|
|
|
|
|
|
News
Indian student market not a priority
A report conducted by RSAcademics and commissioned by the British Council has outlined the opportunities and challenges UK boarding schools face if looking to recruit international boarders from India.
The research included interviews with UK boarding schools, British Council staff, study abroad advisors and parents and found that while there is market potential, there were certain limitations. UK boarding schools see India as a “mid-to-low priority” market, said the report, with few students recruited from this region at present. According to the most recent Independent Schools Council (ISC) census, a purported 237 pupils of Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi or Sri Lankan descent were enrolled at an ISC school in 2011 – just one per cent of the total overseas market at ISC schools.
The report suggested that a lack of agent representation in the Indian study abroad market – and limited experience – could be hindering growth. “We have found no educational consultants who specialise in pre-university education; those with some experience of UK boarding schools have seen enquiries diminish to near zero,” said the report. Suzanne Rowse, Director of SR Events – which runs the British Boarding Schools Workshop in the UK, agreed with the findings, and noted that very few agents in India had been interested in attending their twice-yearly forum.
She added that despite India’s rapidly expanding middle-class, with more families now able to afford UK boarding, there is not an automatic demand for it. Cultural factors could well be working against growth too, she said. “Wanting to keep the family together, wanting to be a part of India’s growing success, maintaining cultural ties…I also understand that families are more likely to send children to Singapore which is closer,” she observed.
Survey
UK boarding school survey
Despite only four of our previous 19 survey respondents taking part again this year, there was little change in regards to the main student nationalities at UK boarding schools in 2011. And as was the case in 2010, a majority of international students were recruited via a study abroad advisor. However, perhaps owing to a different pool of schools, average cost of one-term boarding and tuition was lower than our previous recording.
Key Points
• 24 schools took part in our survey of UK boarding schools
• The total number of international students at all the schools was 1,689
• Two schools had international study centres
• International boarders made up an average of 22 per cent of the total boarding community
• International student numbers ranged from one to 166
| International students by year group |
|
Means of recruiting international students
|
|
|
|
Year six and under: 1%
Years seven-to-nine: 14%
Years 10-to-11: 30%
Years 12-to-13: 55%
|
|
Advisors: 71%
Word-of-mouth: 16%
Internet 8%
Other 5%
|
|
International students by course type
|
|
Accommodation chosen by international students
|
|
|
|
|
Full time courses (more than one year): 88%
Academic year programmes (one year): 8%
Short-term programmes (up to one year): 3%
Academic preparation/ foundation: 1%
|
|
Boarding: 96%
omestay: 1%
Other: 3%
|
|
Average cost of one term boarding and tuition fees for sixth form (years 12-to-13)
|
|
Top international student nationalities
|
|
|
|
|
Average:
UK£7,616 (US$12,013)
From:
UK£3,000 (US$4,732)
to:
UK£12,000 (US$18,927)
|
|
1. Hong Kong 25%
2. Chinese 14%
3. German 11%
4. Russian 10%
5. Korean 3%
4. Thai 3%
7. Spanish 3%
8. Bulgarian 2%
9. Kazakhstani 2%
10. Nigerian 2%
|
|
Top international student nationalities by region
|
|
|
|
|
Asia: 49%
1. Hong Kong 25%
2. Chinese 14%
3. Thai 3%
W Europe: 21%
1. German 11%
2. Spanish 3%
3. Italian 1.5%
Central and Eastern Europe 20%
1. Russian 10%
2. kazakhstani 2%
3. Ukrainian 1.5%
Africa 4%
1. Nigerian 2%
2. Kenyan 1%
3. South African 0.1%
|
|
Middle East 2%
1. UAE 0.4%
2. Iranian 0.2%
3. Bahraini 0.1%
Latin America: 1%
1. Mexican 1%
2. Colombian 0.5%
3. Brazilian 0.1%
N America 1%
1. USA 1%
2. Canada 0.1%
|
Thank you to the following schools for providing data for this survey: The Royal High School, Bath; Campbell College, Belfast; Bishop’s Stortford College, Bishop’s Stortford; Christ College Brecon, Brecon; Sidcot School, Winscombe; Cambridge Centre for Sixth Form Studies, Cambridge; Cheltenham College Junior School, Cheltenham; Royal Russell School, Croydon; Dollar Academy, Dollar; St Margaret’s School, Exeter; Prior’s Field, Godalming; The Royal Hospital School, Ipswich; Lancaster Royal Grammar School, Lancaster; Lancing College, Lancing; Dulwich College, London; Gordonstoun, Moray; GEMS Bolitho School, Penzance; Elstree School, Reading; Sevenoaks School, Sevenoaks; International College Sherborne, Sherborne; Leweston School, Sherborne; Saint Michael’s College, Tenbury Wells; Wrekin College, Wellington; Pocklington School, York.
Agent Profile
In our bi-monthly section, we ask an advisor that specialises in UK boarding school placements to tell us about their business and why they like working in this sector of the education travel industry. This month, we talk to Helen Wong-Cooper from UK Educational Advisers in the UK.
 “My husband and I started our agency 13 years ago. Each year we send 300 pupils from Hong Kong and China to British boarding schools and colleges. I enjoy it because I firmly believe in the British education system and how it can provide overseas students the opportunity to succeed academically and to become well-rounded individuals. It breaks my heart when I see pupils in Hong Kong defeated by their schoolwork and when I meet pupils in China who have no time to enjoy their childhood because they are always studying. I still obtain fulfilment when I meet a child that has blossomed in Britain.
I spend at least half an hour with every family when they first come to our office, so I can be in a position to offer the most constructive and appropriate advice. All of the parents are very grateful and the staff at the schools and colleges are so polite. I feel lucky that every day my job lets me learn something new; I’m not sure how many people can say that. I still do not consider myself a natural businesswoman, but through hard work and a genuine desire to help the pupils, we, as a business, have prospered.” |
|
|
Education Travel Magazine
11-15 Emerald Street
WC1N 3QL
London, England
T: +44 (0)20 7440 4020
F: +44 (0)20 7440 4033
Pacific Office
T/F: +61 (0)8 9341 1820 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
