Irish ELT Sector Holds Firm Despite Adult Enrolment Decline
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Ireland’s English Language Teaching (ELT) sector welcomed more than 60,000 international students in the first half of 2025, despite facing administrative challenges and tighter visa policies.
According to English Education Ireland’s semi-annual report, a total of 60,402 students from 113 countries studied across its 51 member schools between January and June. Junior ministays proved particularly strong, with 29,451 participants – making up nearly half of all enrolments. A third of schools reported growth in this area compared to the same period in 2024.
Adult students, however, showed signs of decline. Of the 274,338 student weeks recorded, 82% came from the adult market, yet enrolments dropped to 25,032. The report found that 40% of schools saw fewer adult learners, a trend linked to stricter visa requirements and additional administrative pressures.
Lorcan O’Connor Lloyd, CEO of English Education Ireland, highlighted the mixed picture: “Ireland’s reputation as a safe, high-quality destination remains strong, but the sector is facing renewed pressures – particularly around access and affordability for non-EU students.”
Italy remained the top sending country, contributing 21,772 students, followed by Spain with 11,562 and Brazil with 5,728. Latin American students were among those staying for longer durations but encountered the greatest difficulties with visa approvals.
While Ireland’s ELT industry continues to attract large numbers of students, schools are cautious about the year ahead. Early feedback suggests 35% of schools expect further decline, 38% expect stability, and only 16% foresee growth. Factors such as visa denials, regulatory hurdles, inflation and even poor weather have all been cited as risks to sustained recovery.
Despite these concerns, the report confirms that Ireland remains a strong destination for English language learning, particularly for younger students. However, sustaining growth in the adult market may require greater policy support to ease access for international learners.
Source: THE PIE NEWS
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