening the gap with Asia.
It’s worth noting that European enrollment has declined in the UK since the announcement of Brexit, leading to a decrease in the number of schools offering language programs in 2022 compared to previous years. From 2020/21 to 2021/22, the average decline in first-year enrollment across the top EU countries in the UK was 53%, with an overall drop of 21% in EU post-secondary enrollment. This marked the first time in 22 years that fewer EU students studied at UK post-secondary institutions compared to the previous year. The decline in student enrollment is likely due to various factors, including the growing uncertainty surrounding travel and immigration policies, changes in student mobility, and the overall impact of Brexit on European destinations for language learning.
France, Italy, and Germany led the charge in IEP growth in 2022. Remarkably, France surpassed China as the second-largest IEP source country worldwide, with 5,000 IEP students. This represented a growth of 82% compared to 2021. In comparison, the Italian IEP student population more than doubled to nearly 2,900 students, following a 123% growth in 2022. Overall, Italian IEP students now account for almost 5% of all IEP students in the US, despite one of the lowest average IEP weeks per student, at 5 weeks. On the other hand, Germany recorded a notable growth rate of 97%, with students enrolled in IEP programs for an average of 7 weeks in 2022.
In 2022, Latin America had its highest IEP enrollment since 2016. Overall, Latin America accounted for nearly 1 in 4 IEP students with almost 15,000 students enrolled. Among the top 25 countries of origin, Brazil was the fastest-growing source country, with 149% more students enrolled in 2022 than in 2021. On the other hand, Mexico had the steepest decline in enrollment, with fewer than 1,800 students enrolled, 26% less than the previous year. Colombia, Argentina, and Peru also grew significantly in 2022.
Asian countries of origin continue to make up more than one-third of the IEP population, with nearly 23,000 students enrolled in 2022. Last year, three of the top five US IEP source countries were Asian markets, including Japan, China, and South Korea. In 2022, Japan held the top spot for the second year in a row, with over 10,000 IEP students enrolled. Overall, Japan made up nearly 16% of the total IEP student population in the US in 2022, with a year-over-year growth rate of 106%. In comparison, Chinese IEP enrollment grew to over 4,600 students last year. However, the growth rate of 22% in Chinese students remained behind the worldwide average.
Other Asian markets, including South Korea, India, and Vietnam, experienced year-over-year growth rates exceeding 70% in 2022. Particularly noteworthy is Vietnam’s resurgence after a challenging year in 2021. It is noteworthy that the average duration of participation in IEP programs tends to be longer than the regional average in several Asian countries. For instance, Indian students spend an average of 16 weeks in an IEP program, reflecting their commitment to comprehensive language learning.
How Does the Growth in US IEPs Compare to Other Destination Markets?
Let’s take a look at how the growth in US IEP enrollment compares to language programs in other destination markets, including Canada and Australia:
Although we can’t get a true apples-to-apples comparison of how language programs across destination markets compare due to differences in how enrollment numbers are tracked across countries, these charts give us an idea of where international language students are headed.
Much like the US, Canada, and Australia have experienced a decline in international student enrollment in language programs in recent years. However, there is a positive shift taking place, with all three countries now experiencing growth in this sector. The US is leading this growth, with more students than Canada and Australia enrolled in English language programs in 2022.
Enrollment in English/French as a Second Language (ESL/FSL) programs in Canada has been growing at a slower pace compared to the growth observed in US IEP programs. By the end of 2022, study permit holders for ESL/FSL programs in Canada were up a modest 8% over 20212, whereas US IEP enrollment soared by an impressive 63%.
On the other hand, Australia has been making significant investments to strengthen and expand its English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS) sector. The Australian Government’s commitment to bolstering the ELICOS sector is expected to yield favorable results, positioning Australia as an attractive destination for international students seeking English language education. We anticipate similar growth trends in the ELICOS sector.
Looking Ahead
The growth of IEP programs in the US has been an encouraging sign for the international education sector, with markets positioned well to recover and continue to grow. With the release of the Institute for International Education (IIE) Open Doors report for the 2022 academic year, we’re seeing more international language students headed to the US than other destination countries, with US IEPs growing significantly in 2022. As source markets and the US educational landscape continue to shift in 2023, US institutions hoping to leverage this growth and attract more students from these changing markets can:
- Consider developing specialized IEP programs tailored to specific industries or professions, including English for Business, English for Healthcare, or English for STEM programs, to attract students who are seeking language skills specifically related to their field of study or career aspirations.
- Embrace technology and incorporate blended learning approaches to enhance the learning experience by utilizing interactive online platforms, multimedia resources, and virtual classrooms to engage students and create an interactive learning environment to provide students with greater flexibility and adaptability.
- Strengthen collaborations with forward-thinking institutions in growing student markets to extend US cultural experiences and educational opportunities to students in their home countries. Schools can consider investing in study abroad programs, exchange initiatives, or establishing satellite campuses and learning centers.
- Highlight the long-term advantages of studying English in the US, including expanding job opportunities.
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FOOTNOTES:
1. Data sourced from the Open Doors Intensive English Programs (IEP) Data Release, 2022.
2. Data courtesy of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
