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Korea consistent
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Growing demand for English study is fuelling demand for study abroad programmes in Korea, although destination trends show that Korean students are becoming increasingly concerned about the cost of travelling overseas for study purposes.
| Key points |
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| • The total number of students placed by the 11 agencies in our survey was 8,970
• Individual agencies placed between 10 and 6,100 students on courses each year
• Average business growth was 11.7 per cent
• The average length of stay for Korean students was 12 weeks
• Overall, 55 per cent of Korean students stayed with host families when studying overseas
• Half of all clients requested intensive language programmes of 25 hours plus per week
• In the last 12 months, agencies worked with an average of 81 different providers
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| Top destinations |
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Most popular courses |
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1. USA 36%
2. Canada 21%
3. Japan 14%
4. Australia 9%
4. Philippines 9%
6. UK 7%
7. New Zealand 2%
8. Ireland 1%
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1. Intensive 50%
2. General 21%
3. Academic/exam preparation 20%
4. Language & work experience 5%
5. Junior 4.5%
6. Business 3%
7. Summer vacation 2.5%
7. University found. 2.5%
Other 1.5% |
| Reasons for language travel |
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Average percentage agency business |
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1. Future work 35%
2. Studies overseas 30%
3. Current work 22.5%
4. Studies at home 22.5%
5. Pleasure 1%
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1. Language learning 63%
2. Higher education 25%
3. Work and travel 5%
4. Internships 4%
5. Volunteer 1%
Other 2% |
How do agencies recruit students?
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How do agencies find new schools to represent? |
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1. Website 37%
2. Word of mouth 35%
3. Seminars to students 8.5%
4. Advertising in press 5%
5. Mail shots 3%
6. Advertising on TV/radio 0.5%
Other 11% |
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1. Internet 32%
2. Fairs and expos 26%
3. LTM/ETM 19%
4. Workshops 12%
Other 11%
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| Percentage of agents who recognised each of the following organisations |
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Australia
Acpet 20%
English Australia 50%
Canada
Capls 80%
CLC 70%
France
Souffle 10%
FLE.fr 0%
L'Office 0%
Unosel 10%
Ireland
MEI~Relsa 70%
Italy
Asils 0%
Italian in Italy 10%
Malta
Feltom 30%
New Zealand
Ed. NZ 40%
English NZ 40%
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Portugal
Aeple 0%
South Africa
Eltasa 0%
English SA 30%
Spain
Fedele 30%
UK
ABLS 20%
English UK 80%
British Council 90%
Europe
Eaquals 20%
USA
AAIEP 70%
Accet 50%
CEA 50%
UCIEP 70%
International
Ialc 40%
Quality English 10%
Tandem 0%
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Market growth
Just one agency in this year’s Korean Agency Survey registered a decline in student numbers last year and blamed an economic slump in Korea for its poor performance. Another two agencies reported that numbers had stayed the same in 2007, while the rest reported growth in business of between four and 58 per cent. Overall, business growth across all our agencies was 11.7 per cent in 2007, a slight decrease on the 19.5 per cent growth recorded in our previous survey of business trends in 2006 (see LTM, July 2007, page 14-15).
Language and destination trends
One interesting trend observed in this year’s survey is the vast decline in the popularity of the UK as a study destination, accompanied by a corresponding increase in the number of students choosing to study in the Philippines and Japan. In our previous survey, the UK was the second favourite destination for Korean students and chosen by 19 per cent of agency clients. This year this figure had dropped to just seven per cent while the Philippines and Japan were chosen by nine per cent and 14 per cent respectively, up from four per cent and three per cent previously. This trend perhaps reflects growing concerns surrounding the cost of a study abroad experience with cheaper and closer destinations gaining favour. The USA was still the most popular destination overall, however, accounting for 36 per cent of students’ destination choices compared with 34 per cent previously.
Student and course trends
The percentage of students taking a course overseas for future study plans decreased this year compared with our previous survey, from 40 per cent to just 30 per cent in our current survey. Instead, future work reasons made up the motivation behind the greatest percentage (35 per cent) of students’ trips overseas, followed by current work (22.5 per cent) and studies at home (11.5 per cent). While English was the most popular language for Korean students to be studying overseas (chosen by 85 per cent of students), 14 per cent of students wanted to learn Japanese overseas. The average length of stay for Korean students in this survey was 12 weeks, a slight decrease on the previous survey’s result of 19.5 weeks.
Agency business
The percentage split of agency business remained fairly similar to last year’s survey with the majority of programmes (63 per cent) dealing with language learning, while 25 per cent of business was allocated to higher education. Last year, these figures were 57 per cent and 27 per cent respectively. Agents recruited a slightly lower percentage of students (37 per cent) through the Internet this year (compared with 47 per cent previously) while the percentage of students recruited through word-of-mouth increased from 24 per cent to 35 per cent in our current survey. Just five agencies charged their clients a handling fee, varying between US$100 and US$2,000.
Looking ahead
Most agencies were upbeat about the future and some pointed to expansion plans and new offices to meet demand. The economic situation in Korea was seen by many of the participating agencies to be in good shape and likely to fuel further growth. Agencies also said that business was likely to grow because of the increasing importance of English language learning in Korea for future work prospects.
Economic overview
• In April this year, inflation in Korea stood at 4.1 per cent and is likely to stay above the Bank of Korea’s inflation target of between 2.5 per cent and 3.5 per cent for 2008. Rising oil and commodity prices are feared to put more upward pressure on inflation this year.
• Domestic consumption is expected to grow 3.5 per cent in the first half of 2008 but the growth rate will slow to 3.2 per cent in the following six months.
• The Ministry of Strategy and Finance in Korea recently said that the economy had reached its peak and is now entering a downward phase.
Source: Yonhap News Agency, Bank of Korea
Korean agents named a range of programmes they work with, including, in Australia: Bond University, Gold Coast, QLD. In Canada: Confederation College, Thunder Bay; ON; Coquitlam School District, Coquitlam, BC; King George International College, various; Pacific Gateway International College, Vancouver, BC; Seneca College, Toronto, ON; Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC; Vancouver International College, Vancouver, BC; Vancouver School Board, Vancouver, BC. In Germany: Carl Duisberg Centren, various. In Ireland: Centre of English Studies, Dublin; Emerald Cultural Institute, Dublin; Language Centre of Ireland, Dublin. In the UK: Burlington School of English, London; Select English, London. In the USA: ELS Language Center, Philadelphia, PA; Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA; Lakeland College, Sheboygan, IL; Lewis Clark State University, Lewiston, ID; New England School of English, Boston, MA; Saginaw Valley State University, Saginaw, MI; Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester, NH; Thornton-Donovan School, New Rochelle, NY; University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA; University of Findlay, Findlay, OH. Worldwide: EF, Embassy CES, Eurocentres, Kaplan Aspect, Language Studies International, St Giles.
Thank you to the following agencies for taking part in this survey: Campus OK – Daegu, Campus OK Global Education Group, Cony Overseas Education Center, Doori Institute, Educare, Euro Arts, FSS Korea, KAMC, Top Educational Counselling House, Uhak.com, Uhakfocus.
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Contact any advertiser in the this issue now
The following language schools, associations and accommodation providers advertised in the latest edition of Language Travel Magazine. If you would like more information on any of these advertisers, tick the relevant boxes, fill out your details and send.
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