Enrolments in UK English language teaching programmes have fallen further in 2025, reflecting a wider global slowdown driven by economic, political, and policy challenges, as the sector grapples with a dwindling pipeline of students and shifting educational priorities.
English language teaching (ELT) enrolments in the UK have continued to decline through the first half of 2025, extending a trend that has been observed globally since 2024. According to the latest quarterly reports from English UK, there was a “slower than usual” build-up to the critical summer season, with a 12% decrease in student weeks comparing Q1 2025 to Q1 2024, and a further 15% drop in Q2 on a like-for-like basis. This decline has impacted both adult and junior learners, marking a shift from previous quarters when primarily adult enrolments were softer.
This reduction in UK ELT student numbers reflects broader global patterns identified by BONARD, English UK’s research partner. Across major English language learning destinations worldwide, enrolments dipped in the second quarter of 2025, driven by factors such as visa restrictions, enrolment caps, shifts in government administration, and economic downturns in key source markets. Additional challenges facing sending countries include volatile exchange rates and ongoing trade tensions, especially in Asian markets, which have dampened outbound student mobility. The overall volume of student weeks in Q2 2025 was only 68% of pre-pandemic levels from Q2 2019, indicating a slow recovery trajectory compared to 72% reported at the end of 2024.
Regionally, the Middle East remains a dominant source of students for UK ELT, accounting for over a third of student weeks in Q2 2025. Saudi Arabia continues as the top sending country, despite a decrease of nearly 3,000 student weeks compared to the same quarter in 2024. In contrast, Türkiye demonstrated strong growth among key markets, adding just under 2,000 student weeks year on year and maintaining its position as the second-largest sender.
The decline in UK ELT enrolments mirrors a wider downturn in language learning across the UK educational landscape. Recent analysis from the Financial Times and the Higher Education Policy Institute reveals significant drops in modern foreign language study at A-level and university levels. Less than 3% of A-level entries in England are in modern foreign languages as of 2025, a drop attributed to a longstanding shortage of language teachers and the 2004 policy shift that removed mandatory language study until age 16. Concurrently, university language departments face sustainability challenges, with a 20% fall in undergraduate language degree applications from 2019 to 2025. Leading northern UK universities have initiated collaborative discussions to consolidate language courses, reflecting a national struggle to maintain language education provision amid shrinking student interest.
This contraction in formal language study is echoed in the closure of numerous language programmes over the past decade, with 28 modern language degrees discontinued at post-1992 universities since 2014. The cumulative effect has been a weakening pipeline of language learners, potentially impacting future demand for ELT in the UK and globally. Despite these headwinds, BONARD predicted earlier that UK ELT might still outperform competitors in Australia, Canada, and the US for 2024, highlighting a complex and evolving market landscape.
In summary, UK ELT enrolments during the first half of 2025 reveal a marked decline influenced by policy uncertainties, economic factors, and shifting priorities in language education. This aligns with global decreases in ELT student volumes and a national context of diminishing interest and capacity in language learning, painting a challenging picture for the sector’s immediate future.
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Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative presents recent data on UK English Language Teaching (ELT) enrolments for the first half of 2025, with the earliest known publication date being 10th September 2025. The report cites data from English UK’s Quarterly Intelligence Cohort (QUIC) programme, indicating a 12% decrease in student weeks in Q1 2025 compared to Q1 2024, and a further 15% drop in Q2 on a like-for-like basis. This suggests the content is fresh and not recycled. However, the report references earlier data from April 2025, which may indicate some recycled content. Additionally, the narrative includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged. ([bonardeducation.com](https://www.bonardeducation.com/media/slow-start-to-2025-for-english-uk-schools?utm_source=openai))
Quotes check
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative includes direct quotes from English UK’s intelligence partner, BONARD, and from English UK itself. A search for the earliest known usage of these quotes indicates that they are original to this report, with no identical quotes appearing in earlier material. This suggests the content is original and not reused.
Source reliability
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative originates from ICEF Monitor, a reputable organisation known for its market intelligence in international student recruitment. The report cites data from English UK, the peak body for English-language teaching in the UK, and BONARD, a research firm. These sources are credible and well-established in the field.
Plausability check
Score:
7
Notes:
The narrative presents data on declining UK ELT enrolments, attributing the decline to factors such as policy uncertainties, economic factors, and shifting priorities in language education. This aligns with broader trends observed in the sector, including a 9% decline in student weeks in 2024 compared to 2023. ([monitor.icef.com](https://monitor.icef.com/2025/04/uk-elt-reports-a-decline-in-student-weeks-for-2024/?utm_source=openai)) However, the report does not provide specific details on the factors contributing to the decline, which would strengthen the plausibility of the claims. Additionally, the narrative lacks supporting detail from other reputable outlets, which raises some concerns.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative presents recent data on declining UK ELT enrolments, sourced from reputable organisations. While the content is original and fresh, the lack of specific details on contributing factors and supporting information from other reputable outlets raises some concerns. Therefore, the overall assessment is a pass with medium confidence.
