|
|
|
Australia Feedback
|
|
|
Agent usage is high among students studying English in Australia and Asian nationalities continue to dominate the classrooms, as evidenced by the results of this issue's Feedback survey.
Australia feedback at a glance
|
|
Total number of students: female 80, male 79, (unknown 1) 160
Average age in years: 24
Average length of programme in weeks: 19.2
Average number of students in class: 13.4
Average number of hours of language tuition per week: 24.6
% of students who found their course through an agent: 65
% of students who booked through an agent or adviser: 69
% of students who had been on another lang. programme: 27
% of students who would recommend their school: 78
|
| Respondents by world region of origin |
|
Top nationalities |
|
|
|
Asia (70%)
West Europe (13%)
C & L America (11%)
Middle East (4%)
Unknown (2%)
|
|
1. Korean 28%
2. Japanese 11%
3. Chinese 9%
4. Taiwanese 8%
5. Thai 7%
6. Colombian 5%
6. German 5%
8. Hong Kong 3%
8. Mexican 3%
|
| In my class there are... |
|
How will you use your English in the future? |
|
|
|
Too many students (17%)
Too many students of my language (24%)
Too many students and of my language (10%)
Too many students from one other countries (13%)
Pleasure only (3%)
No reply (4%)
|
|
Coll. study in the Australia (38%)
College study in another country (8%)
College study at home (10%)
Current or future work (37)
For pleasure only (3%)
No reply (4%)
|
| How did you find your programme? |
|
Standard of your accommodation |
|
|
|
It was recommended by an agent (65%)
It was recommended by a friend/relative (22%)
II found it on the Internet (11%)
I saw it advertised (2%)
|
|
Excellent (20%)
Good (39%)
Satisfactory (28%)
Poor (7%)
Unsatisfactory (1%)
Unknown (5%)
|
| Standard of your academic programme |
|
Standard of the teaching |
|
|
|
Excellent (16%)
Good (54%)
Satisfactory (23%)
Poor (3%)
Unsatisfactory (2%)
Unknown (2%)
|
|
Excellent (42%)
Good (49%)
Satisfactory (8%)
Unknown (1%)
|
| Standard of your social programme? |
|
What is your accomodation while in Australia? |
|
|
|
Excellent (12%)
Good (42%)
Satisfactory (31%)
Poor (8%)
Unsatisfactory (1%)
Unknown (6%)
|
|
Host family (38%)
Residential/single room (25%)
Residential/dormitory (9%)
Other(23%)
Unknown (5%) |
Did you book your course through an agent or an educational adviser?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yes (69%)
No (24%)
Unknown (7%)
|
|
|
Before looking for your course, did you know where you wanted to study?
|
|
|
|
Country
Yes (81%)
No (12%)
Unknown (7%)
City/town
Yes (66%)
No (28%)
Unknown (6%)
|
|
School
Yes (47%)
No (46%)
Unknown (7%)
|
Student nationality
Students from Asia dominated enrolment at the Australian language schools that took part in our Feedback survey this issue, accounting for 70 per cent of the total student body. This was up from last year’s 64 per cent (see Language Travel Magazine, March 2006, pages 18-19) but down from our 2005 survey in which Asian nationalities accounted for 75 per cent of total respondents (see Language Travel Magazine, January 2005, pages 16-17). There were also changes among other groups: Western Europe’s share slipped from 25 per cent to 13 per cent this year, while Latin America’s share shot up from four to 11 per cent. Looking at individual nationalities, there were fewer Western European nationalities in the top 10 line up in this survey – only Germany was present in joint-sixth position.
Student motivation
Just over half of the respondents in our survey were university students so it follows that 55 per cent of all respondents were aged between 20 and 25 years. In addition, 56 per cent of students were going to use their English for further tertiary studies, either in Australia (38 per cent), in another English-speaking country (8%) or in their home countries (10%). Interestingly, this year, the share of students who were going to another country to study had decreased from 15 per cent to eight per cent. Among all respondents, 48 per cent of students were studying on courses of 18 weeks or less, and the overall average length of stay this year, at 19.2 weeks, was similar to last year’s 18.1 per cent.
Student enrolment
Agents play a crucial role in the Australian market. Among the 160 students that took part in this survey, an impressive 65 per cent had found out about their school through an educational agent - up on last year’s 59 per cent – while only 22 per cent had followed the advice of a friend or relative. The high proportion of agency clients may be in part because of the large number of students (76 per cent) who were first-time language travellers. Among the 27 per cent who had been on a previous language travel trip, most had learnt English in another country such as Canada, Singapore, New Zealand, the Philippines or the USA, and only one student had been on more than one previous language travel package.
Standard of the schools
Class sizes ranged from seven to 17 students, averaging at just over 13 students per class. This was too many for 17 per cent of students, all of whom were in classes of 10 students or more. In addition, the relatively high concentration of the top three nationalities meant that nationality mix in the classroom was thought to be insufficient by 47 per cent of students. Indeed, among the 16 per cent of students who said they would not recommend their school to others, 31 per cent said there were too many students in their class and 46 per cent – mostly Koreans - said there were too many of their own nationality.
Living in Australia
The average cost in Australia of a one-week English course with accommodation was AUS$591 (US$460). Of the 61 per cent of students who found the cost of living in Australia to be higher than in their home countries, all the Chinese, Colombian, German and Japanese students and 62 per cent of Koreans were included.
Thank you to the following schools for participating in our survey:
AMES International, Melbourne; Aspect, Perth; Aspect, Sydney; CELT, Perth; CHEC, Coffs Harbour; Eurocentres, Brisbane; Griffith University GELI, Nathan; James Cook University, Townsville; La Trobe, Melbourne; LSI, Brisbane; SA Adelaide Language Centre, Adelaide; Wollongong University College, Wollongong.
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
