China on the up

Key points

The total number of students placed by the 15 agencies in our survey was 1,917 Individual agencies placed between four and 592 students on courses per year Average business growth was 11 per cent in the last 12 months The average length of stay for Chinese students was 42 weeks Overall, 50 per cent of Chinese students stayed in host family accommodation when studying overseas Six agencies charged their clients a handling fee of between US$1,000 and US$1,250 On average, agencies worked with 32 schools in seven countries last year

Top destinations		Most popular courses
1. UK 39% 2. Australia 17% 3. Canada 14% 4. USA 8% 5. Ireland 4.5% 5. New Zealand 4.5% 7. France 3% 7. Korea 3% 9. Japan 2% 10. Germany 1%		1. Academic prep. 36% 2. General 22% 3. Intensive 20% 4. Other 7% 5. Lang + work. 5% 6. Junior progs. 4% 6. Summer vacation 4% 8. Business lang. 2%

Reasons for language travel		Top languages
1. Studies overseas 82% 2. Current work 11% 3. Pleasure 3% 4. Studies at home 2% 4. Other 2%		1. English 80% 2. French 5% 3. Italian 4% 3. Japanese 4% 5. Russian 3% 6. German 2% 6. Other 1%

How do agencies recruit students?		How do agencies find new schools to represent?
Word of mouth 31% Advertising in press 30% Website 15% Seminars to students 12% Other 10% Mail shots 2%		Internet 34% Fairs/expos 20% Workshops 19% Other 15% LTM/ETM 12%

Percentage of agents who recognised each of the following organisations
Australia Acpet 15% English Australia 31% Canada Capls 23% CLC 23% France Souffle 8% L'Office 80% Unosel 0% FLE 8% Ireland MEI~Relsa 38% IEAI 8% Italy Asils 8% Italian in Italy 0% Malta Feltom 8% New Zealand Appel 0% Ed. NZ 23% English NZ 15%		Portugal Aeple 0% South Africa Eltasa 0% English SA 8% Spain Fedele 8% UK ABLS 23% English UK 69% British Council 100% Europe Eaquals 0% USA AAIEP 15% Accet 15% CEA 15% UCIEP 8% International Ialc 23% Quality English 15%

Language and destination trends
While English was again the most common language requested by students, Italian made a surprise entry this year into the top three most requested languages, after English and French. Australia and New Zealand both decreased in their popularity as study destinations, chosen by 17 and five per cent of students this year compared with 22 per cent and nine per cent respectively last year. Chinese students are looking to other English language study destinations, with the UK increasing its share from 30 per cent to 39 per cent, while Canada was chosen by 14 per cent of students, compared with just three per cent last year, and the USA attracted nine per cent of our agencies’ clients. The USA has not previously figured as a top study destination in our Chinese Agency Surveys, so its inclusion this year marks a significant development for the USA, which has been actively recruiting the Chinese (see Language Travel Magazine, November 2005, page 6).

Student and course trends
With future academic prospects such an important reason for students to learn a language overseas, it is no surprise that academic or exam preparation courses were the most popular. The huge increase in the average length of stay is, however, more noteworthy as agencies report that Chinese students are now studying overseas for an average of 42 weeks – up from 18.3 weeks. Increased study duration is a trend noted by a number of agencies, although one recorded a particularly long average stay of 114 weeks per student. The overall average, excluding the figure from this agency, was 30 weeks.

Agency business
Chinese students are increasingly relying on word-of-mouth recommendation to find their agent advisers, with 31 per cent of agency business coming via this route, compared with 24 per cent previously. The number of agency clients attracted via the Internet increased by only three percentage points to 15 per cent this year, while press advertising was still one of the most successful ways for Chinese agents to reach new clients.

Looking ahead
Most agents were upbeat about the future with many predicting an increase in business over the coming year. One agency welcomed an increasing objectivity in the visa issuing process in some study destinations.

China’s economy is expected to grow by at least
8% this year, with consumption, investment and foreign trade all contributing to the boom. The first quarter of 2006 saw the country’s economy soar by 10.2%.

The economy is largely being driven by hefty investment, with investment in roads, factory equipment and other fixed assets increasing by 27.7 per cent on the previous year.

The People’s Bank of China raised interest rates
in April, for the first time in 18 months, in order to try and slow the surge in lending and investment and restrict economic growth to more sustainable levels.

Source: China Daily, New York Times

Thank you to the following agencies for taking part in this survey: Beijing Wanji Education Consulting Company, CBEC, Chongqing Rite International Business Consulting Company, CIIC Overseas Consulting Center, Global Friendship Exchange Center, Guangzhou Overseas Chinese Service Center, Overseas Study Service Center of Beihua University, Servlight Consultants, Shanghai Shenyuan International Education Service, Shanxi Daren International Education Company, Sichuan Province Huaxing Going Abroad Service Company, Singapore Han Gao Group, Solton Overseas Development Company, UK Express Course, Yanbian Daxin Overseas Exchange Company.