Education and 

Training Services 

Resource Guide

A Reference for U.S. Educational Institutions

2017 Edition

Education and 

Training Services 

Resource Guide

A Reference for U.S. Educational Institutions

2017 Edition

International 

Education.

Delivered.

Door-to-door International Shipping

· Small Packages or Heavy Cargo

· Fulfillment & Packaging

· Marketing Mailings

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Wherever in the world they venture, international 

educators can be sure OCS will ship there. With 

250 stations worldwide, we are everywhere on 

your itinerary. Whether it’s for recruitment fairs, 

international conferences or independent travel, 

OCS is the smartest choice for door-to-door 

international express shipping.

www.OCSworld.com

info@OCSworld.com
2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

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Education and Training Services Resource Guide v

Table of Contents

Introduction........................................................1

Market Size and U.S. Share ...............................3

Market Briefs.......................................................5

Argentina....................................6

Australia ......................................8

Brazil.............................................9

Bulgaria .....................................12

Canada.......................................15

Central America Region .......18

Chile............................................21

China ..........................................23

Colombia...................................27

Czech Republic........................30

Ecuador......................................33

Egypt..........................................35

France.........................................37

Germany....................................39

Ghana.........................................41

Hong Kong ...............................42

India............................................44

Indonesia ..................................48

Israel ...........................................52

Japan..........................................54

Kazakhstan ...............................58

Kenya..........................................61

Korea, Republic of..................63

Kuwait........................................65

Malaysia.....................................67

Mexico .......................................69

New Zealand............................71

Nigeria .......................................72

The Nordic Region .................74

Panama......................................77

Peru.............................................79

The Philippines........................81

Portugal.....................................84

Qatar...........................................86

Romania ....................................89

Russia .........................................91

Saudi Arabia.............................93

Serbia .........................................96

Singapore..................................98

Spain........................................ 101

Taiwan..................................... 103

Thailand.................................. 106

Turkey ..................................... 108

Ukraine ................................... 111

United Arab Emirates......... 113

United Kingdom .................. 117

Vietnam .................................. 119

Market Reference Chart ................................124

Contacts...........................................................126

The use of logos within this publication does not connote endorsement by the U.S. Department of Commerce of the organizations’ views, products, or services.
vi 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 1

Introduction

Overview

Education service exports ranked seventh among service exports 

in 2015. International students studying in the United States 

contributed over USD 35.7 billion to the U.S. economy in tuition and 

living expenses during the 2015 calendar year.

The total number of foreign students increased 7.1 percent in 

2015/2016, with an international student population of over 1 

million students. About 75 percent of students studying in the 

United States use outside sources to fund their international study 

and supported over 400,000 U.S. jobs, making Education and 

Training Services a valuable U.S. export.

The Institute of International Education’s Open Doors® 2016 reports 

that active recruitment, links with international universities, 

academic programs targeted to international students, and dual 

degree programs are all factors that increase the enrollment of 

international students, with active recruitment being reported as the 

most effective strategy.

This 2017 U.S. Commercial Service Education and Training Services 

Resource Guide includes comparable and individual market 

assessments of countries listed as best prospects for U.S. training 

and educational services. The country assessments are based 

on observations and market research reports created by the U.S. 

Commercial Service .

For additional information or market research, including Country 

Commercial Guides and industry reports, please visit export.gov.
2 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

What Can the U.S. Commercial Service Do for You?

The U.S. Commercial Service (CS) is the export promotion arm of the U.S. Department of 

Commerce’s International Trade Administration. Our global network of more than 1400 trade 

professionals is located throughout the United States and in U.S. Embassies and Consulates 

in more than 80 countries. Whether you are looking to recruit your first international student 

or expand your recruitment efforts to additional countries, we offer the expertise you need to 

reach out to international students, potential partners, and agents.

Our Services

The CS Global Education Team helps connect you to high school counselors, agents, and 

potential partner universities; recruit international students; meet companies or government 

entities; and promote your educational institution internationally. This resource guide is just one 

of the ways we can provide the information you need to set priorities and plan for international 

outreach. To learn more about how we can help you, visit export.gov/industry/education.

For more information on how CS can help you increase international student enrollment,

please contact your local CS office. A list of offices appears at the back of this guide and at 

export.gov/usoffices.

Gabriela Zelaya

Global Education Team Leader 

gabriela.zelaya@trade.gov

Market Intelligence

• Analyze education sector target markets 

around the world

• Obtain useful information on best 

prospects

• Obtain background checks on potential 

partners

Business Matchmaking

• Meet with the best high schools, 

universities, agents, and other partners

• Find qualified schools and educational 

organizations

• Connect with agents using interactive 

webinar technology—without leaving 

your office

Trade Counseling

• Develop effective market entry and 

recruitment strategies

• Leverage our trade professionals’ expertise 

for your longer-term international 

endeavors

Promotion and Exposure

• Identify the right international education 

fairs for your institution

• Feature your educational institution 

exclusively and meet key players in the 

international education field

• Attend an education trade mission led by a 

high-level U.S. government official
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 3

Country 

(2015–16 data)

in United StatesStudents Abroad Enrollment (%)Undergraduate Enrollment (%)Graduate Enrollment (%)ESL/OPT/HE 

Argentina 2,201 36.8 43.7 19.6

Australia 4,752 46.7 23.3 30.1

Brazil 19,370 36.1 22.2 41.7

Bulgaria 1,016 40.8 35.5 23.6

Canada 26,973 49.0 37.9 13.1

Central America 8,250 68.2 18.9 12.8

Chile 2,630 25.4 53.1 21.4

China 328,547 41.3 37.5 21.2

Colombia 7,815 40.5 38.6 20.9

Czech Republic 749 48.2 27.0 24.8

Ecuador 2,889 55.4 29.0 15.6

Egypt 3,442 37.1 48.3 14.6

France 8,764 33.8 27.6 38.6

Germany 10,145 31.2 28.2 40.6

Ghana 3,049 39.3 43.4 17.3

Hong Kong 7,923 66.5 13.1 20.3

India 165,918 11.6 61.4 27.0

Indonesia 8,727 66.7 18.6 14.8

Israel 2,343 28.3 50.8 20.9

Japan 19,060 48.7 16.4 34.9

Kazakhstan 1,935 58.1 24.0 17.9

Kenya 3,019 54.5 30.1 15.4

Korea, Republic of 61,007 53.6 27.2 19.2

Kuwait 9,772 69.7 8.2 22.1

Country 

(2015–16 data)

in United StatesStudents Abroad Enrollment (%)Undergraduate Enrollment (%)Graduate Enrollment (%)ESL/OPT/HE 

Malaysia 7,834 70.3 15.4 14.4

Mexico 16,733 57.6 24.9 17.5

New Zealand 1,608 54.2 26.5 19.3

Nigeria 10,674 50.8 35.6 13.6

Nordics 8,888 57.0 12.8 30.2

Panama 1,537 68.4 16.3 15.3

Peru 3,256 42.4 32.8 24.8

The Philippines 2,886 52.5 31.5 16.0

Portugal 919 45.4 32.6 22.0

Qatar 1,443 84.7 5.1 10.3

Romania 1,105 37.0 44.1 18.9

Russia 5,444 42.6 36.3 21.1

Saudi Arabia 61,287 55.4 21.6 23.0

Serbia 1,023 54.8 30.0 15.2

Singapore 4,865 47.2 29.0 23.7

Spain 6,640 37.3 30.7 32.0

Taiwan 21,127 30.1 43.4 26.5

Thailand 7,113 39.2 42.7 18.1

Turkey 10,691 31.7 48.0 20.3

UAE 2,920 73.6 11.6 14.8

Ukraine 1,680 43.3 36.7 20.0

United Kingdom 11,599 49.0 23.1 27.9

Vietnam 21,403 67.2 15.1 17.7

Source: Open Doors® (bit.ly/1TPTyG1)

Market Size and U.S. Share
4 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

International 

Education.

Delivered.

Door-to-door International Shipping

· Small Packages or Heavy Cargo

· Fulfillment & Packaging

· Marketing Mailings

· Storage & Inventory Control

· Customs Brokerage & Duty

 Deferment

Wherever in the world they venture, international 

educators can be sure OCS will ship there. With 

250 stations worldwide, we are everywhere on your 

itinerary. Whether it’s for recruitment fairs, international 

conferences or independent travel, OCS is the smartest 

choice for door-to-door international express shipping.

www.OCSworld.com

info@OCSworld.com
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 5

Market Briefs
6 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Argentina

Overview

U.S. education is well-positioned in Argentina. There continues to be a strong 

interest but a diminishing demand due to the economic environment in Argentina. 

The newly elected government that took office in December 2015 has abolished 

many trade barriers and taxes for transfer of funds and travel. Education will be 

prioritized in the Argentine market as it was in the past.

In 2015/2016, 2,201 Argentine students studied in the U.S. with 7.2 percent 

growth. These numbers should increase in the future due to new local government 

policies and better economic environment in the future. 

There are concrete opportunities to increase the number of Argentine students 

attending U.S. universities in student exchange programs, web based education, 

a combination of short term education with tourism, short-term education in 

Spanish, development of satellite campuses, and the development of executive 

education programs. 

U.S. universities wishing to attract Argentine students should consider actively 

increasing recruitment campaigns in order to raise their visibility. Financing/

scholarship opportunities and information on the process to obtain a U.S. 

student visa are essential topics for U.S. educational institutions when promoting 

themselves in Argentina.

Current Market Trends

The U.S. educational system has attracted many Argentine students wishing 

to pursue university degrees, training and student exchange experiences in 

humanities and social sciences, business and management, engineering and 

computer sciences, agricultural and biological sciences, natural and physical 

sciences, and life sciences. Argentines usually express high interest in exchange 

programs and education in the United States.

Statistics

Capital: Buenos Aires

Population: 43,886,748 (est. 2016)

GDP (USD): 972 billion (est. 2015)

Currency: Peso (ARS)

Language: Spanish

Contact

Diana Brandon

Commercial Specialist

diana.brandon@trade.gov

5411-5777-4550
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 7

Market Entry

Student Exchange Program agreements are generally the easiest way for U.S. institutions to 

generate a relationship with an Argentine school, as they are regarded as an opportunity 

to offer students international exposure at reduced costs. Study Abroad Programs are also 

welcome, but as costs of these are usually significantly higher than the Student Exchange 

option, it makes it hard for local schools to promote them.

Given that tuition fees represent a big investment for Argentine students paying for their 

education, one area to explore is the corporate market. For example, short courses (one-week 

to four-week) on topics such as mergers and acquisitions, negotiation, and service marketing 

may represent high profit generators. Also, targeted English courses on selected topics such 

as finance, law, accounting, and human resources are of interest to middle and upper level 

managers that seek to advance in their careers and feel the need to improve their English skills 

in their field of interest.

Another niche opportunity is represented by Argentine pre-MBA students who are required to 

use study materials such as English business case studies but lack the language level needed 

to complete their assignments in a successful manner. Many universities would be willing to 

partner with an institution that can offer this specific service locally.

U.S. universities wishing to penetrate the Argentine market should consider actively increasing 

recruitment campaigns in order to raise their visibility in Argentina. When promoting U.S. 

education opportunities to prospective Argentine students, U.S. institutions must be ready to 

address concerns about financing/scholarship opportunities as well as about the student visa 

process. A list of strong market entry methods are suggested below.

Market entrance strategies should be considered on a case by case basis depending on the U.S. 

institution and the program offering, etc.

Current Demand

The number of Argentine students seeking full-time education in the United States has grown 

over the last 20 years and there is a growing trend towards full-time undergraduate studies.

Argentine graduate-level students have always been inclined to continue their studies in the 

United States, a system that boasts high-quality, flexibility and educational-opportunities 

provided by a wide variety of institutions and academic programs.

The number of international student exchange organizations has also grown significantly 

in the last years. Commonly, professionals seek to engage in exchange programs or courses 

leading to improve their skills in management, law, logistics, quality control, production and 

marketing, IT, filmmaking as well as in medical and scientific fields.
8 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Australia

Overview

Australian students are increasingly choosing to pursue university degrees abroad. 

A unique mix of professional, academic, athletic, and social opportunities available 

within American schools has made the United States one of the most attractive 

destinations for these students. Although American university administrators 

often overlook Australia during international recruitment efforts, the confluence 

of these trends creates an unprecedented opportunity to boost international 

student enrollment on American campuses. For example, many Asian students 

who graduate from Australian high schools decide to pursue American universities 

education.

Market Entry

Over the past five years, 21.8 percent more Australian students have entered 

U.S. education programs. Australia and the United States have similar education 

systems, so Australian students can transition relatively seamlessly. Australian 

students are attracted to the unique characteristics of U.S. university life: collegiate 

sports, interdisciplinary/liberal arts degrees, and life within a close-knit campus 

environment. 

Current Demand

There is a broad academic and geographic distribution of Australians at U.S. 

universities. Undergraduate Australian students tend to focus on the liberal arts 

and sciences, business, international relations, film, or art. Graduate students 

generally pursue law, business management, or the advanced science. Australia 

has many accomplished athletes, so many Australian student athletes are 

interested obtaining U.S. athletic scholarships.

Resources

• EducationUSA (Sydney, Australia), sydney@educationusa.info

Statistics

Capital: Canberra

Population: 24,317,788 (est. 2016)

GDP (USD): 1.56 trillion (est. 2016)

Currency: Australian dollar (AUD)

Language: English

Contact

Georgina Harrowell

Commercial Specialist

georgina.harrowell@trade.gov

+61-2-9373-9203
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 9

Brazil

Statistics

Capital: Brasília

Population: 205,823,6652 (est. 2016)

GDP (USD): 3.192 trillion (est. 2015)

Currency: Real (BRL)

Language: Portuguese (Brazil)

Contact

Laura Reffatti

Commercial Specialist

laura.reffatti@trade.gov

+55 (61) 3312-7481

Overview

Brazil is the largest country in both South America and the Latin American region 

and the world’s fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population. 

It is the largest Portuguese-speaking country in the world, and the only one in 

the Americas. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east, Brazil has a coastline 

of 4,655 miles. It borders all other South American countries except Ecuador and 

Chile and occupies 47 percent of the continent of South America.

The Brazilian economy is the world’s ninth largest by nominal GDP and by 

purchasing power parity, as of 2016. Brazil continues to pursue industrial and 

agricultural growth, hoping to tap the development of its interior, its vast natural 

resources, and large labor pool. Brazil is South America’s leading economic power 

and a regional leader.

The education sector in Brazil is one of the largest in its economy and also one of 

Brazil’s highest priorities. Brazil has around 51 million students currently enrolled 

in the basic education system (which includes pre-school, elementary and high 

school), and approximately 6 million students enrolled in higher education 

institutions. The government wants to increase the number of students enrolled in 

universities and has created federal government loans (e.g. FIES loans with which 

the student finance up to 100 percent of its education, and PROUNI loans, through 

which public school students finance up to 50 percent of their higher education 

expenses).

In the 2015/2016 academic year, 19,370 students from Brazil were studying in the 

United States (down 18.2 percent from the previous year). After three consecutive 

years of double-digit percentage growth for Brazilian students following the 

2011 launch of the government of Brazil-funded/IIE-administered Brazil Scientific 

Mobility Program, the number of students declined sharply after the program 

ended. However, Brazil is the eighth leading place of origin for students coming to 

the United States. 
10 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

The majority of Brazilian students in the United States study at the undergraduate level. 

The breakdown is: 22.2 percent graduate students; 34.9 percent other; 6.8 percent Optional 

Practical Training.

In 2015 Brazilian students in U.S. colleges and universities contributed USD 820 million to the 

U.S. economy. 

Market Entry

Brazilian high education institutions seek to engage in two-way exchange programs and are 

more receptive to that kind of approach than to institutions that are only focused on recruiting 

Brazilian students. Traditional markets such as São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are still offer 

opportunities but the South, Central and Northeast regions of the country offer numerous 

opportunities as well, and are not so overwhelmed by international institutions. Doing 

business in Brazil is a matter of establishing a relationship. Agreements cannot be completed 

after only a single contact.

Current Demand

English language programs for professional development are excellent to market in Brazil as 

the demand for bilingual business professionals proficient in English is continually growing. 

Study exchange programs for undergraduate students and graduate students are also another 

service in high demand.

Brazilian students are more interested in exchange programs rather than going abroad to take 

their full undergraduate coursework. The emerging trend in this segment is the possibility 

of studying one or two years abroad and returning to Brazil to complete studies, receiving a 

certificate issued by a Brazilian institution accredited by the Ministry of Education. As such, the 

market exists for 3+1 and 2+2 programs.

The Ministry of Education is in the early stages of creating a system to accept foreign university 

degrees. The lack of such a system has been a challenge to the further expansion of longterm study abroad programs. Once the system is established, foreign universities will have to 

register to be included in the Ministry’s list, which will create a fast-track system for students 

to have their foreign diplomas recognized. Today, the equivalency request is analyzed on a 

case-by-case basis.

For the next decade, the fastest growing segment of the domestic educational market in 

Brazil will be short-term vocational courses due to government investments in technical 

schools and courses for high schools students and adults. In 2011, the government of Brazil 

launched PRONATEC (National Program for Technical Courses) and designated USD 3.5 billion 

for the program. Since its inception, PRONATEC has funded technical and vocational courses 

for 8.05 million students, and expects to fund additional 12 million students’ courses for the 

second phase. PRONATEC only funds courses offered in Brazil. Foreign universities may take 
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 11

part in it by establishing partnerships with Brazilian Higher Educational Institutions. The 

Brazilian National Confederation of Industry, through its Technical School, is also helping the 

government on the offering of the courses.

Resources

• Institute of International Education, iie.org

• EducationUSA Brazil, educationusa.org.br

• Brazilian Ministry of Education, mec.gov.br
12 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Bulgaria

Overview

Joining NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007 has greatly improved mobility 

opportunities for Bulgarian students. Some 30,000 Bulgarians study abroad. This 

number is constantly increasing even though, currently, most students choose the 

UK, Germany and other EU destinations because the EU provides free university 

education for EU member countries. 

As for the United States as an educational destination, Bulgarians value U.S. 

universities as one of the best in the world, however, most of the students are 

not well informed about studying opportunities in the United States. At the same 

time, European universities are spending a substantial amount on information 

campaigns and expos promoting their universities. 

Current Market Trends

According to the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors® 2015, 1,171 

Bulgarian students were in the United States in 2014/2015, a 6.5 percent decrease 

over 2013. 

Open Doors® 2016 shows there were 1,016 Bulgarian students in the United States, 

a 13.2 percent decrease from the previous year. Despite these statistics, Bulgaria 

is still one of the regional leaders in terms of the number of students studying in 

the United States. The United States is the fourth most popular destination for 

Bulgarian students studying abroad. 

The decrease in students studying in the United States might be credited to 

the fact that Bulgarians are usually not prepared to take the standardized tests 

like GMAT, SAT and TOEFL, all test that are required to be accepted into a U.S. 

university. Courses that prepare students for these tests are unpopular due to their 

high cost and the fact that the only thing needed to be accepted in a European 

Statistics

Capital: Sofia

Population: 7,186,893 (est. 2015)

GDP (USD): 129.1 billion (est. 2014)

Currency: Bulgarian Lev (BGN)

Language: Bulgarian

Contact

Peter Delin

Commercial Specialist

peter.delin@trade.gov

+359 2 939 5784
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 13

university is a language degree. These factors tend to discourage Bulgarian students from 

applying to U.S. universities and divert them to Europe.

However, it should be noted that the general number of students from Europe studying in the 

United States has increased by 1.4 percent in 2015/2016 to 91,915, which is a positive step 

towards engaging more European students in the American education system.

English is the first foreign language in the Bulgarian education system and is taught in private 

kindergarten and primary schools starting in the first grade. This linguistic ability gives an 

upper edge to Bulgarian students abroad. Bulgarian students are known for their multilinguistic abilities.

Some 7,000 Bulgarian college students spend three to four months in the United States every 

year under the J-1 visa program under the Summer Work and Travel program (SWT). These 

college students work for U.S. companies (usually SMEs) in U.S. tourist destinations. It is 

estimated that some 100,000 Bulgarian students have participated in SWT over the last 10–12 

years. 

Market Entry

The U.S.–Bulgaria Fulbright Commission finances the most important educational programs 

for students, researchers and scholars during their time in the United States. At present, most 

academic qualifications received from the United States are recognized in Bulgaria. These 

criteria are set by the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science (BMES) and all diplomas and 

qualifications need to be validated by the BMES via their RUDI system

Summer courses in the United States and year-round online courses can also present good 

opportunities for U.S. universities and schools looking to attract Bulgarian students. The 

summer English language programs are suitable for local students and fit well with Bulgaria’s 

semester structure. Distance learning courses and e-learning are getting more popular among 

younger generation students. 

Educational consulting agencies in Bulgaria provide great assistance to Bulgarians who 

plan to study abroad. These consulting agencies inform students about requirements, 

documentation and facilitate the whole process and include such entities as: Darbi ESH Study 

Abroad, “Connect with USA,” Julia Co. Consultancy, Orange Education, Skylines Ltd., Integral 

Educational Programs Ltd., NGB Consulting—Sofia, Vision for Education Ltd. and many more.

Current Demand

Most Bulgarian students wanting to study abroad are proficient in English and are usually very 

well-prepared academically which facilitates their learning experience abroad. 

In addition, a large number of Bulgarians studying abroad focus on majors in economics and 

business. Certification programs by U.S. schools also enjoy a good reputation in Bulgaria. Other 
14 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

popular degrees among Bulgarian students are legal studies, psychology, architecture, fashion 

and design, and computer technologies.

Best prospects within the education sector for Bulgarians studying in the United States include 

intensive English language training programs (e.g. summer programs for both students and 

adults), programs in business administration; Work, Study and Travel programs (Bulgaria 

sends approximately 7,000 WST, J-1 students to the U.S every summer); E-learning (gaining 

popularity in recent years); and undergraduate and graduate degrees.

The only U.S. university in the country—The American University in Bulgaria (AUBG), located 

in the cities of Blagoevgrad and Sofia—offers excellent service to international students and 

strong academic programs. Since its opening in 1991 AUBG has consistently ranked number 

one among universities in Bulgaria for its Business Administration, Management and PR/Mass 

Communication programs. AUBG has approximately 1000 students. 

Trade Events

• World Education Fair (February, Sofia), world-education.eu

• Education Beyond Border (March and October), edu-fair.info

• European Education Fair (September), europeaneducationfair.com

Resources

• Fulbright Commission, fulbright.bg/en

• Universities in Bulgaria, bit.ly/1UekuPR

• Statistics, nsi.bg/en
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 15

Canada

Statistics

Capital: Ottawa

Population: 35,099,836 (est. 2015)

GDP (USD): 1.596 trillion (est. 2014)

Currency: Canadian dollar (CAD)

Languages: English (official), French

Contact

Patrick Barry

Commercial Specialist

patrick.barry@trade.gov

(613) 688-5117

Overview

The bilateral relationship between the United States and Canada is among the 

closest and most extensive in the world. The countries not only share the longest 

border in the world (5,500 miles) but also the largest trading relationship. The 

strength of the relationship is demonstrated by the significant flow of people and 

goods across the border. Daily, approximately USD 1.9 billion in goods and 300,000 

people cross the border. 

In 2014/2015, Canada had a total of 2,054,943 individuals enrolled in universities 

and colleges. The most popular programs of study among Canadian students 

are business/management (18 percent), humanities (15 percent), and social/

behavioral sciences and law (13 percent). Full-time students in Canada paid an 

average of USD 12,460 per year for tuition, living expenses, student fees, and 

books. The average undergraduate tuition cost in Canada was USD 4,480 per year. 

Of the more than two million students in Canada, approximately 2.3 percent 

went abroad in 2016. The United States attracted approximately 58.7 percent of 

Canadian students who were studying abroad.

Canada is the fifth largest source of international students attending higher 

education institutions in the United States. In 2015-16, a total of 26,973 Canadians 

studied in the United States, down 1 percent from 2014-15. In the past year 

Canadian students in U.S. colleges and universities contributed USD 1.08 billion to 

the U.S. economy.

The majority of Canadian students in the United States study at the undergraduate 

level. In 2015/2016, the breakdown was 49 percent undergraduate, 37.9 percent 

graduate, 2.3 percent other, and 10.7 percent Optional Practical Training.
16 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

The top areas of study by Canadians studying in the United States are business/management 

(16.2 percent), health professions (14.9 percent), and social sciences (12.3 percent).

Market Entry

Canadian citizens do not need visas to study in the United States. Universities should take 

advantage of this and establish Canadian-specific tuition agreements as an added incentive to 

encourage students to attend U.S. institutions. 

Educational exchange is an excellent way to build the continuity of the strong bilateral 

relationship between Canada and the United States, for example:

• Increased exchange programs and partnering with Canadian institutions 

• Cross-border tuition agreements or in-state tuition for Canadians

• Athletic scholarships

• Other Canadian-specific scholarships and funding

• Students looking for an international education often look overseas to distant locations. 

The United States should be marketed as an attractive foreign destination, where the 

student can gain much different experiences from their hometown.

• Target foreign language teaching opportunities to French speakers.

Current Demand

Education in Canada is provincially mandated and most universities operate independently in 

terms of admission standards, degree requirements, and administration of their own finances 

and programs. Canadian provinces such as Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and Alberta 

have witnessed enrollment increases in recent years. Canadian students may increasingly look 

toward U.S. institutions as demand and competition increases in Canada. 

The Canadian market remains attractive for recruitment as a result of sending between 26,000 

to 30,000 students to the United States every year over the last decade. Furthermore, the 

United States is by far the leading country that Canadian students choose for study abroad. 

Canada has a high quality and affordable higher education system. Many Canadian students 

are attracted to the United States by scholarships and specialized programs, such as art/

design, religion, optometry and chiropractic studies, which can have considerable appeal 

for Canadian applicants. Specialization and prestige of U.S. institutions are among the top 

trademarks that appeal to Canadian students. Canadians identify with a strong brand and most 

students looking to study in the United States are seeking institutions with strong academic, 

athletic, and/or business brands. 

Athletic scholarships are a strong attraction for Canadian student-athletes and many 

Canadians look to U.S. institutions specifically for these opportunities. Athletic scholarships are 
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 17

more widely available in the United States than in Canada. Canadian athletic scholarships are 

administered differently, can be more difficult to obtain, and remuneration is often less then 

what can be offered by U.S. institutions.

Barriers

• The cost of studying abroad (The recent depreciation of the Canadian dollar has 

aggravated this problem)

• Delay of graduation

• Course credit concerns

• Availability/need to work

Trade Events

• Conference of the Americas on International Education (CAIE) (Montreal, Quebec; 

October 11–13, 2017)

• Canadian Bureau of International Education (CBIE)—Annual Conference (Halifax, Nova 

Scotia; November 19–22, 2017)
18 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Central America Region

Contact—Costa Rica

Gabriela Lucke

Commercial Specialist

gabriela.lucke@trade.gov

506 2519-2271

Contact—El Salvador

Lidia Sosa

Commercial Specialist

lidia.sosa@trade.gov

503 2501 2999 x3144

Contact—Guatemala

Ana Polanco

Commercial Specialist

ana.polanco@trade.gov

502-2326-4258

Contact—Honduras

Rossana Lobo

Senior Commercial Specialist

rossana.lobo@trade.gov

(504) 2236-9320 x4842

Contact—Nicaragua

Lilliam Baez

Commercial Specialist

baezlau@state.gov

(505) 2252-7100 x7371

Overview

The United States is a leading destination for Guatemalan, Salvadoran, Honduran, 

Nicaraguan and Costa Rican students. The number of Central Americans studying 

in the United States reached a total of 6,405 students during the 2015/2016 

academic year, representing an increase of 7.5 percent compared to the previous 

year. Currently, the States with highest numbers of Central American students are 

Texas, Florida, New York, Louisiana, Massachusetts, California, Georgia and Virginia.

Key reasons why Central American students choose U.S. Higher Education 

Institutions:

• Geographic proximity

• High quality education system

• Wide variety of higher education 

programs

• Possibility of living with relatives 

while studying

• Availability of intensive and short 

English Programs to learn or 

improve English skills
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 19

In addition, studying abroad represents an opportunity to be more competitive and increases 

the possibility for better employment in national or multinational corporations. 

Main competing countries are Canada, Mexico, Spain, Germany, France, Taiwan, United 

Kingdom, Chile, and Argentina. 

Central Americans in general are interested in scholarships and financial aid when evaluating 

universities. Community College degrees also represent an opportunity due to lower tuition 

fees.

Undergraduate studies are preferred, followed by graduate and non-degree programs. English 

language programs have high potential with the exception of Honduras, as there is very low 

English proficiency in most of the region. Although, Costa Rica has a comprehensive program 

to become a bilingual country by 2017, it is ranked #38 in the 2015 EF English Proficiency 

Index, followed by Guatemala in position 53, and El Salvador in 63.

Market Entry

The “100,000 Strong in the Americas” Initiative, announced by President Obama in 2011, 

represents an opportunity to increase the number of exchange students between Central 

America and the United States. All U.S. Embassies and EducationUSA offices in the region are 

committed to work with the business community to promote professional development and 

increase the number of students studying in the United States. Through grants competitions, 

the 100K Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund provides funds for innovative partnerships 

between U.S. and Latin American and Caribbean institutions of higher education. 

To enter the market, it is highly recommended for U.S. universities, community colleges and/or 

technical institutions to:

• Seek partnerships or agreements with 

public or private universities to facilitate 

exchange programs for students and 

professors, recognition of credits and/or 

dual certification. 

• Travel to the market to meet face to face 

with school counselors, parents, and 

higher education institution officers.

• Participate in local recruitment 

campaigns, fairs, trade missions, and 

outreach events in high schools, public 

venues, and universities.

• Provide in depth information about 

programs and the application processes

• Describe opportunities of scholarships 

and financial aid 

• Provide information on the process to 

obtain a U.S. student visa 

• Work with local agents/representatives

It is preferred that all marketing material and program information is available in Spanish.
20 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Current Demand

Central American students are primarily attracted to these degree programs in the United 

States:

• U.S. universities and community colleges with tuition fees lower than USD 20,000

• English Language Programs (from 1 month up to 1 year) for students, teachers, and adults

• Summer camps

• Undergraduate, Graduate and Master Programs

• Online programs

Resources

• EducationUSA Costa Rica, marcia.herra@centrocultural.cr

• EducationUSA El Salvador, stadvisor@hotmail.com

• EducationUSA Guatemala, vjuarez@iga.edu

• EducationUSA Honduras, educationusaihci@yahoo.com

• EducationUSA Nicaragua, advise@ccnn.org.ni
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 21

Chile

Statistics

Capital: Santiago

Population: 17.5 million (est. 2016)

GDP (USD): 240 billion (est. 2016)

Currency: Chilean peso (CLP)

Language: Spanish

Contact

Valerie Henderson 

Commercial Specialist

valerie.henderson@trade.gov 

56-2-2330-3316

Overview

Chile is considered to be one of the most stable developing markets within Latin 

America with an impressive 5 percent average GDP growth rate over the last 30 

years. However, the economy has slowed in recent years, with just 1.9 percent 

growth in 2014 and 2.1 percent in 2015. Forecasted 2016 GDP growth is just 

under 2 percent. Chile and the United States entered a Free Trade Agreement in 

2004, which increased bilateral trade 340 percent. Chile is also progressive in its 

development and is continuing to liberalize economic activity through FTAs and 

supporting the flow of open markets.

Becas Chile, created in 2008 as a response to the urgent requirement to have 

productive and entrepreneurial academics. The program offers 2,500 scholarships 

in all fields of studies. The scholarships are available for postgraduate degrees, 

internships for technical graduates and teaching programs.

Approximately 25 percent (4.7 percent increase in 2016) of the students that apply 

to these scholarships choose the United States because of its proximity to Chile 

and its reputation in higher education standards. With the United States and Chile 

increasing bilateral trade and FDI, we can look forward to a progressive future 

between the United States and Chile. 

Market Entry

Although the Chilean market is relatively small compared to other international 

markets, Chile is stable and a great opportunity to break into South American 

markets. There is also additional government support as they are committed to 

education exchange and professional development between the United States and 

Chile.

• During the last few years, the Chilean superior education has undergone 

great changes.
22 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

• Today, 40 percent of 18 to 24-years-olds are enrolled in higher education.

• In 2015/2016 the number of Chileans applying to Undergraduate programs in the United 

States increased 17 percent.

• Generally, from 22 years old upwards, students consider the possibility of studying 

English abroad. Most students have little or no English language experience, and 

therefore the most demanding course is a general English program. However, the 

demand for specialized English programs for professionals is increasing significantly.

• Many universities in Chile support exchange programs especially to U.S. universities 

because of its relatively close location and the English learning opportunities.

• A great way to enter the market, and learn of the opportunities for U.S. colleges/

universities that Chile offers isby participating in education trade shows/events.

Current Demand

English language programs for professional development are excellent to market in Chile as 

the demand for bilingual business professionals proficient in English is continually growing.

Study exchange programs for undergraduate students and graduate students are also another 

service in high demand. Materials used to market U.S. educational programs should be printed 

in Spanish or supported by a local Spanish speaking representative. 

Resources

• EducationUSA, educationusa.cl

• ExpoEstudios en el Extranjero, expoestudios.cl

• U.S.–Chile FTA, 1.usa.gov/1J3Jitu
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 23

China

Statistics

Capital: Beijing

Population: 1,373,541,278 (est. 2016)

GDP (USD): 19.39 trillion (est. 2015)

Currency: Renminbi (RMB)

Language: Mandarin Chinese

Contact

Veronica Liang 

Commercial Specialist

veronica.liang@trade.gov

+86 20 8667 4011

Overview

U.S. colleges and universities remain the most preferred overseas destination for 

students from China, which remains the leading source of foreign students in 

the United States. The number of Chinese students studying in the United States 

increased in academic year 2015/2016 from 304,040 to 328,547 (according to the 

Institute of International Education’s Open Doors® 2016), which constitutes a 8.1 

percent increase from the previous academic year. Chinese students now make up 

31.5 percent of the international students studying in the United States. In 2016, 

Chinese students studying at U.S. universities and colleges contributed USD 11.43 

billion to the economy, effectively subsidizing the costs for domestic students in 

many cases.

While a slim majority of Chinese students are enrolled in graduate programs in 

the United States, the number of undergraduate students continued to increase 

from 2015/2016. According to data from Open Doors, 41.3 percent of the Chinese 

students studying in the United States are at the undergraduate level, while 37.5 

percent of the Chinese students are studying here are at the graduate level. With 

the soaring number of undergraduate Chinese students in the United States, the 

number of Chinese high school students is also expanding rapidly from 2015/2016.

Market Entry

With a long cultural history stressing the importance of education, many middle 

and upper middle class Chinese families are keen to have their kids receive 

a high quality American education. Though the number of higher education 

institutions in China has more than doubled since 2000, reaching 2,529 in 2014, 

U.S. universities are still considered more prestigious. While Chinese students have 

also been flocking to countries such as Australia, Britain, and Canada for education, 
24 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

they have been entering the United States at a comparatively higher rate. In fact, the influx 

of foreign students has shifted the average age of Chinese immigrants to the United States 

downwards, as the 1519 and 20-24 age brackets have witnessed the biggest growth in recent 

years. 

A popular sentiment among Chinese parents is that a U.S. education allows Chinese students 

greater opportunities to develop their creativity and critical thinking faculties while gaining 

invaluable linguistic skills at the same time. China’s education system, though rapidly 

gaining prestige, is often criticized for its emphasis on rote memorization and overly intense 

competition among students. In addition to the quality of education, many Chinese families 

see overseas education in the United States as a means to gain a foothold in the country for 

future employment and emigration; however, some simply see a foreign education as a luxury 

product.

U.S. institutions will have to remain active in the promotion of U.S. education in China, as 

competition for Chinese students from other English-speaking countries increases and as 

the expansion of the domestic education market in China creates an increasing number of 

opportunities for students to pursue higher education without leaving China.

Current Demand

Higher Education 

Over the next four years, the number of Chinese students studying in the United States is 

projected to grow by another 11 percent. It is therefore essential for universities and colleges 

to understand the educational needs and expectations of Chinese students. 

As more Chinese attend university than ever before, young graduates must differentiate 

themselves from one another to compete in the job market. In 1999, only 6.5 percent of 18-22 

year olds attended higher education institutions, compared to 37.5 percent in 2014. Summer 

2014 witnessed 7.5 million new Chinese graduates—nearly double the 3.8 million who 

graduated in the United States. Due to the abundant supply of young graduates, competition 

in the job market is fierce. The average monthly salary for graduates from Chinese universities 

in 2014 was a meager RMB 2,443, which in some cases is less than what a migrant worker 

makes. However, about half of graduates with foreign bachelor’s degrees earn over RMB 5,000 

upon returning to China, which, while still modest, reflects the higher earning power of foreign 

degrees. 

The higher value of a U.S. higher education degree is increasingly important as China becomes 

a globalized service-driven economy. About 70 to 80 percent of students studying abroad 

return to China after graduating, largely driven by the allure of the domestic job market. 

Studies have shown that compared to other developing countries, the families of Chinese 
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 25

students are less concerned about the costs of attending university and principally concerned 

about the job prospects a degree provides. Forty-two percent of Chinese students study 

science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), followed by 28 percent in business, 

and 8 percent in social sciences. However, among Chinese students who return to China, 

the plurality (30 percent) expects to work in the financial sector. While there used to be far 

more graduate students than undergraduate, the two populations are now essentially even, 

comprising 39.6 percent and 41 percent of total students, respectively.

K12 Education 

The number of Chinese students participating in K–12 education in the United States is also 

rapidly increasing. Chinese secondary students account for nearly 50 percent of international 

high school students in the United States, growing from only 632 students in 2005 to 38,089 

in 2014—a rate of 5,927 percent. Families who can afford to send their children to U.S. K–12 

schools generally do so to escape the intense pressure and competition of Chinese compulsory 

education, and to develop language skills, build an international network, and have their 

children grow up in an environment with cleaner air and a generally healthier standard of 

living. 

Additionally, studying at American high schools makes it easier to get accepted into American 

universities, which are increasingly recruiting Chinese students already in the United States. 

While the majority of international high school students from Europe and Latin America go to 

the United States for cultural exchange, Chinese students generally do so to be admitted to 

a U.S. college or university. Many universities face challenges determining the preparedness 

of Chinese students and differentiating them from one another based on Chinese high 

school grades, and most do not recognize performance in the standardized gaokao exam. 

Furthermore, many Chinese students employ educational consultants or agents to access 

foreign universities, many of which are unlicensed and sometimes plagiarize and forge 

documents to get students admitted. 

Attending a K–12 educational institution is a considerable investment for Chinese families. 

Since those with F-1 student visas cannot spend more than one year at a U.S. public school, 95 

percent of international high school students attend private schools. With the costs of tuition, 

room and board, and other living expenses, attending private schools generally costs over USD 

45,000 per academic year. 

Training 

Skilled labor shortages in many industries have led the Chinese government to promote 

vocational training in an effort to improve the country’s workforce. Training and vocational 

education institutions are the only form of education encouraged for foreign investment 

in China, highlighting the government’s interest in exposing its citizens to such education. 

However, the majority of teachers at vocational schools in China are unqualified, and many 

schools lack adequate facilities and curricula to effectively prepare students for the workforce. 
26 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

For instance, a report from Business Insider on computing schools determined that only 10 

percent of teachers had worked in the sector. As such, students seeking advanced technical 

knowledge can benefit from U.S. expertise and resources that are not readily available in 

China. In this vein, online distance education, though still nascent in China, represents a 

potential growth sector for those who cannot afford to study overseas.

Trade Events

• China International Education Exhibition (CIEET), www.cieet.com/en

• China Education Expo, chinaeducationexpo.com/english

• China Annual Conference for Internaional Education (CACIE), 

www.cacie.cn/en/index?hid=147

Resources

• Ministry of Education—Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges, 

bit.ly/1yo2484

• China Ministry of Education for Foreign—Chinese Cooperation, www.crs.jsj.edu.cn

• China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE), en.ceaie.edu.cn

• Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE), cscse.edu.cn
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 27

Colombia

Statistics

Capital: Bogotá

Population: 46,736,728 (est. 2015)

GDP (USD): 642.5 billion (est. 2014)

Currency: Colombian Peso (COP)

Language: Spanish

Contact

Julio Acero

Commercial Assistant

julio.acero@trade.gov

(57-1) 275 2635

Overview

U.S. colleges and universities remain the preferred overseas destination for 

Colombian students despite significant competition from other countries like the 

United Kingdom, Australia, Spain, France and Argentina. There are several reasons 

that make the United States a leading destination. Chief among them are higher 

employment opportunities after graduation, the chance to improve English skills, 

and the high quality education U.S. institutions provide. The preferred states for 

Colombian students are California, New York, Texas, Massachusetts, Illinois and 

Florida. The most demanding fields of studies are those focused on business 

administration, management, finance, banking, marketing, and engineering.

According to the Institute of International Education, Colombia is ranked 24th in 

the world and third among South American countries (after Brazil and Venezuela) 

in sending students to the United States.

Market Entry

In the academic year 2015/2016, 7,815 Colombian students traveled to the United 

States to study. That constitutes a 9 percent increase over the previous year. 

Based on information in the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors® 

2016, Colombian students in U.S. colleges and universities contributed USD 251 

million to the U.S. economy in 2015/2016.

The U.S. Embassy in Bogota supports efforts to increase the number of Colombian 

students studying in the United States by supporting technology projects such 

as Ed, a 24/7 virtual adviser in Spanish and by providing various scholarships for 

English Language learning. The approval of the United States-Colombia Trade 

Promotion Agreement (FTA) has also increased foreign investment.
28 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Additionally, President Obama launched the initiative “100,000 Strong in the Americas,” in 

March 2011, which intends to increase the number of Latin American students studying in the 

United States and the number of U.S. students studying in Latin America. The U.S. Commercial 

Service in cooperation with EducationUSA offices in Colombia have supported various 

education fairs that included the participation of U.S. boarding schools, universities and ESL 

institutions.

Given the demands of modern day society, the number of Colombian undergraduate and 

graduate students in the United States is increasing. This is somewhat due to the fact that it 

is difficult to obtain a high level position within the government or an important national or 

multinational company without proficient English skills and/or a Masters Degree. 

Under government-to-government or private agreements, both public and private universities 

in Colombia have developed programs with universities in the United States, Europe and Latin 

America. Priority is given to projects that foster post-graduate programs for training professors 

as well as research to enhance teaching.

Most scholarships are awarded through two institutions, one of which is the Colombian 

Institute for Educational Loans and Technical Studies Abroad (ICETEX, by its initials in Spanish), 

which is dedicated to financing higher education through financial aid. During 2015 ICETEX 

awarded 249 scholarships for Master’s, PhD and ESL programs in the United States. The second 

institution is COLFUTURO, which is a non-profit organization that provides funds to Colombian 

professionals/students to study abroad. Their loan program is available to students who have 

been accepted to graduate programs at foreign universities. During 2015 COLFUTURO awarded 

1,509 scholarships for Master’s and PhD programs. 327 of those scholarships were for programs 

in the United States.

COLFUTURO also has agreements with many universities, such as Carnegie Mellon’s Heinz 

College, Columbia, Duke, Cornell University’s Johnson School of Management, American 

University’s Kogod School of Business, Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management, 

Tulane University, and Harvard University.

Current Demand

Although in 2015, the Colombian Peso depreciated dramatically against the U.S. Dollar and 

therefore increasing the cost for Colombian students who want to study in the United States; 

the newly created employment opportunities in Colombia make American degrees even more 

valuable. International education is highly valued in Colombia. A recent survey of employers 

found that 58 percent preferred to hire people who had earned advanced degrees abroad.

Colombia recognizes the need to improve the English skills for students. Colombia’s President 

Juan Manuel Santos launched a new program called “Colombia Very Well,” with the intention of 

promoting bilingualism in Colombia.
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 29

For U.S. schools and ESL institutions, private and bilingual schools in Colombia offer very good 

recruiting opportunities. Schools are interested in sending groups to study in U.S. schools for 

periods that may vary between three weeks and three to four months. 

Today, only 9,000 high school graduates have an intermediate level of English. The 

government’s goal is to increase that number to 185,000 in 10 years. This will open 

opportunities for U.S. English institutions to enter or increase their presence in Colombia. 

At the higher education level, private universities also offer important recruitment 

opportunities for undergraduate and postgraduate programs. U.S. universities should make 

initial contact with the office of foreign relations in each university in order to introduce the 

U.S. university and its programs and specialties. 

Colombian universities are interested in having agreements with U.S. universities that offer a 

double degree program for their students. It can be accomplished through a combination of 

two or three years in the local university and one or two years in the U.S. university.

Beyond the economic implications, the availability of educational services carries even greater 

significance in terms of improving general living conditions in Colombia. A well-educated 

Colombian population is vital to the country’s economic growth and global competitiveness 

over the long term. U.S. educational services will also expose more Colombians to American 

culture, further strengthening ties between the two countries.

There are concrete opportunities to increase the number of Colombian students attending U.S. 

universities. Those wishing to attract Colombian students should consider actively increasing 

recruitment campaigns in order to raise their visibility. Financial aid/scholarship opportunities 

and information on the process to obtain a U.S. student visa are essential topics for U.S. 

educational institutions when promoting themselves in Colombia.

In Colombia, there is a strong network of 11 EducationUSA centers administering language 

programs and doing extensive outreach around the country. EducationUSA centers are located 

at nine binational centers

Resources

• Institute of International Education, iie.org

• Colombia Ministry of Education, mineducacion.gov.co

• Colombian Institute for Educational Loans and Technical Studies Abroad (ICETEX), 

www.icetex.gov.co

• COLFUTURO, colfuturo.org
30 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Czech Republic

Statistics

Capital: Prague

Population: 10,644,842 (est. 2015)

GDP (USD): 315.9 billion (est. 2014)

Currency: Czech koruna (CZK)

Language: Czech

Contact

Zdenek Svoboda

Commercial Specialist

zdenek.svoboda@trade.gov

+420 257 022 323

Overview

The Czech Republic is a good potential market for student recruitment. High 

quality educational programs, with a strong emphasis on the English language, 

have produced a large pool of highly qualified candidates for both undergraduate 

and graduate studies in the United States. 

Study abroad programs are popular in the Czech Republic. Czechs discovered 

travel and study abroad in the 1990s after the fall of communism. Young Czechs 

are eager travelers with a desire to gain experience by living and studying in 

another country. 

The number of Czechs students in the United States has been relatively stable in 

the last five years and has ranged between 700 and 800 students a year. In 2017, 

749 Czechs studyied in the United States—a decrease 47 students over 2015. 

U.S. schools are regarded as highly prestigious and attractive to Czech students 

and the United States has a good chance of regaining its former position as a 

preferred location for higher education. 

The knowledge level of U.S. university admission procedures has been increasing 

especially at the best Czech national high schools. More well-qualified high school 

students are interested in attending schools in the United States and they are well 

prepared for the admission process. The Czech Facebook community is booming 

and this network has become one of the major sources of information, as well 

as a place for social interaction and sharing experiences. Selected students can 

obtain scholarships from several new private foundations. English is the standard 

second language in the Czech Republic and is taught in schools from grade three 

onward. Approximately half of the Czech population speaks a foreign language. 

While younger people tend to speak English, there is widespread knowledge of 

German or Russian among the older generation. A recent government decision 

making English language mandatory for primary school students should improve 
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 31

the ability of Czech students to study at U.S. universities and colleges. Currently 27 percent of 

all Czechs speak some level of English and 10 percent are reported to be fluent. 

Market Entry

Partnering with local universities is a very effective way of entering the Czech market. The 

most common partnership model is through student exchanges. One-year study exchange 

programs are highly attractive to Czech students. U.S. universities should note that Czech 

universities might expect foreign schools to send a similar number of students to their school. 

U.S. universities may also make use of the EU-funded Erasmus Mundus cooperation and 

mobility program. The Erasmus Mundus Joint Program is an outstanding quality academic 

program and is designed and implemented by a consortium of European universities from at 

least three different countries. Consortia may also include universities from the United States 

and other parts of the world. Scholarships are open to students and academics from all over 

the world. 

More and more Czech companies are requiring English language ability from their employees, 

following the lead of global companies based in the Czech Republic. This trend creates 

demand for English as a Second Language (ESL) studies in the Czech Republic. However, 

European countries appear to be a more attractive destination for short term ESL studies 

especially given the advantages of price and proximity. Strong demand still exists for programs 

at elite U.S. universities.

Current Demand

Currently, three-quarters of university students going abroad take advantage of the Socrates–

Erasmus program to study in Europe. University studies in the United States are most attractive 

for academically talented students and student athletes who are able to take advantage of 

scholarships. 

High school exchanges to the United States can be facilitated through an organization (nonprofit or commercial) or can be self-organized. Czechs interested in studying in the United 

States need to apply for the correct visa. An F1 Visa or Educational Visa is for individuals who 

want to study or conduct research at an accredited U.S. college or university. A J1 Visa or 

Exchange Visitors Visa is for international students who want to do an internship in the United 

States, approximately 50 percent of which are for academic purposes. 

The majority of university students are interested in economic and humanities subjects 

whereas technical areas rank third in popularity. Around 48 percent of Czech students in the 

United States study at the undergraduate level, 26 percent in graduate programs, and 25 

percent for OPT and non-degree studies
32 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Resources

• Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport, msmt.cz/?lang=2

• Fulbright Commission, fulbright.cz

• Study in the Czech Republic, www.studyin.cz

• National Agency for European Education programs (including Erasmus Mundus), 

naep.cz/?language=en
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 33

Ecuador

Statistics

Capital: Quito

Population: 16,080,778 (est. 2016)

GDP (USD): 183.4 million (est. 2015)

Currency: U.S. Dollar (USD)

Language: Spanish

Contact

Sandra Tinajero

Commercial Specialist

tinajerosv@state.gov

+593 2398 5515 

Overview

The United States is Ecuador’s top higher education partner. In recent years, the 

two nations have witnessed robust and growing two-way academic exchange. 

Ecuador is one of the top five destinations for U.S. students in Latin America, 

hosting 3,699 U.S. students in 2014-15. During the same period, nearly 3,000 

Ecuadorians studied in the United States.

In support of Ecuador’s higher education agenda and President Obama’s “100,000 

Strong in the Americas” initiative, the U.S. government offers educational 

advising to Ecuadorian students, fosters linkages between Ecuadorian and U.S. 

universities, and provides technical assistance to Ecuadorian officials on university 

administration.

In 2015/2016, according to the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors® 

2016, 2,889 Ecuadorians studied in the United States, representing a 3.3 percent 

increase from the previous year.

Current Demand

• English as a Second Language (ESL) programs.

• Summer and college preparation programs.

• One semester/year exchange program.

• Student recruitment for undergraduate and graduate programs for 

engineering, business administration, environment/energy, science, and 

design areas.

• Corporate training programs in management, as well as executive-level 

language proficiency programs.
34 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Market Entry

The National Secretariat for Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (SENECYT) 

grants scholarships to Ecuadorians who wish to obtain a post-graduate or graduate degree in 

foreign institutions. The scholarships are focused on science, technology, telecommunications, 

engineering, architecture, construction, education, agriculture, veterinary, and medicine.

Nonrefundable funding from the national government scholarships cover the full cost of 

tuition, travel expenses and monthly allowances up to a maximum of USD 250,000. According 

to 2014 data, 10,000 scholarships were granted in the last seven years, with a monetary value 

of USD 267 million.

Scholarship recipients are required to return to Ecuador to work for at least twice the length of 

time of their scholarship.
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 35

Egypt

Statistics

Capital: Cairo

Population: 94,666,993 (est. 2016)

GDP (USD): 1.048 trillion (est. 2015)

Currency: Egyptian Pound (EGP)

Language: Arabic

Contact

Dina Bissada

Commercial Assistant

dina.bissada@trade.gov

+20 (2) 2797-2340

Overview

Egypt is the most populous country in the Arab world. The Egyptian economy is 

one of the largest in the Middle East and North Africa and has traditionally been 

an attractive market for U.S. companies. Thanks to its unique mix of demographics 

and commercial links to the broader world, Egypt’s strategic location offers 

companies a platform for their commercial activities throughout the Middle East. 

The workforce in Egypt is about 29.5 million, according to 2015 estimates. They are 

distributed in the service sector (53 percent), agriculture sector (29 percent), and 

the industrial sector (18 percent). 

The education sector in Egypt has around 52 million students currently enrolled 

in the basic education system (which includes pre-school, elementary, and high 

school), and approximately 2.6 million students enrolled in higher education 

institutions including public universities, private, and higher institutions. 

Fifty percent of the population is under the age of 25. The current population of 

school-age children is approximately 11.5 million, and the gross enrollment rate is 

around 97 percent. These students are taught in about 40,000 school buildings of 

11–12 classrooms each, consisting of 355,000 classrooms nationwide. The average 

class size is 40 pupils. There is still a significant gap in infrastructure and a real 

need for at least 5,000 new schools (or no fewer than 60,000 classrooms). 

University students are served by 42 universities (29 state funded and 33 private). 

The government investment in education will be increased from 3.6 to 3.8 

percent of the GDP in the 2016–17 approved budget. The government priority 

is to upgrade facilities and equipment in order to master new technologies. The 

plan also links education to the job market by upgrading training and re-training. 

There are several vocational training centers affiliated with various ministries and 

government entities with a total training capacity of over 250,000 trainees per 

year. 
36 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

According to the Institute of International Education (IIE) the number of Egyptians going to the 

United States to study has increased 15.7 percent from 2014/2015 to 2015/2016, totaling 3,442 

students.

Current Demand

English language programs for professional development have a high market potential in 

Egypt as English is taught until high school and many Egyptians have the basic knowledge yet 

look for further development. 

There has been an increase in international schools in Egypt, reaching 185 schools as of 

January 2015, yet the demand continues to grow. Egyptian students are also interested in 

going abroad to take their full undergraduate coursework as they believe that American 

education is of the highest quality. Due to the relatively low GDP per capita and the fact 

that public universities are relatively inexpensive, the majority of Egyptian students require 

scholarships to study abroad. There is, however, high demand by the upper and upper middle 

class (around 5 percent of the population) who can afford to enroll in American universities. 

Students from such socioeconomic backgrounds already have a strong foundation in English 

and, therefore, are interested in undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Market Entry

The concentration of opportunities is centered on Cairo and Alexandria, home to most of the 

international institutions. The best market entry strategy would be to partner with a local 

education provider that has market insight and strong networking capabilities. Doing business 

in Egypt is a matter of establishing a relationship; agreements cannot be completed after only 

a single contact.

Resources

• Institute of International Education (IIE), iie.org

• Egyptian Ministry of Education , moe.gov.eg
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 37

France

Statistics

Capital: Paris

Population: 66,821,000 (est. 2016)

GDP (USD): 2.834 trillion (est. 2016)

Currency: Euro (EUR/€)

Language: French

Contact

Isabelle Singletary

Commercial Specialist

isabelle.singletary@trade.gov

+33 (0) 1 43 12 70 63

Overview

In France, the United States is known to be home to some of the world’s best 

colleges and universities. As English is the language of business and diplomacy 

in the European Union, there is growing interest in studying in English speaking 

countries, such as the United States. In the 2015/2016 academic year, 8,764 

students were studying in the United States. They brought USD 334 million to the 

U.S. economy. Accordingly, with a well thought-out strategy, U.S. schools have a 

unique opportunity to attract French students.

Market Entry

U.S. educational institutions can take advantage of the importance placed on 

English language abilities as well as the current state of the French labor market. In 

2016, the unemployment rate in France (including the French overseas territories) 

is 10.2 percent with a 23.4 percent unemployment rate for those less than 25 

years old. U.S. schools can benefit of this current employment trend which has led 

to a “race for diplomas” among French students. Studying abroad has become a 

channel for graduates to enhance their resume for future positions.

The majority of universities is public and nearly free but has become more 

crowded, owing to the lack of entrance requirements. The quality of these schools 

has suffered as a result; a degree from one of them is no guarantee of a good 

job. On the other hand, French graduates of high schools (lycées) possessing the 

wherewithal to enroll in a U.S. school may find in the near future that they have 

an easier time getting into one of America’s top 100 universities than into one of 

France’s Grandes Ecoles (the extremely competitive demands of the prestigious 

French higher education schools which produce most of France’s social elite,), 

in addition to receiving all the benefits accorded by studying in a new cultural 

environment, and in the United States in particular.
38 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

All courses are now adapted to the (new) European format, called LMD (short for “licence,” 

“maitrise,” and “doctorate”). These programs are divided in semesters and most “unités de 

valeur” (credits) are pooled among all European universities, in order to encourage students to 

accomplish part of their courses in a foreign university.

U.S. institutions may also benefit from niche opportunities:

• Second- and third-tier cities: Most U.S. colleges and universities focus their recruitment 

efforts in Paris. Recruitment efforts that include other cities in France in addition to Paris, 

particularly those with strong universities or a sister city connection generally yield 

effective results.

• E-learning: The ability to earn college credit through internet courses has been booming 

in the United States in recent years. The flexibility of taking courses via an online college 

site is an area which could be profitable for U.S. universities looking to attract French 

students eager to strengthen their resumes and diversify their studies.

• Intensive English language programs: Today, English has become an essential tool 

for French students seeking employment after graduation, a market which could be 

developed by U.S. schools.

The United States and France express their support for the Transatlantic Friendship and

Mobility Initiative promoting increased student and junior researcher mobility and exchanges. 

This initiative aims to double the number of U.S students going to France and the number of 

French students coming to the United States by 2025, and is endorsed by the Association of 

American Universities, the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities, the Institute of 

International Education, and NAFSA: Association of International Educators.

Current Demand

Best prospects include:

• Intensive “American” English language 

training programs (summer programs 

for students or adults)

• Work/study programs (internships) 

Academic summer camps 

Undergraduate and graduate degrees.

• One-year university programs for 

French high-school graduates (post 

baccalaureate), usually between 

graduation and entry into French 

university

• Programs in business administration

• Secondary boarding schools

Trade Events

• AAWE/COIS—Paris College Days, 

aaweparis.org

• l’Etudiant, letudiant.fr

• Studyrama, studyrama.com
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 39

Germany

Statistics

Capital: Berlin

Population: 80,683,250 (est. 2016)

GDP (USD): 3.371 trillion (est. 2015)

Currency: Euro (EUR/€)

Language: German

Contact

Ulrike Riegeler

Commercial Specialist

ulrike.riegeler@trade.gov

+49-69-7535-3157

Overview

Germany, with a population of 80.7 million, boasts the largest economy in the 

EU. Germans are well educated and students see gaining experience abroad 

as a key advantage when competing for employment and further educational 

opportunities. Over 90 percent of Germans study English, which is the first foreign 

language Germans learn in school. English language courses are mandatory for 

almost every German student, the degree of difficulty depending on the school 

level. English is taught in primary school starting in grade 3 or earlier. Employers 

generally prefer job applicants with international experience. 

As European universities implement the Bologna Process, which is meant to ensure 

more comparable, compatible and coherent systems of higher education in Europe 

and shift to a three-tier bachelor/master/doctorate system of education, European 

credits and degrees are becoming easier to compare with those of U.S. universities. 

However, a couple of obstacles for German students planning to study in the 

United States remain. Cost is the most frequently quoted barrier, especially since 

education in Germany is free. Also, German students who have been accepted 

into a program of study in the United States need a (student) visa before their 

departure.

Market Entry

One of the best methods for U.S. universities to attract German exchange students 

is to form a partnership with a German university. These partnership agreements 

facilitate the exchange of students and the recognition of course credits between 

the partner institutions.

Germany represents good recruitment opportunities for short term programs 

because of English language knowledge, high per capita income, ever-stronger 

business ties between the two countries, and an extremely strong secondary 

exchange program. 
40 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

The United States is an obvious destination for people looking to develop their English 

language skills. According to the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors® 2016, 

10,145 German students studied in the United States in 2015/2016.

U.S. educational institutions may work with exchange organizations in Germany such as the 

German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the Fulbright Commission, private sector 

recruiters and advisors and through the eight EducationUSA centers of the U.S. Department of 

State in Germany. There are also a number of recruitment events.

Training Services 

German companies tend to use private trainers to train employees rather than providing 

training in-house. The German Association for Coaching and Training (dvct.de), with more 

than 1,400 members, certifies training courses to evaluate and ensure quality. A significant 

difference between the U.S. and the German training services market is that contracts usually 

stipulate a fixed fee basis rather than work on commission. 

The best strategy for a U.S. company interested entering the German training services market 

is to find a German partner with whom to collaborate.

Current Demand

Study abroad is particularly attractive for German students studying law, economics, business, 

human medicine, and social sciences. More than one-third of German students prefer to study 

in an English-speaking country, with the United Kingdom and United States being the most 

popular study abroad destinations. 

It is common for German students to study abroad in high school as well as university. Most 

high school German students who study in the United States do so through a high school 

exchange program. Germany is the number one country of origin for high school exchange 

students.

Trade Events

• StudyWorld (Berlin, May 12–13, 2017), studyworld2015.com/en

• EducationUSA 2017 Fairs (Heidelberg, May 9; Hamburg, May 10; Berlin, May 12–13), 

educationusa.de/de/for-americans

• QS World MBA Tour, topmba.com/events/qs-world-mba-tour

• International College Days, collegeday.de

Resources

• Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (German Academic Exchange Service), 

daad.de/en

• Fulbright Kommission, fulbright.de
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 41

Ghana

Statistics

Capital: Accra

Population: 26,908,262

GDP (USD): 114.7 billion (est. 2015)

Currency: Ghana cedi (GHS)

Language: English

Contact

Joseph Snapp

Commercial Specialist

joseph.snapp@trade.gov

+233-30-274-1329

Overview

The United States remains the destination of choice in higher education according 

to the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors® 2016. In the 2015/2016 

academic year, the United States hosted nearly one million international students, 

almost double the number hosted by the United Kingdom, the second leading 

destination country.

Last year, the number of Ghanaians studying in the United States increased 6.3 

percent. Ghana surpassed Kenya to become the second largest sender of students 

from Africa, trailing only Nigeria. Currently, more than 3,000 Ghanaian students are 

spread among 600 universities and colleges in all 50 American states. U.S.-Ghana 

educational exchange is mutual: Ghana is a popular study abroad destination for 

Americans, as well, ranking second in Africa, after South Africa, with more than 

2,300 Americans earning credit at Ghanaian universities last year.

Market Entry

As the U.S. government works to increase the number of students from SubSaharan Africa who study in the United States, trade missions offer the opportunity 

to interact with students, learn more about their educational goals and interests, 

and share opportunities that U.S. institutions have available.

Current Demand

Africa presents a number of opportunities for U.S. institutions seeking to globalize 

their campuses. Outwardly mobile students make up 25 percent of all students on 

the African continent—the highest rate in the world. Enhancing education and 

expanding study abroad opportunities for African students—future leaders and 

innovators—better prepares young people for the 21st century global workforce 

and economic opportunities.
42 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Statistics

Population: 7,167,403 (est. 2016)

GDP (USD): 414.6 billion (est. 2015)

Currency: Hong Kong dollar (HKD)

Languages: Cantonese, English, 

Mandarin Chinese

Contact

Swee-keng Cheong

Commercial Specialist

sweekeng.cheong@trade.gov

+852 2521-5233

Overview

With 7923 Hong Kong students studying in the United States during the 

2015/2016 academic year, Hong Kong ranked as the 21st leading origin 

of international students in the United States. 66.5 percent of these are 

undergraduate students.

Hong Kong’s education system which went through major restructuring in 2009–

10, and is now more in line with the American system than the British system, i.e. 

3 years of junior secondary is followed by 3 years of senior secondary. This leads to 

the HKDSE (Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education) exams where students 

gain admission to a range of post-secondary, vocational and tertiary courses 

offered by local schools based on their examination results.

As the number of places available for undergraduate degrees is substantially 

less than the number of students who actually fulfill the entry requirements for 

university, the popular options are to study abroad, or to attain an Associate 

Degree or a Higher Diploma, and then proceed with a degree course later on. 

However, a low birth rate in Hong Kong means that the number of students 

enrolling in U.S. colleges experiences a decline.

Market Entry

Many high school graduates do believe that a U.S. education will not only boost 

their job prospects in Hong Kong, but also help them compete in the lucrative 

Asia-Pacific job market. Local parents are beginning to recognize the academic 

excellence of colleges outside the Ivy League. This is the result of an increasing 

number of American institutions attending Hong Kong education shows and 

vigorously promoting themselves to Hong Kong schools and students. Ideally, 

new-to-market schools should try to meet with high school counselors and 

students face-to-face to gain exposure and raise their profile. Word of mouth is 

also a significant factor in college choices. A growing number of colleges and 
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 43

universities are relying on their Hong Kong alumni as an additional channel to reach potential 

students as well as donors.

Hong Kong parents do employ education agents to search for appropriate schools and provide 

other related services. U.S. schools should consider partnering with several agents in Hong 

Kong who are capable of promoting their schools and recruiting students.

Current Demand

Apart from 4-year colleges, there is an expanding market for 2-year community colleges where 

admission requirements and tuition fees are comparatively lower. Hong Kong students tend to 

be more interested in community colleges with guaranteed transferable credits to universities.

Recently, there has been a small yet slowly emerging demand for high school education in 

the United States. This is partly due to a desire to opt out of a too academically focused and 

competitive education system.

Trade Events

• Education and Career Expo (February 23–26, 2017), hktdc.com/hkeducationexpo

• Hong Kong International Education Expo (May 13–14 and July 8-9, 2017), 

newayfairs.com
44 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

India

Statistics

Capital: New Delhi

Population: 1,281,054,821 (est. 2015)

GDP (USD): 7.41 trillion (est. 2014)

Currency: Indian rupee (INR)

Languages: Hindi, English

Contact

Shibu Mathews

Commercial Specialist

shibu.mathews@trade.gov

+91 11 2347 2131

Overview

The emphasis on higher education in India has never been as relevant in the 

past as it is today. This sector has grown significantly in the last two decades and 

continues to grow. The University Grants Commission (UGC) estimates there were 

40,760 colleges, 12,748 diploma-granting institutions and 711 universities offering 

a wide range of degree and diploma programs in India in 2015. These universities 

include 329 state universities (established by the state governments), 128 deemed 

universities (a status of autonomy granted to institutes/universities of excellence 

by the Department of Higher Education-DHE), 205 private universities, 46 central 

universities (established by the DHE), and several institutes of national importance, 

such as All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Indian Institute of 

Management (IIM) Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), and National Institute of 

Technology.

The UGC is the regulator providing grants, coordination and setting standards for 

higher education institutions in India. India’s higher education sector can broadly 

be divided into two segments—regulated and unregulated. Regulated education 

includes central, state and private universities, private/professional colleges, 

and technical and research institutions. Unregulated education includes online 

education, vocational training, finishing schools, professional development and 

coaching classes.

India’s higher education system is the world’s third largest in terms of enrollment 

of students (26 million) behind only China and the United States. Factors that have 

increased demand include a substantial demand/ supply gap, participation of a 

large number of private players in the education system, growth of the IT sector, 

increased demand for skilled workforce, an increased amount of FDI in India, an 

increased emphasis on innovation and online education.

India has emerged as a strong market for investment in the training and education 

sector due to its favorable demographics (young population) and being a services-
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 45

driven economy with growth in sectors such as software development, pharmaceuticals, life 

sciences and healthcare.

Market Entry

India is primarily a market for U.S. graduate institutions. Although there is an increased 

interest in undergraduate studies, limited scholarships and the high cost of education are 

major deterrents. However, with the increase of international schools in India, the interest 

in undergraduate studies is expected to increase. There is also expected to be an increased 

interest in community colleges.

A draft National Education Policy (NEP) 2015 is currently being drafted and is presently 

pending in the parliament. The new NEP will replace the thirty year old policy and is 

expected to improve cooperation between foreign and local universities. The Ministry for 

Human Resource Development (MHRD) and UGC are proposing regulations to allow foreign 

universities to set up campuses in India. In addition foreign universities may be allowed to 

repatriate profits, award degrees, introduce their own curriculum, and recruit teachers with 

unlimited salary caps.

There are several possible collaborative opportunities for non-Indian universities with Indian 

educational institutions. 

Twinning Programs

In a twinning arrangement, a student undertakes a study course at his own institute in India 

for a set period and later spends equivalent time in the overseas institution. 

Service Providers

Non-Indian niversities can enter into tie-ups with Indian educational institutions for providing 

expertise and services such as faculty for teaching, curricula, affiliations, etc.

Distance Education Programs

The e-learning or the distance education program offered by many non-Indian universities to 

Indian students who are not physically present in a traditional educational setting such as a 

classroom, using technologies like the Internet. 

Student Exchange Programs

With an intention to enhance cross cultural exposure and also provide a global perspective 

to students, the student exchange programs encourage Indian students to spend short 

time periods generally ranging from two weeks to a full term/semester at the campus of an 

overseas university.
46 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Faculty Exchange Programs

Faculty exchange programs are devised with intent to enable the teaching staff to teach or 

conduct research for short periods at the campus of the counterpart university/college. This 

option benefits the faculty by providing exposure to a varied culture as well as an opportunity 

to exchange ideas and observe a variety of styles in a different setting. 

Joint Research Programs

The purpose of these programs is to advance collaborative research between non-Indian 

universities and Indian Institutes while providing opportunities for young researchers to hone 

their skills. 

Representatives and Recruiters

Setting up entity in India/entering into arrangements with Indian parties for assistance with 

student recruitment activities, where the objective is to counsel students from India and 

encourage them to enroll with the university overseas.

Current Demand

In the 2015/2016 academic year, 165,918 students (including both graduate and 

undergraduate) from India were studying in the United States. Students from India make 

up approximately 15.9 percent of the total foreign student population in the United States, 

making India second only to China for the number of students studying in the United States. 

Of the 165,918 India students studying in the United States, 61.4 percent are graduate 

students, 11.6 percent are undergraduate students, 1.5 percent enroll in other programs and 

25.5 percent are classified as pursuing Optional Practical Training (OPT). There has been a 

substantial increase of students studying engineering, computer science and business, but also 

pursuing health and life sciences.

The number of Indian students in the United States is more than double what it was 16 years 

ago and continues to grow. According to the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors® 

2016, the number of Indian students in the United States rose by 25 percent in 2015/2016. 

There has been a steady increase in student visa applications. Recent U.S. Embassy figures 

estimate there has been a 25 percent increase in student visa approvals in the last year despite 

extra financial burdens imposed by rupee devaluation.

Education and Skill Development

The Education and Skill development sector includes industrial training, professional courses, 

and vocational education apart from higher education. Skill development is industry oriented 

training aimed at immediate employment and earning. 

In India, education and skill development sector is structured under two independent 

ministries. The Ministry of Human Resource and Development is associated with the 

conventional education system. Primary Education, Secondary Education, Higher Secondary 
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 47

and Higher education sector is regulated by this ministry. Industry oriented training and 

education is supervised by the Ministry of Labor and Employment. Industrial Training Institute 

and other vocational education programs are maintained under the ambit of this ministry. 

Additionally, a number of commissions and agencies such as All India Council of Technical 

Education (AICTE) and UGC are dedicated for higher education in the country. 

Since India’s current education system does not adequately provide vocational and 

employment-ready skills, a significant portion of organizational training budgets, even at 

leading IT services companies, are focused on entry-level skill building. 

Prime Minister’s National Skill Development Council is in charge of devising and reviewing 

policies related to the skill development sector. The government’s skilling initiatives are 

entirely focused on imparting employability-related skills for millions of working-age youth. 

The National Skill Policy was devised in 2009 to set a target to impart skill development 

training to 500 million Indians by 2022. The Council will be assisted by the National Skill 

Development Coordination Board. The Board is setup on a Public Private Partnership model 

in order to help formulate skills development policies and programs. It also evaluates and 

monitors the outcomes of such programs. The agency planned to establish 1500 new Industrial 

Training Institutes and 5000 skill development centers. 

The National Vocational Education Qualification Framework (NVEQF) is also currently being 

formed in order to develop an integrated skill development infrastructure. This framework is 

for affiliations and accreditation of vocational education and training systems

Trade Events

• Linden international recruitment fairs in India (January 11–22, 2017), bit.ly/1DThxhw

• The MBA tour (February 4–9. 2017), bit.ly/2i3QLAk

• ISN education fairs (February 6–12, 2017), bit.ly/2i3RscN

Resources

• All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE), www.aicte-india.org

• Association of Indian Universities (AIU), aiuweb.org

• Medical Council of India (MCI), mciindia.org

• Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), mhrd.gov.in

• National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), naac.gov.in

• National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), ncert.nic.in

• National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), nos.org

• United States–India Educational Foundation, usief.org.in

• University Grants Commission (UGC), www.ugc.ac.in
48 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Indonesia

Statistics

Capital: Jakarta

Population: 255,993,674 (est. 2015)

GDP (USD): 888.6 billion (est. 2014)

Currency: Indonesian Rupiah (IDR)

Languages: Indonesian, English, 

Dutch, others

Contact

Yulie Tanuwidjaja

Commercial Specialist

yulie.tanuwidjaja@trade.gov

+62-21 526-2850

Overview

Indonesia is the world’s fourth most populous country and third-largest 

democracy. It is an archipelago comprised of over 17,500 islands and is home to 

256 million people, 87 percent of whom identify as Muslims, making it the world’s 

largest Muslim-majority nation on earth.

The population is dominated by a young generation; close to 50 percent of who 

are younger than 30 years old. The country’s middle class is growing rapidly 

and is the biggest in Southeast Asia. The number of families with household 

income exceeding USD 10,000 is expected to double by 2020, while the average 

disposable income is expected to increase 3 to 5 percent annually.

Indonesia has compulsory education that lasts 9 years from age 7 to age 16 years 

old. The primary to post-secondary education the academic year begins in July 

and ends in June. The Indonesian school system is immense and diverse with 

over 50 million students and 3 million teachers in more than 250,000 schools 

throughout the archipelago. Yet, there is still a lot of room for growth, especially 

for higher education institutions; the market is far from saturated. Based on data 

on Indonesian education statistics, the number of university students was about 6 

million in 2014 and is projected to grow over the next 5 years.

Universities in Indonesia are largely private sector. The number of universities 

reached 3,280 schools in 2014, with 99 state schools and 3,181 private schools. 

There are three ministries that supervise and organize the entire system: the 

Ministry of Education oversees state primary, junior and secondary schools; the 

Ministry of Religious Affairs has control of Islamic schools and other religious 

schools; and the Ministry of Research and Technology is responsible for universities 

and polytechnics.
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 49

In the 2015/2016 academic years, 8,727 students from Indonesia were studying in the United 

States (up 6.6 percent from the previous year). Indonesia is the nineteenth leading place 

of origin of students studying in the United States. Over 96 percent of all student visas are 

granted by the U.S. Embassy in Indonesia, and 95 percent of Indonesians studying abroad are 

self-funded. This group of students finances their education privately with financial support 

from their parents or assistance from overseas relatives. The remaining five percent of students 

are financed by local universities, companies, government, and scholarships through 

different grants.

High School 

There are two types of high schools in Indonesia: SMA (Sekolah Menengah Atas) and SMK 

(Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan). SMA students are prepared to continue getting higher 

education, while SMK, as a vocational school, prepares its students to work after finishing 

their school without getting higher education. There are many International Schools in 

Indonesia. International Schools adopt an international curriculum such as IB (International 

Baccalaureate) or CIE (Cambridge International Examinations).

Market Entry

Indonesia is a huge potential market for U.S. providers of secondary, tertiary, and vocational 

education. The Indonesian government has made a clear commitment to education. The 

government has taken steps toward education reforms and greater investment in education 

in recent years. Significant increases in government spending have led to real gains in terms 

of secondary enrollment, and the number of higher education students has doubled over 

five years. This equates to an increase in the number and quality of students seeking postsecondary education opportunities.

A recent survey conducted by a leading Indonesian newspaper shows that most students 

perceive academic institutions in the United States as offering the highest quality of education 

compared to academic institutions in other countries. The United States has consistently been 

a desired destination for Indonesian students seeking to study overseas.

U.S. universities and community colleges can become more visible in the Indonesian 

market through participation in education fairs, including the U.S. Department of State’s 

EducationUSA Fairs and/or by working with educational consultants. Educational consultants 

are very popular with prospective Indonesian students and their parents as they serve as 

“one-stop-shops” for applying to schools and provide services such as assisting with visa 

applications and arranging travel and accommodations.
50 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

To compete with other countries which offer lower tuition fees, universities are participating 

in “1+1” or “1+3” or “2+2” programs which enable students to apply credits from the years 

of study at a local university towards an undergraduate degree at a U.S. university. Studying 

at U.S. Community Colleges has also become an increasingly popular option for Indonesian 

students. Some 40 percent of Indonesians applying for student visas to the United States 

have been accepted at a community college, and half of the top 10 school destinations are 

community colleges.

Main Competitors

For the past 10 years, U.S. institutions have been losing significant market share to rivals due 

to high cost of tuitions/fees at U.S. institution. Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, UK, Japan, New 

Zealand and Korea have aggressively promoted their education programs in Indonesia.

Australia is the number one choice for Indonesians abroad, largely due to geographic 

proximity, perceived institutional quality, and English-medium instruction. Australian 

Educational International reports that there were 19,300 Indonesians studying in Australia 

for the 2015, it grew 7.9 percent from 2014. The majorities are represented from higher 

education and vocational education and training (VET) enrollments comprised strong growth 

in hospitality (36 percent), science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (14 percent).

New Zealand, China, Malaysia and Singapore have joined forces with each other in announcing 

their intention to attract more Indonesian students. China, in particular, increased scholarships 

in the country after witnessing a 42 percent enrollment surge at its universities in 2007–09. 

Malaysia became the secondmost popular destination for Indonesian students in 2010, which 

is reflective of an Indonesian focus on affordability and cultural similarities.

Current Demand

In 2016, the top five U.S. majors for Indonesian students were:

• Business/management (31.1 percent)

• Engineering (17.1 percent)

• Life science (7 percent)

• Math and Computer Science 

(5.6 percent)

• Health (1.9 percent)

The Indonesian government is planning to improve the current vocational education system 

with multiple skill certificates, in which vocational school students can earn certificates after 

completing training courses in addition to their high school graduation diploma. This system 

could speed up the process of workforce employment.
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 51

Data from the Education and Culture Ministry shows that Indonesia currently has more than 

13,000 vocational schools, each of which specialize in one of several fields, including tourism, 

business, maritime industries and machinery. The Indonesian government also has invited 

business players to contribute in an expanded role to shape the curriculum and set the skill 

standards relevant to the demands of the job market.

Business players are also expected to provide internship opportunities and on-site training 

programs for both students and teachers. There may be opportunities for U.S. vocational 

schools to partner with Indonesian vocational schools to support the development of 

curriculum and establish a presence in Indonesia. In addition, U.S. vocational schools may 

enjoy increasing appeal as opportunities to gain overseas education and employment 

experience.
52 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Israel

Statistics

Population: 8,174,527 (est. 2016)

GDP (USD): 281.9 billion (est. 2015)

Currency: Israeli new shekel (ILS)

Languages: Hebrew (official), Arabic

Contact

Alan Wielunski

Commercial Specialist

alan.wielunski@trade.gov

+972-3-519-8526

Overview

At the commencement of the 2015/2016 academic year, there were 260,578 

students enrolled in the sixty-five institutions of higher education in Israel. The 

breakdown includes 191,691 undergraduate (73.6 percent), 56,600 graduate (21.7 

percent), 878 Ph.D. (4.2 percent), and 1,409 diploma students (0.5 percent). The 

growth rate has slowed down to less than 4 percent annually in the last decade, 

compared to 8 percent a year in the 1990s, as higher education has become more 

accessible to the general public.

The Council for Higher Education (CHE) accredits all new institutions and programs 

and authorizes them to award academic degrees. The growing number of 

students entering private colleges has changed the landscape of the Israeli higher 

education system. growth in the student population has led to the establishment 

of new colleges to meet the demand of qualified students. These colleges are 

accredited and must offer the same standard of education provided by state 

universities. Undergraduate students are entering these institutions in everincreasing numbers (66 percent), thereby allowing the seven public universities 

to focus more on graduate and research level studies. Today, institutions of higher 

education in Israel include seven state universities, one open-university, 36 

academic colleges (seven regional colleges associated with universities, 29 other 

regional colleges) and 21 teacher training colleges. Also, there are 12 institutions 

that offer diploma-level programs that are recognized by the Ministry of 

Education, 11 art schools, and 59 technological colleges. In 2015, revenues of the 

top 20 local universities and community colleges exceeded USD 2 billion. Around 

thirty foreign universities run local campuses in Israel.

Market Entry

Today, attention in Israel has turned to secondary study and relevant accreditation: 

degree, diploma, or certificate. Israelis are looking to broaden their horizons both 
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 53

professionally and personally and are investigating opportunities to study abroad. According 

to the OECD, Israel is the second most educated country in the world, which suggests that 

it is home to prospective international students of the highest quality. Also, Israel has the 

second highest number of GMAT takers per capita of any country in the world, and provides 

the seventh largest number of takers of any country in the world, ahead of France and 

Germany. Best prospects for U.S. educational institutions are to offer a degree integrated with 

practical work experience. In 2015/2016 there were 2,343 Israeli students studying in the 

United States—663 undergraduate, 1,190 graduate, 160 non-degree, and 330 OPT—which 

represented a 1.1 percent decline from the year prior.

Current Demand

Courses of Study

Israeli students typically apply for law, psychology, medicine, and veterinary medicine, 

engineering and fields that are not offered as BAs in Israel such as hotel administration, 

advertising, art and therapy. Short-term or non-degree study includes fields such as English 

language, culinary arts, sound engineering, jazz or acting, architecture and institutions offering 

sports scholarships. Popular majors include: business administration, law, clinical psychology, 

industrial/organizational psychology, culinary arts, film, music, video editing, advertising, East 

Asian studies, international relations, computer sciences, engineering, architecture, social 

work, mass communications, pre-med, and life sciences. Increasingly popular is ecology, 

environmental sciences, make-up artistry, image consulting, drug and substance abuse 

counseling, and various expressive therapies.

Exchange Programs and Cooperative Agreements

In recent years there has been a growing trend by U.S. schools to sign cooperative agreements 

with selected Israeli universities and colleges in an effort to attract graduate and post-doctoral 

students to their institutions and to work on collaborative research and development projects 

in areas of common interest.

Energy Sector Workforce Requirements for Israel

Israel’s offshore natural gas reserves are estimated to be around 30 trillion cubic feet; however 

the nation has little formal or vocational education programs to rapidly and efficiently develop 

this resource. This creates an opportunity for educators to train these individuals. Universities 

offering degree programs focused on hydrocarbon development at both the undergraduate 

and graduate level, can capitalize on this opportunity.
54 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Japan

Statistics

Capital: Tokyo

Population: 126,702,133 (est. 2016)

GDP (USD): 4.2 trillion (est. 2015)

Currency: Yen (JPY/¥)

Language: Japanese

Contact

Kazuko Tsurumachi

Commercial Assistant

kazuko.tsurumachi@trade.gov

+81-3-3224-5049

Overview

Education

During the 2015/2016 school year, Japan had the ninth highest population of 

students studying in the United States. Japanese students studying in institutions 

of higher learning in the United States accounted for 19,060 students, and 

contributed more than USD 620 million to the U.S. economy through their 

expenditures on tuition and living expenses. 

Japan was the leading sender of students to the United States in the late 90’s, 

during which over 47,000 students from Japan studied in the United States. Since 

2009, the number of Japanese students studying in the United States has more 

or less stayed the same. The United States has been, and still is, the most popular 

overseas destination for Japanese students. 

However, the number of college age individuals in Japan has steadily decreased 

since 1992 due to the declining birth rate. While numbers are now stable, a return 

to 90’s figures is unlikely given that there are far fewer college aged students, and 

more challenging economic circumstances to fund study abroad. More institutions 

are fighting for the same small group of students and the students have a range 

of options to choose from. New entrants need to have programs customized to 

the tastes of Japanese students and marketing materials and customer service in 

Japanese. 

Training

According to Yano Research, the training service market increased by 2.3 percent 

from the previous year to USD 5 billion in 2015 and steady demand is expected 

in the employee training service market over the next few years. Sales are mainly 

from new employee training programs through various business-related programs 

such as business practices, IT skills, technical training, and foreign languages. 
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 55

These numbers should not automatically be linked to potential for English programs as this 

could be misleading. Few companies have made comprehensive and continuous investments 

in programs to maintain or encourage higher English proficiency. While the concept of 

globalization and improving English skills is understood to be important, the allocation of 

financial resources and incentives have not followed. This makes it a challenge for working 

professionals to truly invest the time and energy in learning and/or improving their English 

skills. 

This is coupled with the fact that Japan has been in a long-term economic stagnation since 

the bubble burst in the early 90’s. Japanese firms cut outside training/education costs, and 

started funding fewer employees for executive education abroad. English will certainly be 

a skill Japanese continue to invest in, but mostly through cheaper options such as online 

lessons. Without a clear connection between English skills and promotions or international 

assignments, a strong incentive system is not in place and employees are unlikely to put aside 

time from their already full schedules to acquire a new skill. 

Market Entry

Education

The internationalization of Japanese education is one of the major priorities of the Japanese 

government. The Japanese government is promoting measures to facilitate study abroad 

participation from the viewpoint of global human resource development, vitalization of 

personnel interchanges with foreign universities, and globalization of the traditional insular 

Japanese society. There are potential opportunities for U.S. colleges and universities that can 

market attractive short term program offerings to Japanese students. Showing direct benefit 

and connection to career success is key in encouraging students to make study in the United 

States decisions. Featuring successful alumni in marketing materials will also be effective, and 

all such materials should be in Japanese. 

Training

There are some market opportunities for U.S. programs which have unique offerings, a strong 

track record, and have been localized for the Japanese market. Some Japanese firms, especially 

larger corporations, may be hesitant to purchase products and services directly from overseas 

suppliers. U.S. companies may need to partner with local companies, such as consulting 

companies and placement firms, which often service the training and/or workforce needs of 

Japanese companies. Entrants should be aware of the popularity of online English lessons, 

offered by companies based in Asia, with prices that are extremely challenging to compete 

with. Such companies have saturated the market making it difficult for new entrants to 

compete as they also must compete with the legacy English schools offering similar services. 
56 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Current Demand

Education

With the announcement of the 2020 Olympics and Prime Minister Abe’s commitment to 

double the number of bilateral exchanges between U.S. and Japan by 2020, interest in learning 

English has risen. 

In 2015, the TeamUp Initiative was launched by the U.S.–Japan Bridging Foundation to 

encourage U.S.-Japan institutional education partnerships. teamup-usjapan.org features 

success stories in institutional exchanges and matchmaking features for institutions looking for 

partners.

In 2016, the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan began a pilot Internship Program, 

creating a website listing companies looking for bilingual talent, specifically Japanese students 

who had studied abroad. The Chamber intends to have a website that lists such internship 

opportunities to serve as a reference point for students returning from studying abroad.

At the 2016, EducationUSA Expo in Tokyo, Ambassador Kennedy launched a new Embassy 

video series titled “A Broader View.” The site features interviews from famous alumni that have 

studied in the United States including athletes, celebrities, politicians, and Prime Minister 

Abe. The website will eventually have an option for students to submit their own stories upon 

returning from studying abroad. 

In recruiting Japanese students, one must be perceptive of the fact that official English 

education commences later in Japan than in other Asian countries. Japanese students can start 

3 to 4 years later than their Chinese and Korean counterparts. English education focuses more 

on grammar and reading, and one would be surprised at the average English proficiency skills 

of a new Japanese applicant. Universities with relaxed English proficiency requirements would 

be more attractive to Japanese students as an entrance point. 

It would also be helpful to feature successful alumni in college brochures, especially those who 

have returned to Japan, to effectively show the benefits of studying in the United States. For 

new programs from universities not recognized in Japan, Japanese marketing materials are a 

must. 

• Bridge programs from ESL classes directly into universities.

• Short term intensive ESL programs.

• Relaxed TOEFL score requirement.

• Service learning and/or volunteer activities to gain resume enhancing experience.

• Tailored short term programs with airport transfers, lodging, and logistics all included.
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 57

Training

In 2015, a set price and all-you-can-do training courses have been preferred among Japanese 

companies. Training content needs to be localized for the Japanese market and often requires 

customized training that fit the unique needs of each company. 

As for English training, low cost options have become popular. Japanese companies are 

selecting closer locations such as Philippines to study English because of the benefits of cost 

performance. There are many language/education companies in Japan that offer a wide range 

of classes and services for a set price. A variety of online English lesson options have also 

entered the market, offering cheap and convenient alternatives to actual study abroad.

Trade Events

• Educational IT Solutions EXPO (May 17–19, 2017), edix-expo.jp/en

• Ryugaku Journal World Study Abroad Fair (May 22, 2017), ryugaku.co.jp/spot/worldfair

• EducationUSA EXPO (September 2017), americaexpo.jp/for-us-institutions

• The Association of Boarding Schools Fair (October 2017), boardingschools.com/tokyo

Resources

• TeamUp, teamup-usjapan.org

• Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO), www.jasso.go.jp/index_e.html

• Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, 

www.mext.go.jp/english
58 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Kazakhstan

Statistics

Capital: Astana

Population: 18,157,122 (est. 2015)

GDP (USD): 420 billion (est. 2014)

Currency: Kazakhstani tenge (KZT)

Languages: Kazakh (official), Russian

Contact

Aliya Shaikhina

Commercial Specialist

aliya.shaikhina@trade.gov

+7 (727) 250 76 12 x6491

Overview

Education

Ninety percent of the population completes secondary education or beyond. Both 

the government and the population value higher education. Since Kazakhstan’s 

independence in 1991, its people have taken increasing advantage of studying 

overseas, with around 48,875 students choosing to study outside of Kazakhstan. 

At the moment, 477,387 students are enrolled into higher education institutions 

in Kazakhstan. There are 126 universities nationwide. The range of tuition fees in 

Kazakhstan is from USD 1,000 to 15,000 per year, primarily at U.S.-style, Englishlanguage universities. About 70 percent of the students are self-funded and 

approximately 30 percent are on state scholarships.

The local government intends to “optimize” higher education in Kazakhstan 

by limiting the number of higher educational institutions to 100, down from 

150 (mostly private) universities through mergers, downgrading, and closures. 

This reform tightens licensing regulations and qualification requirements for 

universities to insure programs correspond to international standards. 

124,346 students graduated from high-school in 2015, and the number will rise to 

around 200-250,000 students forecast to graduate annually by 2020. So, just as the 

government of Kazakhstan reduces the number of universities, an unprecedented 

number of students will enter the market, creating opportunity for U.S. institutions 

with ties to Kazakhstan.

Since 2011, the Bolashak (“Future”) scholarship program has provided scholarships 

for Master’s and PhD programs. The most popular countries for study under the 

program are the UK, U.S., and Russia. Of the 229 educational institutions with 

Bolashak agreements, 47 are in the U.S. Academic Mobility Scholarship—another 

program introduced in 2011, aims to support 300 students in state or national 

universities to complete part of their graduate degrees abroad at an institutional 

partner university. 
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 59

Currently, fewer than 10 percent of potential Kazakhstani applicants are studying in the United 

States. Out of 48,875 students studying overseas, 70 percent are self-funded. In 2015/2016, 

1,935 students from Kazakhstan went to the United States, with 58.1 percent studying at a 

Bachelor’s level.

In August 2015, the government decided to let the currency float, leading to a sharp 

devaluation versus the U.S. Dollar. In spite of this, demand for education abroad is stable, albeit 

in a slowdown and a search for less expensive study options.

Training

Training services offered by consulting companies have become more sophisticated and new 

areas such as management consulting, audits to IAS, GAAP and National standards, HR and IT 

consulting, manufacturing consulting, strategic planning, and other professional services have 

appeared, reflecting the market developments and emerging needs of local businesses. Many 

international consulting industry giants and small businesses have entered the market, which 

offers an opportunity for more U.S. companies to penetrate the market with their services. 

International consulting companies, especially the “Big Four” corporations—Deloitte & Touche, 

Ernst & Young, KPMG, and PricewaterhouseCoopers are largely represented in Kazakhstan. 

Booz Allen Hamilton used to conduct their activities on a project-by-project basis; however, 

they have fully established offices in Astana and Almaty. Franklin Covey opened their office 

in 2010 on a license. Dale Carnegie established their office in March 2013 via a franchise 

agreement.

Market Entry

Education

Networks are key resources to successfully enter the country and recruit effectively. These 

include education agents and institutional alliances that cooperate with school guidance 

counselors. This market is an agent-driven market and there are a number of qualified 

educational agencies that operate on the territory of Kazakhstan. A proper due diligence is 

recommended before establishing partnership relations. 

Other activities, such as visiting schools, attending student fairs, holding seminars, and 

advertising campaigns, have become effective and important for recruitment. College 

guidebooks and catalogs are another way to introduce students from Kazakhstan to U.S. 

educational institutions. Parents as a target are an important segment of the market. 

Marketing materials need to be created to speak to parents. Internet and social networks are 

rapidly growing in Kazakhstan. The number of national users is approaching 10 million people.

Training services

A major share of solvent customers of international consulting firms now in Kazakhstan 

includes national companies, second-tier local banks, companies with foreign capital, and 

leading export-oriented giants.
60 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Current Demand

Education

Education technology, boarding schools, technical and vocational education, English-language 

courses, and higher education are highlights for demand in this market. Per capita income of 

USD 11,670 and a large disposable income of its population make Kazakhstan an attractive 

market for the U.S. education sector. From 2008 through 2015, the number of students going 

to the United States increased from 1,456 to 1,935. Unlike the rest of Central Asia, Kazakhstan’s 

per-capita GDP has risen in the last five years, creating a burgeoning pool of middle- and 

upper-class youth eager to travel and study abroad. In addition, government policy has 

facilitated this by dramatically increasing English-language education nationwide over the 

past decade. Higher education is not fine-tuned in order to reflect more accurately the needs 

of the labor market. Major multinationals regularly noted a “skills gap,” with an insufficient 

supply of up-to-date technicians, engineers, scientists and professional managers, which 

might mean an increasing demand in education for related degrees.

Training

The most demanded training services include management soft skills, English language skills 

as well as technical training for the oil and banking sectors, e.g. international accounting 

standards or reservoir engineers. Specialists note growing demand for training services and 

HR management skills development for mid-level managers. This market potential is also 

estimated as prospective and is associated with the development of small and medium size 

companies engaged in the B2B sector.

Some experts believe that at present the role of strategic management is underestimated by 

private businesses in Kazakhstan, and predict that demand for these services will reach its 

peak within two or three years. At present, major consumers of strategic services are national 

companies undergoing frequent changes and requiring solutions on team restructuring, 

optimization and evaluation.

Trade Events

• Begin Edu Fair (February 16–22, 2017), bit.ly/1U3alp1

• A2 Education Fair (February 26–March 1, 2017), a2fairs.com

• Kazakhstan International Exhibition “Education and Career” (April 6–8, 2017), 

eduexpo.kz/en

Resources

• Kazakhstan Ministry of Education and Science, edu.gov.kz/en

• Bolashak Scholarship Program, bolashak.gov.kz
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 61

Kenya

Statistics

Capital: Nairobi

Population: 45,925,301

GDP (USD): 133 billion (est. 2014)

Currency: Shilling (KES)

Languages: English, Swahili

Contact

Catherine Malinda

Commercial Specialist

catherine.malinda@trade.gov

234-1-460 3400 x3807

Overview

In the past two decades, Kenya has dramatically improved exposure to education 

but still has a long way to go. While the amount of children left out of primary 

school has halved since 1999, there are still 1 million children without access to it. 

Prior to independence, education was the responsibility of various communities, 

NGOs and church organizations. However, in the years since independence, the 

government has taken a much larger role and share of the financial cost and made 

primary education compulsory for children between the ages of six and thirteen. 

The number of primary schools has risen from 6,058 in 1963 to more than 30,000 

in 2010 and the number of secondary schools was last reported being 7,308 in 

2010. As a result, more children, especially girls, are given the opportunity to 

pursue an education. 

The government of Kenya has recognized the importance of education in 

economic and social prosperity. Primary and secondary education is free in Kenya 

and the focus has shifted to the quantity and quality of these institutions as well 

as reducing indirect costs associated with education. Indirect costs for children 

attending secondary schools are almost twice as high compared to children 

attending primary schools. Many families have difficulty affording travel, book, 

and school supply fees which has significantly dropped enrollment in secondary 

education to 51.6 percent compared to 84 percent in primary education. 

Post-secondary education is also on the rise. There are 39 established universities 

in Kenya, many of which are public. The government of Kenya has supported 

programs that offer interest free loans for prospective students enabling them to 

pay for their education. The students receiving these loans are obligated to return 

them once employed so the government can continue providing to more students. 

As a result of increasingly inexpensive quality educational opportunities locally, 

the number of Kenyans leaving the country to pursue education elsewhere has 

decreased. In 2003, there were approximately 7,000 students from Kenya studying 
62 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

in the United States. According to the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors® 2016, 

there are 3,019 Kenyan students studying in the United States. Of those students, 1,646 are 

undergraduate, 909 are graduate, 384 are OPT, and 80 study in non-degree programs.

Education is highly important in Kenya as it provides significantly more opportunity for 

financial independence and social mobility. As it becomes more widespread, the benefits of an 

educated workforce will be seen throughout the country. 

Market Entry

There are a number of highly prestigious private universities in Kenya that are based off of and 

partnered with U.S education systems with the aim of preparing students for employment or 

continuing education in the United States. Additionally, custom training programs for specific 

skills or industries is highly sought after largely due to it being inexpensive compared to 

pursuing a full degree.

Current Demand

Kenyan students are primarily attracted to U.S. professional training and post-secondary 

education degree programs.
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 63

Korea, Republic of

Statistics

Capital: Seoul

Population: 53,675,563

GDP (USD): 707.1 billion (est. 2014)

Currency: S. Korean won (KRW)

Languages: Korean, English

Contact

Young Hee Koo

Commercial Specialist

younghee.koo@trade.gov

(822) 397-4396

Overview

While a very tough market for a number of reasons, there are good 

opportunities—If U.S. educational entities are prepared to meet a highly 

sophisticated, demanding, and brand-oriented market. Regardless of the smaller 

market size, students from South Korea make up the third highest population of 

international students studying in the United States, with an estimated population 

of 90,000 students. Overseas education has become a standard in South Korea 

and parents are willing to spend a large portion of their income on education, 

expecting high future returns

From about 2008 to 2014, the Korean educational market changed fairly 

dramatically, and it is continuing to evolve. What it takes to attract Korean students 

and penetrate the dynamic and highly saturated Korean education market is to 

approach with an on-going and growing relationship with Korea, with Korean 

students, their schools, and with Korean parents.

Market Entry

Korea’s dynamic and constantly evolving education market is best characterized 

by the speed and power of the information that flows by word-of-mouth referrals. 

Koreans prefer educational entities that have a long-term commitment to Korea 

and its students. Building people-to-people networks through alumni advocacy 

as well as developing and broadening exchange programs, which could, in turn, 

raise the profile of the U.S. institution, definitely helps U.S. schools attract Korean 

students to the United States.
64 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Current Demand

• Long-term undergraduate and graduate programs are considered the best value.

• One or two semester exchange programs that incorporate other value-added 

components such as internships have gained popularity.

• Recently more Korean students are employing strategies to study at a community college 

before transferring to a 4-year college.

• Private primary and secondary education—despite the decline of Korea’s youth 

population, Korea continues to be a reliable source of international students.

Resources

• Ministry of Education (MOE), english.moe.go.kr

• Fulbright (Korean-American Educational Commission), fulbright.or.kr/xe/index

• Korea Overseas Studying Association (KOSA), kosaworld.org
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 65

Kuwait

Statistics

Capital: Kuwait City 

Population: 2,788,534

GDP (USD): 282.6 billion (est. 2014)

Currency: Kuwaiti dinar (KWD)

Languages: Arabic (official), English

Contact

Xavier Muthu

Commercial Specialist

xavier.muthu@trade.gov

(965) 2259-14567

Summary

An oil-rich market, Kuwait spends heavily to improve its education systems to 

prepare its increasing number of youth entering the competitive job market in 

the private-sector. On the infrastructure side, Kuwait has spent USD 1.14 billion 

to upgrade educational facilities in Kuwait which includes USD 882 million to 

rebuild old schools and create new facilities. On the education services side, the 

Ministry of Higher Education announced in 2014 an additional 1500 overseas 

scholarships for Kuwaiti students in the coming academic year, bringing the total 

number to 6000 scholarships each year. The uptick in scholarships is meant to 

address the volume of high school graduates seeking higher education abroad. 

This scholarship program covers up to 100 educational disciplines including 89 

scientific disciplines, literary as well as interdisciplinary ones. There is a move afoot 

to emphasize certain disciplines, specifically dentistry, nursing and pharmacy due 

to urgent demand. U.S. universities targeting Kuwaiti students have to approach 

the Cultural Office at Kuwait Embassy in Washington, DC to be part of its preapproved list of universities. Universities must meet the specific criteria of the 

Cultural Office of the Kuwait Embassy in order to be included on the pre-approved 

list of universities for Kuwaitis. 

According to the latest Human Development Index report, Kuwait ranked fifth 

in the GCC and 54th in the world. With literacy rates above 93 percent, Kuwait 

ranks among the highest in the Arab world. This is partly attributed to Kuwait’s 

progressive education policy that encompasses all children, including 

special needs.

In total there are approximately 1250 public schools and private educational 

institutions. The Ministry of Education (MOE) has begun to revamp its entire 

curriculum starting at the primary school level. The project is to be phased in 

over a period of five years and will cover all subjects, from social sciences to 

mathematics and science. Industry experts expect the demand for training 

programs in a variety of fields will increase due to Kuwait’s multi-billion dollar 
66 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

national development plan. On the information communication technology (ICT) side, the 

Ministry strives to incorporate the latest technology to empower schools to raise the level 

of ICT literacy. For example, in 2011, the MOE signed a Memorandum of Understanding 

(MOU) with Hewlett-Packard (HP), underscoring the government’s long-term commitment 

to enhancing the role of technology in education. The MOE would work with HP to advance 

teaching skills though professional development opportunities; this will strengthen the 

integration of technology in K–12 schools. Out of the 20 international schools, four are 

affiliated U.S. schools and the rest follow Canadian, British, French, or Indian curricula with 

English speaking programs.

There are nine universities in Kuwait in total. Kuwait University, the only public university, 

graduates 4000 students from a variety of programs each academic year. The other universities 

are private, e.g., American University of Kuwait, Box Hill College, and Gulf University of Science 

and Technology, to name a few. 

On the vocational and non-degree training side, there is high demand. The Ministry of 

Defense contracts with a foreign language institute to offer English language instruction to 

its personnel. The Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) delivers various training 

programs for the private and government sectors. The Public Authority for Applied Education 

and Training provides programs for graduates seeking employment at government ministries, 

departments, and agencies.

According to industry sources, the government of Kuwait has created a USD 5.6 billion 

education market that is strong, steady, and offers many opportunities for U.S universities and 

suppliers of products and services. The United States leads the pack with roughly 20 percent 

market share, followed by Japan, the U.K and other Far East countries. U.S. products are highly 

respected by the Ministry of Education, but companies seeking business here have to be 

competitive, flexible, and well-connected to compete for government projects. 

Market Entry

The U.S. Embassy in Kuwait places significant emphasis on the promotion of U.S. education 

and training institutions. The Embassy regularly promotes various education shows, including 

the American Education Expo, EduCare Expo, America-Mideast Educational and Training 

Services, Inc. (AMIDEAST), and Linden Tour. The Embassy also provides advice and counseling 

to students on applying to regionally-accredited U.S. education institutions.

Current Demand

The best prospects and services in the Kuwait education sector are ESL and TOEFL programs, 

and Certified Programs such as Executive Trainings, Management Trainings, IT Trainings, 

Security Training and Ongoing Professional Development. 

Undergraduate, pharmacology, engineering, dentistry, and management degrees are also a 

primary focus for Kuwaiti students looking to study abroad.
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 67

Malaysia

Statistics

Capital: Kuala Lumpur

Population: 30,513,848 (est. 2015)

GDP (USD): 769.4 billion (est. 2014)

Currency: Malaysian ringgit (MYR)

Language: Bahasa Malaysia (official)

Contact

Joanne Looi

Commercial Specialist 

joanne.looi@trade.gov

+603-2168 5048

Overview

Malaysia is ranked 22nd in the total number of students sent to the United States 

for higher education. According to the Institute of International Education’s Open 

Doors® 2016, there were 7,834 Malaysian students studying in the United States, a 

year-on-year increase of 8 percent. The majority of the Malaysian students in the 

United States study at the undergraduate level; 70.3 percent are undergraduate, 

15.3 percent graduate students, 1.7 percent other, and 12.7 percent OPT.

The primary source of funding for Malaysian students is personal and family. 

Malaysian students are generally known to be good and serious students. As a 

result, they typically are able to gain U.S. academic scholarships, either upon entry 

or soon after. The secondary source of funding for Malaysian students is Malaysian 

government and private corporation scholarships. There are access criteria to 

the secondary source of funding. Successful Malaysian government scholarship 

applicants must be accepted into TIMEs Higher Education (T.H.E.) World University 

Ranking Top 100 schools in order to have access to these funds. (T.H.E. is part of 

the Thomson Reuters group.) Due to continued commercial diplomacy efforts 

from the U.S. government, the Malaysian government is willing to explore other 

alternatives in addition to the Top 100 T.H.E. ranking education institutions. 

Top international education destinations for Malaysian students other than the 

United States are Australia, the United Kingdom, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, China, 

Taiwan, Russia, New Zealand, India, Netherlands and Japan, with the vast majority 

going to Australia and the U.K.

Market Entry

Malaysia aspires to be a regional and international education hub. Towards this 

end, the Malaysian government is strongly encouraging international education 

partnerships and collaboration and is also pushing the Malaysian public and 

private higher education institutions to become more research oriented. Twinning 
68 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

between Malaysian and foreign institutions (2+2 [i.e. two years in Malaysia followed by two 

years study in the United States], 3+1, and 4+0], and foreign education institution branch 

campuses are various forms of collaboration opportunities.

Current Demand

Traditionally, the three main fields of studies for Malaysian students to the United States 

are business, engineering and computer science. In recent years, there is marked interest 

in a specific field of study from Malaysian students: actuarial science. Due to the Malaysian 

government’s regulatory policy, certain fields of study are not as popular: medicine and 

dentistry (except for post graduate specialization), law, accounting, and architecture. Liberal 

Arts traditionally is not a main draw as Malaysian students and parents place heavy emphasis 

on marketability and ability to earn a living immediately after graduation as part of their field 

of study selection criteria. Other considerations for students are cost, geography, religious and 

dietary similarities, and education and British Commonwealth legacy.

Although the 4-year university undergraduate market is still the main growth opportunity, 

increasingly, we are seeing more associate, graduate as well as post-graduate degrees gaining 

interest from Malaysian student. OPT involving internships either pre or post-completion of 

degree is gaining market traction as well. 

Resources

• Malaysian-American Commission on Educational Exchange, macee.org.my
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 69

Mexico

Statistics

Capital: Mexico, D.F.

Population: 121,736,809 (est. 2015)

GDP (USD): 2.149 trillion (est. 2014)

Currency: Mexican peso (MXN)

Language: Spanish

Contact

Martha Sánchez

Commercial Specialist

martha.sanchez@trade.gov

52 55-5080-2000 x5225

Overview

Mexico is the 10th largest country of origin for students studying in the United 

States, with nearly 17,000 Mexican students enrolled, primarily in undergraduate 

programs. About two percent of foreign students under student visa status in the 

United States are from Mexico. Mexican students choose to study in the United 

States because of the strong ties between both countries and the prestige of the 

U.S. higher education system. 

Thanks to the Bilateral Forum on Higher Education, Innovation and Research 

announced by Presidents Obama and Peña-Nieto in May 2013, schools in Mexico 

are more open than ever to internationalizing their programs. The Mexican 

government has set the goal to send 100,000 Mexican students to the United 

States and welcome 50,000 U.S. students to Mexico by 2018 through Proyecta 

100Mil. The Mexican government is looking to increase the level of English 

proficiency for teachers and students (mainly in high school level); also, it will 

support short term research programs, professional stays and 

pre-masters programs. 

There is also a demand for English language proficiency within higher education 

in Mexico. Several Mexican private universities use the Test of English as a Foreign 

Language (TOEFL) institutional exam as a requirement for students in all fields of 

study to increase the knowledge of a second language in this competitive market. 

It is estimated that about six percent of Mexican English as a Second Language 

(ESL) students travel abroad for intensive English programs.
70 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Market Entry

Mexican public and private colleges are focusing on alliances and agreements with foreign 

schools to provide joint programs, dual certification, and exchange programs for students 

and professors. These programs have become more important as Mexico is a key player in the 

world economy. In 2013 and 2014, Mexico passed sweeping reforms in the energy, telecom, 

labor, financial, and education sectors. All of these are positioning Mexico to increase 

its competitiveness. 

U.S. government agencies are working with institutions in the United States and Mexico to 

encourage greater exchanges and closer partnerships between U.S. and Mexican education 

institutions, including community colleges and technical institutions.

For undergraduate programs, it is highly recommended to travel and participate in recruitment 

fairs, as well as to visit schools to promote educational opportunities. Build relationship with 

local schools, students, education organizations and Mexican granting institutions. Also, 

secondary markets offer opportunities to recruit students, smaller regions are growing and 

students are seeking for quality education programs abroad.

Current Demand

• Short-term ESL programs for students 

• Undergraduate and graduate programs for engineering, business, environment/energy, 

and science

• Corporate training programs in management, as well as executive-level language 

proficiency programs 

• Dual-degree programs and collaborative programs in international business and 

management, engineering, environmental technology

Resources

• 100,000 Strong in the Americas, 1.usa.gov/13ctH6G
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 71

New Zealand

Statistics

Capital: Wellington

Population: 4,438,393 (est. 2015)

GDP (USD): 197.5 billion (est. 2014)

Currency: N. Zealand dollar (NZD)

Language: English

Contact

Dhiraj Mani

Commercial Specialist

dhiraj.mani@trade.gov

64 (9) 3032724 x2867

Overview

New Zealand students are increasingly choosing to study overseas. The United 

States is one of the most attractive academic destinations due to its unique 

blend of professional, academic, athletic, and social opportunities. With a similar 

curriculum and classroom culture, New Zealand students transition very well to the 

U.S. academic setting. Students actively participate in class and seek opportunities 

to get involved with the university and surrounding community. 

Over the last five years, the number of New Zealand students throughout the 

entire United States has increased by 21 percent, with continued growth expected.

Market Entry

Undergraduate students are lured by the campus spirit and opportunity to 

continue playing sports while pursuing an education. Interdisciplinary degrees 

are popular for students who wish to distance themselves from the rigidity of 

New Zealand’s tertiary institutions. Students of all levels are drawn to professional 

development opportunities taking the form of internships and optional practical 

training. A large number of Asian students who complete high school in New 

Zealand opt to further their education with university study in America. 

Current Demand

There is a broad academic and geographic distribution of New Zealanders at U.S. 

universities, with steady growth in undergraduate and graduate degree programs. 

In general, undergraduate students tend to study fields such as engineering and 

sciences, business, international relations, and art. Graduate students generally 

pursue law, business management, or advanced science degrees. Additionally, 

many New Zealand student athletes are interested in obtaining scholarships to 

continue playing sport while pursuing their study. The most common scholarship 

sports for New Zealanders are basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, tennis, 

rowing, soccer, swimming, track and field, and water polo.
72 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Nigeria

Statistics

Capital: Abuja

Population: 181,562,056

GDP (USD): 1.053 trillion (est. 2014)

Currency: Naira (NGN)

Languages: English (official), 

Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa

Contact

Joseph Umoetteh

Commercial Specialist

joseph.umoetteh@trade.gov

234-1-460 3400 x3807

Overview

Education is central to the implementation of the Nigerian government’s 

development agenda. That is what informed the five-year strategic plan for 

development of the education sector from 2011–15. In keeping with this plan, the 

federal government allocated 10.6 percent (USD 3.04 billion) of its 2014 National 

budget (USD 28.56 billion) to the education sector. Experts indicate that this 

budget is grossly insufficient to address the needs of the sector considering the 

rate of deterioration in public education across all levels. This includes shortage 

of skilled manpower, low technology, inadequate investment in research, and 

outdated educational materials. 

Recent privatization of the power sector along with increased interest by foreign 

investors also stimulates huge demand for skilled manpower to operate and 

manage industrial electricity applications, including automation, metering and 

medium voltage. These are industry-specific skills not readily acquired through 

formal education, but are offered by specialized companies and institutions with 

expertise in these fields.

Industry reports show that Nigeria has over 300 higher institutions ranging from 

universities, specialized colleges of technology and polytechnics, to colleges 

of education. The rapid population growth and demand for education have 

placed a heavy burden on the government in providing quality education, which 

opens up opportunity for private and institutional investors. During the past 20 

years, more than 45 private universities have been accredited by the National 

Universities Commission (NUC) to meet higher education needs of Nigerians and 

the economy; this excludes 36 federal and 37 state universities already approved 

and operational. The 2012 U.S. Embassy Education Survey shows that between 

2006 and 2010, more than 1.5 million students sought admission into Nigerian 

universities each year; however, less than 300,000 applicants were admitted into 

these institutions—both government and private—due to limited capacities. Due 
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 73

to dwindling quality and inadequate facilities, many parents resort to sending their children 

abroad for quality education.

Market Entry

Education franchises, professional and industry-specific training to support services in power 

generation/distribution, as well as financial services sectors have a lot of potential in Nigeria. 

There is significant demand for continuing education for Nigerian professionals and the 

academics, which make this sub-sector best prospect.

Given the rapid growth in private investment in education, laboratory equipment, books, and 

professional textbooks would continue to gain market position. Industry reviews clearly show 

that U.S. education-based organizations should consider developing custom-made courses for 

evolving Nigerian industry sectors, particularly the security, aviation, environment, oil and gas, 

as well as financial services sectors.

Current Demand

A recent market survey conducted by the U.S. Embassy’s Education Advising Center (EAC) 

in Nigeria indicates that Nigeria is the largest source of students from sub-Saharan Africa to 

the United States. This corroborates the Institute of International Education’s report showing 

that Nigeria ranks 14th across the world, with over 10,000 students admitted to study in 

undergraduate, graduate and non-degree programs in the United States. Given the impact of 

frequent national strikes by university teachers and distortion in school calendar, EAC believes 

that the number of Nigerian students seeking to study in the United States will likely increase 

in the coming years.

The United States has maintained the leading position in the undergraduate market due to its 

longstanding ties to Nigeria, but Canada, the UK, Australia and South Africa are increasingly 

aggressive competitors in the market. Beyond having a strong presence in Nigerian market 

through recruitment agents, many UK and Canadian institutions have set up local offices, 

actively participating in local education events, and gaining wider access to the prospective 

student population through the media and customized education fairs. 

The federal government has proposed a number of reforms in the education sector to address 

the declining quality of instruction, shortage of textbooks and inadequate facilities. This would 

provide significant potential for U.S. export of educational items. The federal government 

is also considering privatizing the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology in Zaria. Market 

reports indicate that this would create opportunity for private investment. Some state 

governments are also creating stimulating and supportive environments for educational 

investments in their locality. States sometimes are willing to provide land, infrastructure, tax 

holidays and financial support, including investment insurance to qualified investors, who 

establish vocational and skill development centers and programs. Nigerians do have an affinity 

for U.S. education, training services and products.
74 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

The Nordic Region

Contact—Denmark

Sabina Kroigaard 

Commercial Specialist

sabina.kroigaard@trade.gov 

+4533417202

Contact—Finland

Mia Maki

Senior Commercial Specialist

mia.maki@trade.gov

358-9-6162 5289

Contact—Norway

Britt Hestenes

Commercial Specialist

britt.hestenes@trade.gov

+47 21 30 85 12

Contact—Sweden

Nancy Bjorshammar

Commercial Specialist

nancy.bjorshammar@trade.gov

0114687835347

Overview

The Nordic market includes Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. The region 

has a combined population of approx. 26 million where around 5.8 million are 

under the age of 19. There are currently 75,000 students from the region abroad 

with 16.5 percent of these studying in the United States. Young Nordic students 

are generally highly literate, proficient in English, have an international and open 

mind-set and love to travel and engage with other cultures. 

In all Nordic countries, financial support and benefits are distributed to every 

citizen willing to pursue a higher education. The structure of grants also transfers 

abroad, creating a potential for Nordic students to pursue their education 

elsewhere. In addition to the funding presented below, it is important to note that 

all university studies in the Nordics are free of charge for residents. 

Denmark 

Students get a grant of approx. USD 843 (DKK 5,941) per month while they study, 

and they can bring the money abroad. Students may choose to take up to USD 

1,222 (DKK 8,607) per month in loans from the state in addition to the grant. It is 

also possible to obtain funding to cover part of the tuition fee when studying for a 

full master degree abroad.

Sweden 

Sweden also has a government organization that monitors and distributes student 

aid. The grant is approx. USD 315 and the loan is approx. USD 800 per month. 

Students may also apply for additional loans up to USD 245 per month that cover 

part of the tuition fee as well as airfare and other costs.
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 75

Norway

The Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund offers loans to cover all expenses of study in the 

United States including travel, living expenses and tuition; 40–50 percent of the loan may be 

converted to a grant if and when the student passes exams or after graduation. 

Finland

For those studying outside Finland, the study grant is paid at the same rate as it would be in 

Finland, with the exception that the grant for studies at a foreign vocational training institute 

is equal to the grant provided to students attending a higher education institute in Finland. 

Housing Supplement (usually USD 221 per month) and government guarantee for student 

loans (USD 736 per month for higher education studies and secondary-level studies) are 

also available.

Market Entry

The United States remains one of the most popular study destinations. Nordic students are 

attracted by the characteristics of U.S. university life. The life painted through media in the 

last century holds promise of collegial activities such as a playful environment with inspiring 

and high standard learning. College sports will be another possible attraction for elite youths 

looking for scholarships in the United States.

Language trips have been popular in the Nordics for a long time and with the nature of the 

globalized economy, it is increasingly important for Nordic students to gain international 

experience and strong language skills in English. 

Current Demand

Exchange agreements where a tuition can be severely reduced or eradicated is attractive for 

Nordic students that want to partake in the U.S. college experience as well as improve their 

English language skills. Summer schools, short courses, joint degrees and free-movers are also 

identified as best prospect areas. 

Trade Events

• Saco Student Fair (Stockholm, Sweden; November 29–December 1, 2017), 

bit.ly/1YvpCWl

• STUDIA 2017 (Finland, November 28–29, 2017), bit.ly/1myM13U

• Ta Utdanning (Norway; Bergen, January 26–27; Trondheim, February 2–3; Oslo, 

February 15–16), bit.ly/1QJEfR8
76 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Resources

Denmark

• Ministry of Education, eng.uvm.dk

• Agency for International Education, ufm.dk/en

• The Steering Group for the State Education Grant, www.su.dk/english

• The Denmark-America Foundation and Fulbright Commission, wemakeithappen.dk/en

Finland

• The Social Insurance Institution in Finland (KELA), kela.fi/web/en

• The League of Finnish American Societies, sayl.fi/in-english

• The Fulbright Center, fulbright.fi/en

• Cimo, Center for International Mobility, cimo.fi/frontpage

Norway

• Association of Norwegian Students Abroad (ANSA), ansa.no

• Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research, bit.ly/1J3BKGU

• The Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund, lanekassen.no/languages

• The Norwegian Center for International Cooperation within Education, siu.no/eng

• Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance within Education (NOKUT), nokut.no/en

• U.S.–Norway Fulbright Foundation, fulbright.no/en

Sweden

• Swedish Council for Higher Education, uhr.se/en

• Swedish Board of Student Aid, bit.ly/1MuHiVI

• Fulbright Commission, fulbright.se
Panama

Statistics

Capital: Panama

Population: 3,705,246 (est. 2016)

GDP (USD): 54.50 billion (est. 2016)

Currency: U.S. Dollar (USD)

Languages: Spanish

Contact

Jeane A. Zuniga

Commercial Specialist

jeane.zuniga@trade.gov

+507 317-5392

Overview

As of 2016, Panama’s education sector compromises an estimated 732,486 

students in public schools and an estimated 131,022 private-school students. 

The 6,299 high school seniors in private schools are the ones who have access to 

undertake studies abroad.

U.S. colleges and universities continue to represent the preferred overseas 

destination for Panamanian students, though competition from Europe has 

increased. The number of Panamanian students in the United States totaled 1,537 

for the 2015/2016 academic year, an 11.1 percent increase over the previous year. 

The top five U.S. states for Panamanian students are Florida, Massachusetts, Texas, 

the District of Columbia and California.

IFARHU (Instituto para la Formacion y Aprovechamiento de Recusrsos Humanos) is 

a government agency that offers loans to finance higher education. Its programs 

compromise a system of payback financial aid that allows students to start or 

continue higher education, either in-country or abroad. IFARHU has developed a 

number of programs and scholarships with universities and colleges in the 

United States.

The Secretaria Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia (SENACYT—Science and 

Technology Secretariat) is another government agency that provides scholarships 

for science and technology related fields for Panamanians to study abroad. The 

scholarship is available to students who have been accepted to graduate (Masters, 

Ph.D., and research) programs abroad.

Market Entry

Activities, including school visits, student fairs, seminars, and advertising 

campaigns, have become effective and important tools for student recruitment. 

Marketing materials should target the parents of prospective students. Internet 

Education and Training Services Resource Guide 77
and social networks are rapidly growing in Panama, while radio advertisement continues to be 

an effective and inexpensive way to promote study abroad programs. 

Current Demand

English-language courses and higher education represent the best prospects within the study 

abroad market, and it’s worth noting that 80 percent of all managerial positions are filled by 

candidates who study abroad. The most demanding fields of study are focused on business 

administration, management, finance, banking, marketing, and engineering.

The government of Panama, in an effort to improve English-language education in public 

schools, created the teacher-training program, Panama Bilingue. This program is designed for 

teacher trainees and teachers in Panama, in order to develop and enhance their teaching skills 

and English language skills. These trainings are aimed at two groups: 

• Experienced English teachers/professors (6–8 week program) focused on teaching 

methodology and leadership english language communication (reading, listening, 

writing and speaking). 

• Pre-service teachers who are studying to become English or elementary school teachers 

(16 week program) focused on increasing the student’s knowledge level of the 

English language.

As of 2016, almost 3,000 teaches have been sent abroad, predominantly to the United States, 

as well as to the United Kingdom.

78 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 79

Peru

Statistics

Capital: Lima

Population: 30,444,999 (est. 2015)

GDP (USD): 372.7 billion (est. 2014)

Currency: Nuevo sol (PEN)

Languages: Spanish, Quechua, 

Aymara

Contact

Jorge Prado

Commercial Specialist

jorge.prado@trade.gov

+51-1-618-2296

Overview

In Peru, the transition from a largely rural country to a mostly urban one took place 

during the second half of the twentieth century. In recent decades, there has been 

a new type of urbanism which incorporates aspects of rurality.

The most serious education problems in Peru are encompassed in the nature of 

the educational system, historically divided into class segments where income 

dictates quality of education. While public education is free, private schools 

operate at all levels of the education system. Schools in both the public and 

private sectors follow the national curriculum, set federally and overseen by local 

educational authorities, as mandated in a 2008 ministerial decree. All education 

policy, legislation, and curriculum guidelines are set by the Ministry of Education, 

which is the overarching authority from preschool through higher education. The 

local educational authorities in the 25 regions of Peru administer and implement 

ministry policy at the primary and secondary level.

In January 2015, a new higher education authority, the Superintendencia Nacional 

de Educación Superior Universitaria (SUNEDU, National Superintendency of 

University Higher Education), replaced the Asamblea Nacional de los Rectores 

(ANR, National Assembly of Rectors) under a new higher education law. SUNEDU 

seeks to guarantee that all Peruvian’s youth have access to quality university 

education which offers comprehensive education and ongoing improvement; that 

focuses on the development of professional competence; and, that incorporates 

civic values that encourage an academic, research-based approach to 

national problems. 

According to IIE (Institute of International Education), the number of students 

from Peru attending U.S. institutions of higher education has been waning in 

recent years, from a high of 3,771 students about 10 years ago to 3,256 last year. 

Meanwhile, as a study destination for U.S. students, Peru has become increasingly 

popular. In the academic year 2012/2013, a record 2,956 U.S. students enjoyed a 
80 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

study period in Peru, making it the 20th most popular study destination for American students, 

and the sixth most popular country of study in Latin America.

Market Entry

American companies who want to participate in tenders issued by the Ministry of Education 

related to software programs for English learning must have a local partner registered with the 

Registro Nacional de Proveedores (RNP, Record of National Suppliers). 

Lima is the traditional market in Peru, however Arequipa (in the south) and Trujillo (in the 

north) also offer several opportunities of partnership and to establish a relationship with 

local companies. 

Current Demand

The government is seeking to improve English language education in new public secondarylevel educational institutions, so the demand of English Language software in the public sector 

is growing. Additionally, English language programs for professional development are also in 

high demand in Peru. 

In 2016, the Ministry of Education issued a program to provide teacher-training in English at 

school level and university level. Software programs are also required. 

Peruvian students are attracted by American universities’ postgraduate programs; however 

most of them instead prefer to study in Peruvian universities that offer joint-degrees with 

American universities, which give them the chance to have a title recognized by the Ministry of 

Education in Peru for specific careers such as Medicine, Law, Engineering and Accounting.

Resources

• Institute of International Education, iie.org

• Peruvian Ministry of Education, minedu.gob.pe

• Regional Education Center of Lima,drelm.gob.pe
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 81

The Philippines

Statistics

Capital: Manila

Population: 100,998,376 (est. 2015)

GDP (USD): 693.4 billion (est. 2014)

Currency: Philippine Peso (PHP)

Languages: Filipino, English, others

Contact

Dell Santos

Commercial Assistant

dell.santos@trade.gov

63 2 301 2394

Overview

The Philippine educational system operates on a tri-focal management system. The 

three agencies that jointly manage the educational system are The Department 

of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical 

Education and Skill Development Authority (TESDA).

The Department of Education is responsible for primary and secondary education 

and also manages the Alternative Learning System for out of school youths and 

adults. The Commission on Higher Education governs and regulates institutions 

of higher learning and the Technical Education Development Authority manages 

non-degree and vocational trainings.

Recently, the Philippines transitioned from the K–10 system to the “Education for 

All” program also known as the K–12 system which was signed into law in 2013 

under the leadership of President Benigno S. Aquino III. This adds two additional 

years of high school to the current system. The transition aims to bring the 

Philippine educational system in line with international standards.

Educational Institutions in the Philippines, 2014 School Year

Type of Institution

Public Private Total

# Schools Enrollment 

(Millions) # Schools Enrollment (Millions) # Schools Enrollment (Millions)

Elementary 37,607 15.15 7,084 1.62 44,691 16.77

Secondary 5,359 5.77 4,707 1.40 10,066 7.17

Post-Secondary 224 1.54 1,699 2.02 1,923 3.56

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, August 2014; Commission on Higher Education, 2014
82 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

There is also a presence of international schools located in the major cities such as Manila, 

Cebu and Davao. These international schools offer International Baccalaureate (IB) programs to 

help prepare their students who wish to study overseas.

The majority of Filipino students studying abroad are from the private education network. 

This private education network is composed of 18,350 schools. The Coordinating Council of 

Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA) is the umbrella organization of all private schools 

in the Philippines. The Association is composed of the Philippine Association of Colleges and 

Universities (PACU), Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities 

(PAASCU), Association of Christian Schools, Colleges and Universities (ACSCU), Catholic 

Education Association of the Philippines (CEAP) and Technical Vocational Schools Association 

of the Philippines (TVSA). 

Currently, there are 2,886 students from the Philippines studying in the United States, 

according to the latest IIE 2015/2016 report. Of those, 52.5 percent are pursuing 

undergraduate degrees, 31.5 percent are seeking graduate degrees, and 16 percent are 

seeking other programs and Optional Practical Training (OPT). The U.S. states with the highest 

number of Filipino students are California, New York, Texas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Illinois, 

Hawaii, Florida, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

Market Entry

There is a strong desire by Philippine students to pursue education abroad. In order to sustain 

and even cultivate interests in pursuing an education in the United States, U.S. universities 

are suggested to actively promote their respective institutions. A strong marketing plan or 

campaign is an advantage to create brand recognition amongst potential students, agents, 

counselors and the different channels for student recruitment in the Philippine market. U.S. 

schools are encouraged to pay regular visits to the Philippines or at least touch base with the 

appropriate U.S. government agencies such as the U.S. Commercial Service, the Non-Immigrant 

Visa Section and Fulbright to facilitate introductions to other education sector contacts. It 

is also recommended to provide updated school catalogs, brochures and other literature to 

Fulbright and to key local schools to serve as additional references. 

U.S. alumni network presence and private agents representing several schools and universities 

abroad are also efficient means to create awareness to people who wish to pursue studies 

abroad. This network has increased in recent years. Both agents and alumni networks help 

promote foreign universities in the Philippines. Alumni networks create awareness by 

providing their testimonials while most agents partner with several schools from different 

countries on a non-exclusive basis and assists with recruitment and promotional efforts in 

the Philippines. 
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 83

Whenever possible, schools are also encouraged to explore possible collaboration or academic 

tie-ups with local learning institutions, or to establish exchange programs with students and/

or faculty, especially institutions that offer similar or complementary programs. 

Current Demand

According to the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors®, Philippine students’ 

mobility towards the United States has declined since 2009. Student interests have now shifted 

to other countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK. Students have found 

it easier to study in these countries as the visa approval process is not as tight as the United 

States and government incentives have been put in place.

The table below illustrates the shift of Filipinos’ school location choice. In the 2013/2014 school 

year, the number studying in Australia increased by 18 percent, and declined in the United 

States by 3.21 percent.

International Philippine Student Enrollment, 2012–14

United States 2012–13 2013–14 Change (%)

Undergraduate 1,733 1,688 -2.6

Graduate 972 933 -4

Non-degree 104 104 0

Optional Practical Training 406 387 -4.7

Total 3,215 3,112 -3.21

Australia 2012–13 2013–14 Change (%)

All Levels 8,712 10,582 18

Source: Open Doors, International Students by Academic Level, and Place of Origin, Institute of International 

Education (2014); Annual Summary of International Student Enrollment Data—Australia (2013–14)

For the most part, students from the Philippines who wish to study abroad are classified into 

two primary segments: those who can afford to finance their own studies, and those seeking 

scholarship opportunities.

Top fields of study include the hard sciences, business, theater and film, computers and 

technology, and engineering.
84 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Portugal

Statistics

Capital: Lisbon

Population: 10,825,309 (est. 2015)

GDP (USD): 229.9 billion (est. 2014)

Currency: Euro (EUR/€)

Language: Portuguese

Contact

Pedro Ferreira

Senior Commercial Specialist

pedro.ferreira@trade.gov

+351217702572

Overview

The education system in Portugal has experienced significant changes since its 

regulation in 1986. The last major reform was the redefining of the degree system 

according to the Bologna Process, where Portugal is one of the signatory nations. 

The Portuguese higher education system is currently a three-cycle system with a 

network of more than 40 public and 92 private higher education institutions. 

According to the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors® 2015, there 

were 919 students from Portugal studying in the United States, representing a 

slight increase of 0.4 percent compared with the previous year. This year’s increase 

in student mobility to the United States is also significant because the proportion 

of the Portuguese population between the ages of 15–24 has declined by 20 

percent over the past 10 years. It also demonstrates the Portuguese students are 

seeking to study abroad more than ever despite challenging economic times. 

Students from Portugal in the United States study primarily at the undergraduate 

level. In 2015/2016, 45.6 percent enrolled at the undergraduate level, 32.6 percent 

at the graduate level, 11.5 percent optional practical training, and 10.5 percent 

non-degree (such as English language or short-term studies).

The report also found the number of U.S. students studying abroad increased 

by five percent in 2013/2014, the highest rate of growth since before the 2008 

economic downturn. The number of U.S. students in Portugal increased from 

197 to 319, representing a 61.9 percent jump from the previous year, and also 

reversing a downward trend in previous years.

Portuguese students are actively seeking study abroad opportunities, and many 

take full advantage of the European Union’s Erasmus program for exchanges 

within Europe. Portuguese students also highly value educational opportunities 

in non-EU countries, namely the United States. Portugal is presently an important 
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 85

recruiting destination because the country attracts international students from all over the 

world.

Market Entry

In order to effectively enter the Portuguese market:

• Seek partnerships or agreements with public or private universities to facilitate jointprograms and exchange programs for students and faculty;

• Participate in local recruitment fairs, trade missions, and outreach events, as well as meet 

face-to-face with school counselors and other stakeholders.

U.S. schools should also provide clear and in-depth information about programs and the 

application processes, as well as describe opportunities of scholarships and financial aid. Due 

to the current and recovering condition of Portugal’s economy and the fact that tuition fees in 

Portugal range EUR 1,000 and in Europe in general are lower than the United States, fully or 

partially funded scholarships are the best way to attract Portuguese students.

Current Demand

Portuguese students are primarily attracted to these types of U.S. programs: 

• Four-year universities and 

community colleges

• Summer camps 

• Undergraduate, graduate, and 

master’s programs 

• Online programs 

Trade Events

• Study Abroad Portugal, March 4, 2017 (Lisbon), March 5, 2016 (Porto), 

studyabroadportugal.pt

• Futurália, April 1, 2017 (Lisbon), futuralia.fil.pt/en

Resources

• Fulbright Commission Portugal, fulbright.pt

• Portuguese National Council of Education, www.cnedu.pt

• Council of Rectors of Portuguese Universities, crup.pt

• Portuguese Polytechnic Institutes Coordinating Council, ccisp.pt

• Portuguese Association of Private Higher Education, apesp.pt

• Portuguese Foundation of Science and Technology, fct.pt/apoios
86 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Qatar

Statistics

Capital: Doha

Population: 2,194,817 (est. 2015)

GDP (USD): 306.6 billion (est. 2014)

Currency: Riyal (QAR)

Languages: Arabic (official), English

Contact

Natalia Hernandez

Commercial Specialist

natalia.hernandez@trade.gov

+974 4496-6730

Overview

Qatar is investing a large portion of its hydrocarbon revenues in human capital. 

The state began targeting its education sector for reform over a decade ago, 

recognizing that its development would be key to diversifying the economy and 

meeting the objectives mapped out in the long-term strategy, known as the Qatar 

National Vision 2030. 

A few years ago, H.H. Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani approved a record budget 

of USD 62 billion increasing the allocation of funds for education by 7.3 percent as 

compared with the previous year. According to The Word Bank, this is one of the 

highest allocations in the MENA region. Qatar’s public expenditures on education 

represent 3.3 percent of its GDP and this increase will be partially allocated for 

expansion of Qatar Foundation and Qatar University facilities. Funds will also go 

towards building 85 new schools as well as to cover the expenses of 29 which are 

currently under construction. The government’s main goal is to invest in wellrounded and engaged citizens prepared to support the nation in the near future. 

The private sector is also playing an increasingly important role in providing 

education services, particularly at the primary and secondary levels, with private 

schools catering mostly to the expatriate population and an increasing number of 

Qatari nationals.

By law, the government of Qatar provides free education at the primary and 

secondary level. The Higher Education Institute (HEI) operating under the Supreme 

Education Council, awards talented young Qatari students full scholarships for 

undergraduate and graduate programs in universities around the world. Students 

may select from a list of 346 U.S. universities. 

A total of 1,443 Qataris studied in the United States during the 2015/2016 school 

year. This is a considerable number for a population only the size of 2.1 million 

where expats constitute well over 80 percent. 
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 87

The options are not only limited to universities abroad. Qatar Foundation (QF) is a major 

vehicle for education with its flagship project, a 2,500 acre campus known as “Education City,” 

that is home to six U.S. Universities: 

• Weill-Cornell Medical College (medicine)

• Carnegie Mellon University (computer 

science and business)

• Georgetown School of Foreign Service 

(international affairs and 

political science)

• Virginia Commonwealth University 

(design)

• Texas A&M University (engineering)

• Northwestern University (journalism)

QF has implemented the Academic Bridge Program (ABP) in Education City which prepares 

Qatari high school graduates for universities in Qatar or abroad. Students receive training for 

the IELTS, TOEFL, SAT and ACT.

In addition, QF launched its own scholarship program supported by local companies. The 

program focuses on long-term employment needs by sponsoring trainees to study in Qatar 

and overseas, in countries like the United States, UK, France, Germany and Australia.

According to latest available report from Qatar Statistics Authority, there were nearly twice as 

many female students enrolled in universities in Qatar as males, and nearly two-thirds of all 

graduates were women. While expat and Qatari females are still more likely to enroll in and 

graduate with university degrees here, their male counterparts still outperform them when 

it comes to success in business. When it comes to furthering their education, female Qatari 

students were much more likely to remain in Qatar than to take up overseas opportunities, 

reflecting national customs and traditions.

A total of 370 university students were awarded international scholarships in 2011/2012—with 

80 percent of these (295) going to male students and just 20 percent (75) female students.

Management and economics was the most popular field of study for those international 

scholarship students, with 183 of them choosing it for further study. This was followed by arts 

and science (82 students) and engineering for 67 students.

Qatar is working to develop an appropriate environment for its nationals, to acquire necessary 

skills applicable to key sectors of the economy. In this regard, the government launched a 

“Qatarization strategy” designed to increase the number of Qatari nationals in all joint venture 

industries and government departments to assume important positions formerly occupied 

by expatriates. 

Despite the many educational options, the sector is striving to keep up with increasing market 

demand. The arrival of foreign professionals with their families, in an effort to meet the 

deadlines of projects set by the National Vision 2030 and the World Cup 2022, add significant 

pressure to the education system. The population has more than doubled since 2004 and 
88 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

more institutions are needed to cope with growing demand. The government is conscious 

of the situation and the Supreme Education Council is making great efforts to promote the 

establishment of top international institutions.

Market Entry

The U.S. Commercial Service in Qatar will assist you in pursuing your recruitment and 

partnership objectives. Contact us to receive market insights, identify potential partners, and 

effectively promote your services in-country.

U.S. educational institutions may benefit greatly from the numerous opportunities in Qatar’s 

education sector as it is evolving and expanding. 

• School operators are in high demand as the country tries to cope with growing education 

needs. Several projects such as Lusail City are contemplating building schools to cater to 

their residents.

• Customized English courses are sought by companies and government institutions for 

industry sectors such as safety and security, oil and gas and hospitality.

• High Schools and Universities are encouraged to join the Linden Tour or the ISN Tours 

endorsed by EducationUSA and the U.S. Commercial Service.

Current Demand

Qatari students are primarily attracted to the several types of U.S. programs:

• Language: ESL and TOEFL

• Undergraduate: business administration, economic, engineering, and communication

• Certificate programs: firefighting, law enforcement forensics, security training, ongoing 

professional development

• Post-graduate: pharmacy, dentistry, MBA

With six U.S. universities in country and few U.S. schools to satisfy the demand, local investors 

are seeking for committed school operators willing to open doors in Qatar.
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 89

Romania

Statistics

Capital: Bucharest

Population: 21,666,350 (est. 2015)

GDP (USD): 393.8 billion (est. 2014)

Currency: Romanian leu (RON)

Language: Romanian

Contact

Corina Gheorghisor

Commercial Specialist

corina.gheorghisor@trade.gov

(+4) (021) 200-3397

Overview

In Romania there are 93 higher education institutions, out of which 37 are 

accredited private institutions of higher education and 56 are state institutions. 

State (public) universities offer budgeted places and also accept fee-paying 

students. According to observations made in the 2014 EducationUSA’s Fast Facts 

for Romania, Romanian high school students are recognized for their academic 

excellence and are frequent winners of top international competitions in physics, 

chemistry, mathematics and computer science. 

According to the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors® 2016, 1,105 

Romanian students are studying in the U.S. The United States is the number eight 

study abroad destination for Romanian students, following the UK, Italy, France, 

Germany, Spain, Hungary and Denmark, according to a UNESCO 2012 report. 

However, mobility to the United States has been dropping at a constant rate (down 

9.4 percent since last year). The proportion of the population aged 15 to 24 in 

Romania has declined by 22 percent over the past 10 years (according to Eurostat, 

2013), which may account in part for the decline in student mobility to the United 

States. Other factors include limited fee-paying abilities and the availability of 

study options in Europe (since Romania’s accession to the EU). The number of U.S. 

students in Romania has increased by 40.7 percent; i.e,. there were 287 American 

students in Romania in 2013.

Market Entry

Romania joined the European Union in 2007, which led to a sharp decrease in 

tuition costs for Romanian students interested in study opportunities in any of 

the E.U. member states. Concurrently, over the past 7 years, there has been a 

clear resurgence of interest in academic mobility, with more Romanian students 

than ever planning to pursue an academic degree abroad. Although high tuition 
90 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

fees are still a burden for many Romanians, they are more inclined than ever to consider 

alternatives to the national system of education at all levels.

Current Demand

High numbers of enrollment are reported for business administration programs, along with 

high numbers of enrollment in law schools, institutions geared towards health professions, 

and even humanities. The most sought after specialization at the University of Bucharest 

in 2013 was “applied modern languages.” According to a recent survey poll, organized by a 

private corporation in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, high school students would 

prefer to major in law (15 percent), computer science (13 percent) and even acting (around 

11.4 percent).

Resources

• National Ministry of Education, edu.ro

• Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commission, fulbright.ro
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 91

Russia

Statistics

Capital: Moscow

Population: 142,423,773 (est. 2015)

GDP (USD): 3.577 trillion (est. 2014)

Currency: Russian ruble (RUB)

Language: Russian

Contact

Diana Ryan

Commercial Specialist

diana.ryan@trade.gov

+7 495 745 5398

Overview

Russia is the sixth largest economy in the world. Russia’s GDP purchasing power 

parity is USD 3.6 trillion. The Russian economy is expected to grow to almost USD 

4 trillion in 2020. The country has a population of 140 million with a growing 

purchasing power that demands well known global brands and quality service. 

Education in Russia is provided predominantly by the state and is regulated by 

the Ministry of Education and Science. Regional authorities regulate education 

within their jurisdictions within the prevailing framework of federal laws. In 2004 

state spending for education amounted to 3.6 percent of GDP, or 13 percent of 

the consolidated state budget. In 2011, the spending on education amounted to 

USD 20 billion. Private institutions account for 1 percent of pre-school enrollment, 

0.5 percent of elementary school enrollment and 17 percent of university-level 

students. Education in state-owned secondary schools is free; first tertiary 

(university level) education is free with reservations: a substantial number of 

students are enrolled for full tuition fees. Male and female students have equal 

shares in all stages of education, except tertiary education where women lead with 

57 percent. The literacy rate in Russia, according to a 2015 estimate by the Central 

Intelligence Agency, is 99.7 percent (99.7 percent men, 99.6 percent women). 

According to a 2012 OECD estimate, 53 percent of Russia’s adults (25 to 64 yearolds) have attained a tertiary (college) education. 

Russian students are increasingly choosing to pursue university degrees abroad. In 

the 2015/2016 academic year, about 5,444 Russian students studied in the United 

States—an 2.1 percent decrease over the previous year.
92 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Market Entry

Russian students are attracted by the quality of U.S. graduate and undergraduate programs 

and all the extracurricular opportunities student life on campus has to offer. In recent years 

Russian students that choose to pursue their studies in the United States came not only from 

Moscow and St. Petersburg but also from many other regions of Russia.

Current Demand

Russian students are traditionally interested to pursue their graduate studies in the United 

States. In view of the 2015 Russian ruble devaluation, many students favor less expensive 

community colleges and/or 1 or 2 year undergraduate short term programs. Most Russian 

students choose to major in business/management, life sciences, social sciences, fine/applied 

arts, math/computer science, and engineering. Summer English language programs gain 

large popularity among Russian high school and undergraduate students. There is also an 

increasingly growing interest in elite U.S. boarding schools for the children (age 12 and up) 

from wealthy Russian families.

Resources

• EducationUSA, educationusarussia.org/ushei.html
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 93

Saudi Arabia

Statistics

Capital: Riyadh

Population: 27,752,316

GDP (USD): 1.61 trillion (est. 2014)

Currency: Saudi riyal (SAR)

Language: Arabic (official)

Contact

Hanein Nassar

Commercial Specialist

hanein.nassar@trade.gov

+966 11 4883800 x4511

Overview

The Saudi government allocated approximately 25 percent of the 2015 budget, 

or USD 57.9 billion, to education and human resource development in an effort 

to address unemployment among Saudi nationals. Focus areas include youth 

and female employment, SME development, regional variation, productivity 

and technical skills for a new economy based on knowledge industries and 

manufacturing. Specific projects include:

• USD 3.7 billion to finance 164 new projects, including several new technical 

and vocational institutions

• USD 3.2 billion for the refurbishment of several universities plus the 

construction of three new universities

• USD 5.87 billion for over 200,000 Saudi students studying abroad

• USD 106.7 million for the renovation of schools and sport centers

Market Entry

Technical and Vocational Training (TVTC)

TVTC oversees the Saudi Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) 

program and carries out workforce development through technical colleges, 

industrial institutes and Colleges of Excellence. These industrial organizations 

provide vocational education to high school students to meet the needs of the 

labor market in technical specialties and are a vocational alternative to traditional 

university study. The newly-established Colleges of Excellence provide courses 

designed in consultation with the private sector to develop skills needed for the 

local job market. Courses encompass business administration, hospitality and 

tourism, fashion and beauty, IT and electrical technology. 
94 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Ministry of Labor (MoL) and the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF). The MoL is 

driving the expansion of technical education outside the university system through several 

subsidiaries including the HRDF and Takamol, which is the MoL’s vehicle for public-private 

partnerships. HRDF provides qualified manpower to the private sector by funding programs 

that fit the needs of the labor market and by publishing studies that address barriers to 

employment. These programs include job placement centers, job fairs (the Liqaat program), 

online training platforms, SME training and job preparation programs (Doroob). 

Female Empowerment 

The Saudi government is making efforts to improve employment prospects for women and 

has several initiatives designed to increase female participation in the workforce. Primary 

education and vocational training focus on traditional occupations while higher education 

is typically devoted to the humanities and social sciences. The “Women’s Employment in 

the Retail Sector (WERS)” initiative, implemented in 2011, requires shops that sell lingerie, 

cosmetics and women’s products to replace male with female staff. The initiative sets a salary 

for Saudi women working in these shops and provides training in sales, customer service and 

as cashiers. The MoL also offers various online courses to enhance employment opportunities 

and advance women’s careers. 

Office of Program Management—Ministry of Interior (OPM-MOI) 

OPM-MOI was established in 2008 under the authority of a Technical Cooperation Agreement 

(TCA) signed by the U.S. Secretary of State and the Saudi Minister of Interior and was extended 

in 2013 for a period of 10 additional years. The program facilitates the transfer of knowledge, 

advice, skills and resources from the United States to Saudi Arabia and is fully funded by 

the Saudi government. Areas of cooperation include training in public security, critical 

infrastructure protection, maritime and border security and civil defense. 

TAFE 

TAFE is a training and education company located in Dammam that has branches in 

Jubail, Yanbu and Jizan. It offers technical training in a variety of fields including welding, 

architecture, interior design and property surveying. It is accredited by the American Welding 

Society and the National Safety Council and offers workshops on how to do business in Saudi 

Arabia for foreign companies. TAFE is looking for a U.S. partner to assist in developing an 

English curriculum for first and second year undergraduate students, to develop curriculum 

and run their new international K–12 school in northern Saudi Arabia, and a U.S. partner to 

jointly run a branch of a vocational school in the Eastern Province.

Saudi Petroleum Services Polytechnic (SPSP)

SPSP is a private, nonprofit vocational training institute that was established in 2008 to 

support the petroleum services industry. SPSP is governed by a Board of Trustees representing 

the major stakeholders in the company (mostly oil companies and contractors). The genesis 
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 95

behind SPSP is to reduce dependence on expat workers in the oil production, exploration and 

drilling sectors and provide jobs to Saudi youth. SPSP is actively looking for partners to provide 

new curricula in the fields of English language and vocational and technical training, with a 

special preference for U.S. curricula.

Ingress Partners

Saudi-based consulting firm that specializes in franchising, training, procurement, property, 

man power, investment and partnerships. The company is interested in partnering with 

international companies that want to establish operations in the Middle East. Through a 

partnership with Red Rocks Community College of Colorado, it provides OSHA-certified 

safety courses specific to the oil, gas, chemical, construction and manufacturing industries. 

The company recently purchased a large piece of land in Jubail, Saudi Arabia, where it plans 

to build a state-of-the-art training complex that will offer safety and technical training. It is 

currently looking for companies to provide curriculum and equipment.

Current Demand

The government has identified technical and administrative training as critical to the country’s 

economic and social development. Graduates of training programs in healthcare, agriculture 

and teaching are steadily filling professional positions throughout the country. Most of Saudi 

Arabia’s vocational training centers are operated by the Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of 

Education. The Institute for Public Administration, established in 1961 as a semi-independent 

public agency, provides basic training for civil servants through branches in Dammam and 

Jeddah and a special branch in Riyadh for training women. It offers courses in administration, 

law, accounting, computer science, maintenance, personnel management, secretarial skills and 

management planning.

Opportunities in the Saudi market can be found in English language programs for professional 

development as well as hands-on training in specializations such as machine tooling, 

metalworking, electro-mechanics and auto mechanics. The government’s priority is to provide 

young Saudis with skills that are in high demand and courses that are specifically tailored to 

meet the needs of the unemployed.

Resources

• Saudi Ministry of Interior, moi.gov.sa

• Saudi Ministry of Labor, mol.gov.sa
96 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Serbia

Statistics

Capital: Belgrade

Population: 7,176,794 (est. 2015)

GDP (USD): 43.87 billion (est. 2014)

Currency: Serbian dinar (RSD)

Language: Serbian

Contact

Boris Popovski

Commercial Specialist

boris.popovski@trade.gov

381-11-706-4533

Overview

Education in Serbia consists of preschool, primary school, secondary school and 

higher education levels. It is regulated by the Ministry of Education, Science and 

Technological Development of Republic of Serbia.

One of the key goals of Serbia’s higher education is the implementation of the 

Bologna Process and comprehensive educational reform that started in 2005. 

However, the implementation of the Bologna Process spawned a lot of problems, 

such as the introduction of very high tuition fees in public universities under the 

cover of the process. The average tuition fee for one year of studies is between EUR 

1,000–1,500 for public, and EUR 2,000–2,500 for private universities.

In 2012, Serbia began to implement the Strategy for Development of Education in 

Serbia 2020, with the main goal to advance the quality of education and increase 

the number of students participating in the education programs. Also, this strategy 

supports international openness and mobility of students. The strategy predicts 

that by the year 2020, 20 percent of students will participate in international 

exchange programs.

There is a trend among students to study abroad (mostly in EU countries). This is 

usually an independent decision made by students, and not related to cooperation 

with universities in Serbia. However, there are programs for students to study 

abroad that offer full or partial scholarship. In 2015/2016, there were 1,023 

Serbian students in the United States, representing a 5.5 percent increase from the 

previous year.
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 97

Market Entry

International Exchange Programs Between the U.S and Serbia

• American Serbia and Montenegro Youth Leadership Exchange (A-SMYLE)

• The Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (Global UGRAD)

• Fulbright U.S. Student Program

• Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program

Due to the current condition of Serbia’s economy, fully-funded scholarships are the best way to 

attract Serbian students. 

Intensive English Language Programs

Although Serbian students are taught English as a second language from the early grades 

of elementary school, English proficiency level is generally not achieved. English language 

teaching can be considered a good niche for the U.S. concepts.

E-learning

The ability to earn college credit through internet courses has been booming in the United 

States in recent years. The flexibility of taking courses via an online college site is an area which 

could be profitable for American universities looking to attract Serbian students eager to 

strengthen their resumes and diversify their studies.

Current Demand

One of the most appreciated faculties in Serbia is Faculty of Electronic Engineering in Belgrade. 

In last couple of years, the vast numbers of secondary students applied for the Faculty of 

Organizational Sciences in Belgrade. However, “traditional” sciences are still highly respected 

(law, medicine, economy, social sciences).

In the 2015/2016 school year, the top five faculties by the number of applications at 

the University of Belgrade were Organizational Sciences (1972 applications), Law (1650 

applications), Economy (1427 applications), Electronic Engineering (1250 applications), and 

Philosophy (1050 applications). 

Most students enrolled at the university are financed by the government, but that might 

change soon since the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technological Development is 

considering changing the system of government financing.

Resources

• Ministry of Education, Science, and Technological Development, mpn.gov.rs

• EDUfairTM Belgrade, edu-fair.net

• International Academic Center, iacbg.org
98 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Singapore

Statistics

Population: 5,674,472 (est. 2015)

GDP (USD): 454.3 billion (est. 2014)

Currency: Singapore Dollar (SGD)

Languages: English (business); 

Mandarin, Malay, Tamil

Contact

Y.K. Chan

Commercial Specialist

yiukei.chan@trade.gov

(65) 6476-9029

Overview

Singapore is a recognized global education leader that is ranked as one of the 

finest in the world for its quality and consistently producing students rated 

among the best in literacy, reading, mathematics and science. As such, Singapore, 

with a population of 5.5 million, has been the choice destination for more than 

70,000 foreign students from around the world. Singapore’s education system 

is in tandem with the job market, changes are made to ensure relevance to 

the economy. To further sustain growth and maintain a reputation for topquality education, Singapore has attracted a number of leading international 

institutions. Partnerships such as research collaboration, joint degree or exchange 

programs are popular among local universities and colleges. However, due to 

the competitive nature of higher education in Singapore, many students travel 

overseas to further their education. The United States is a popular destination 

for these students due to the strong liberal arts education track; however, the 

strengthening of the U.S. dollar may cause the student numbers to decrease as it 

will be less affordable as compared to other regions such as Australia or Europe. 

Despite that, U.S. higher education providers can expect favorable recruitment 

figures from Singapore for institutions that are well-ranked or strategically 

marketed. 

Market Entry

Singapore’s education system is well known for its quality which is why there is a 

strong demand from students in the region to study here. The estimated number 

of foreign students in Singapore is around 70,000. Hence, besides Singaporeans, 

U.S. universities and colleges should also take into consideration the large number 

of foreign students in Singapore. In addition to recruiting full-time students (both 

local and overseas) to study in the United States, U.S. universities may want to 

consider offering their external degree and executive education programs in 

Singapore to international executives working in the region. U.S. universities and 
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 99

colleges interested in offering courses in Singapore have a number of market entry options. 

These include, setting up a physical campus, partnering with local universities, polytechnics 

and private education institutions or partnering with an institution to offer online courses. 

Having a local presence is beneficial in terms of creating visibility and being able to answer 

questions from prospective students face-to-face. Many local universities and colleges 

welcome the various forms of partnerships, including exchange programs and the promotion 

of dual degrees. Alternatively, U.S. Universities and colleges can recruit students to study in the 

United States. Generally, Singaporean students find programs that allow them to complete at 

least part of their course work in Singapore a very attractive and financially viable alternative 

to completing their studies entirely in the United States.

Current Demand

Singapore’s education market emphasizes, supports and values higher education and skills 

upgrading. Many government agencies and private sector companies offer full scholarships 

for top students to pursue their undergraduate and graduate studies in foreign universities, 

including in the United States. Furthermore, an increasing number of adult employees are also 

encouraged to upgrade themselves to be more knowledgeable in a globalized economy. In 

line with the long-term commitment to continuing education and training, the government 

will top up the Lifelong Learning Endowment Fund by USD 357 million, bringing the total fund 

size to USD 3.3 billion. 

There are currently close to 5,000 Singaporeans (excluding exchange students) pursuing 

tertiary education in the United States; two-thirds are undergraduates and a third are graduate 

students. However, numbers are decreasing due to the strengthening U.S. dollar. 

The number of visas issued to Singaporeans each September for the 10-year period ending 

2016 are:

• 2007: 2323 (6.3 percent increase)

• 2008: 2499 (7.6 percent increase)

• 2009: 2588 (3.6 percent increase)

• 2010: 2814 (8.7 percent increase)

• 2011: 2875 (2.2 percent increase)

• 2012: 3109 (8.1 percent increase)

• 2013: 3253 (4.6 percent increase)

• 2014: 3038 (6.6 percent decrease)

• 2015: 2800 (7.8 percent decrease)

• 2016: 2800 (no change)
100 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Several degree courses have become increasingly important and are expected to see increased 

demand from Singaporean and third-country students studying in Singapore.

• Life sciences and healthcare

• Supply chain logistics

• Hospitality and tourism

• Digital media and animation

• Sports science and medicine

• Wealth management and 

financial planning

U.S. universities and colleges will find a receptive market in Singapore, provided they are 

willing to invest in long-term branding and marketing with accredited programs in disciplines 

that offer strong career growth and high income potential. Additionally, Singapore is also a 

gateway to the ASEAN region which makes it an ideal location for U.S. universities to enjoy the 

amplifying effect and reach out to the ASEAN market.

Resources

• Council for Private Education, http://www.cpe.gov.sg

• Ministry of Education, http://www.moe.gov.sg

• EducationUSA, https://educationusa.state.gov
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 101

Spain

Statistics

Capital: Madrid

Population: 48,146,134 (est. 2015)

GDP (USD): 1.572 trillion (est. 2014)

Currency: Euro (EUR/€)

Language: Castilian Spanish (official)

Contact

Jesus Garcia

Commercial Specialist

jesus.garcia@trade.gov

+34 913 081 578

Overview

According to the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors® 2016, Spain 

is ranked 25th among countries sending students to the United States for higher 

education and training services. During the 2015/2016 academic year, 6,640 

Spanish students were enrolled in undergraduate, graduate, OPT, or Intensive 

English Programs. This was a 8.1 percent increase over the previous academic 

year. The fact that Spain’s new King studied in the United States and has been 

supportive of educational exchanges with the United States has brought 

positive visibility to the U.S. education market. Spain’s royal family conferred the 

prestigious 2014 Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation on the 

Fulbright Program. 

Spanish students are actively seeking study abroad opportunities, and many take 

full advantage of the European Union’s Erasmus program for exchanges within 

Europe. 39,249 Spanish students participated in an Erasmus program during 

2012/2013. Spanish students also highly value educational opportunities in 

English speaking countries outside the EU including the United States, Australia, 

and Canada. 

Spain sends around 1,000 high school grade students every year to the United 

States. These opportunities are very popular with Spanish families seeking 

opportunities for their children to immerse themselves in an English speaking 

academic environment. There has also been increased demand for summer camps 

and ESL programs in the United States.

Market Entry

Spain is a stable and mature market for inbound students. An onsite partner 

network and/or accredited representatives are recommended to drive and support 

student acquisition. Partnership agreements with Spanish universities might also 

be effective. 
102 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

E-learning, blended programs and intensive ESL programs offer additional opportunities, as 

well as optional practical training programs. Spanish students are very sensitive to costs when 

selecting education options and value dual accreditation courses.

Current Demand

Spanish student enrollment in graduate programs has had consistent growth in the past 

couple of years and should continue to be offer opportunities in the U.S. education market. 

One third of Spanish students studying in the United States are enrolled in graduate programs. 

The most popular academic fields of study for Spanish students in higher education in the 

United States are:

• Business

• Management

• Social sciences

• Humanities

• Engineering

Trade Events

• AULA (Madrid), March 1–5, 2017, ifema.es/aula_01

• Foro de Posgrado (Madrid), March 2–4, 2017, ifema.es/forodepostgrado_01

• Saló de l’Ensenyament (Barcelona), March 22–26, 2017, ensenyament.com/en

• FPPEDUMedia EDUEXPOS (Multiple cities), fppmedia.com

• SRT Student Recruitment Tours, srt-fairs.com

Resources

• EducationUSA, educationusa.info/spain

• Fulbright Spain, fulbright.es

• Spanish Association of Promoters of Courses Abroad (ASEPROCE), aseproce.org
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 103

Taiwan

Statistics

Capital: Taipei

Population: 23,415,126 (est. 2015)

GDP (USD): 1.079 trillion (est. 2014)

Currency: New Taiwan dollar (TWD)

Language: Mandarin Chinese (official)

Contact

Grace Tao

Commercial Specialist

grace.tao@trade.gov

886-2-2720-1550 x383

Overview

According to the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors® 2016, in 

2015/2016, Taiwan was the seventh leading place of origin for foreign students 

studying in the United States, with 21,127 students enrolled in U.S. institutions. 

The United States remains the top destination for Taiwanese students pursuing 

studies abroad, with 43.5 percent studying at the graduate level, 30 percent at 

the undergraduate level, 19 percent in Optional Practical Training (OPT), and 7.5 

percent in other programs.

In the 2015 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) 

global education ranking, Taiwan placed fourth best in the world. Furthermore, 

Taiwan parents are one of the largest investors in childhood education in 

Asia. In fact, a recent unofficial survey conducted by an international firm on 

the proportion of a family income spent on children’s education puts Taiwan 

at the top of the ranking in the greater China area, at around 17 percent of 

household income. Spending includes English lessons, test preparations, 

extracurricular activities, or service fees paid to student recruitment agents. In 

addition, 32 percent of the parents surveyed reported that they have plans to 

send their children abroad to study for more international exposure and to gain 

competitiveness in the global market.

A trend that is growing in Taiwan is the increase in the number of top-tier high 

school graduates going abroad to study. The number exceeded 1,000 for the 

first time in 2013 and grew to 1,288 in 2014, with the top four study abroad 

destinations being the United States, China, Hong Kong, and Japan. These high 

school students are mainly from Taipei and New Taipei City, followed by Taichung, 

Hsinchu, Taoyuan and Kaohsiung. Seeing the growing market demand for study 

abroad programs, more and more private bilingual high schools are being 

established throughout Taiwan to prepare students to go abroad. 

Another recent major development in Taiwan’s education industry has been the 

implementation of the Education Innovation Curricula. For the first time, the 
104 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Taiwan Ministry of Education (MOE) has approved nine in-country joint programs between 

Taiwan and foreign universities which will begin enrollment as early as fall 2015. Out of the 

nine joint programs, four of them are in cooperation with U.S. universities, namely University 

of Southern California, University of Rhode Island, UCLA, and University of South Carolina, 

offering programs spanning from high tech, business, sports management, and cultural 

studies to culinary programs. The Educational Innovation Curricula aims to foster collaboration 

between domestic and foreign universities and encourage the establishment of experimental 

branch campuses, independent colleges, or certificate programs/courses. MOE hopes to 

introduce international curricula, faculty, and other high-quality educational resources to 

Taiwan through international collaboration, learning, and observation, thus enhancing 

Taiwan’s quality of teaching and learning. 

Higher quality teaching and research also goes in tandem with higher education export 

value, which recruits students from neighboring countries to pursue their studies in Taiwan. 

Deregulation and international partnerships will lead to more flexibility in attracting top 

international universities to establish campuses in Taiwan. At the same time, restrictions will 

also be lifted for Taiwan universities to promote higher education to international students. 

The move was triggered by two main factors: One being that Taiwan has been left out of the 

trend within the Asia Pacific region in helping foreign universities establish branch campuses 

to serve international students; and the other is the declining number of Taiwan youth 

studying abroad U.S. higher education institutions should take advantage of this window of 

opportunity to come to Taiwan and explore partnerships with Taiwan universities. 

As a mature market, Taiwan now has more than 55,000 students going abroad each year 

for degree, exchange, language study and working holiday programs. In recent years, 

career development programs or degree programs with work opportunities are becoming 

increasingly popular. More and more Taiwan students choose to stay in the U.S for Optional 

Practical Training (OPT), a program that allows participants to work in the United States for 

12–29 months upon completion of their studies. One major contributing factor to this trend 

is the stagnant domestic economy in Taiwan which has resulted in lower pay and fewer 

international job opportunities. Traditionally, the major foreign recruiters of Taiwan students 

are from English-speaking countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, 

Canada, and New Zealand. However, in recent years many neighboring Asian countries like 

China (including Hong Kong), Japan, and Singapore have observed the trend in Taiwan and 

have stepped up efforts to recruit top-notch Taiwan students by offering scholarships or 

job opportunities upon graduation. Therefore, it is advisable for U.S. schools to emphasize 

affordability and post-graduation job placement rates to attract Taiwan students. Going abroad 

to study is now more of a consumer’s choice, with students becoming savvier and selecting 

programs that offer the best value for the time and money spent.

Taiwan is a stable and mature market for U.S. educational institutions. The domestic supply 

of higher education institutions has also reached a saturation point. In order to maintain its 

leading position, U.S. schools should pursue deeper partnerships with Taiwan institutions 
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 105

to establish more scholarly exchanges or joint degree programs. Engaging with student 

recruitment agencies, developing active alumni networks, and reaching out to potential 

students through fairs and social media are all recommended strategies.

Market Entry

Partnership with local schools is a long-term strategy for U.S. schools when recruiting Taiwan 

students for joint-degree programs or short-term summer programs. In addition, many Taiwan 

universities have established Mandarin centers to educate foreign students. U.S. schools 

should consider increasing cultural and language exchanges with Taiwan schools. CS Taiwan 

can help U.S. schools connect with local universities or high schools for collaboration.

Partnership with student recruiting agents allows U.S. schools to have year-round exposure to 

the Taiwan market. Recruiting agents are one of the main resources used by Taiwan students 

and parents when planning to study abroad. CS Taiwan can help U.S. schools pre-screen 

prospective agents and arrange one-on-one meetings in Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung. 

Participation in education fairs may also be a very effective tool. Fair organizers have a deep 

knowledge of the market and can greatly reduce U.S. schools’ marketing expenses. Local 

fair organizers also counsel students throughout the year and are able to follow up with the 

students who visited the fair. Taiwan’s major education fairs featuring U.S. schools include:

• OH! Study International Education Expo 

(Spring/Fall), co-sponsored by CS Taiwan

• The Association of Boarding Schools Fair 

(TABS), co-sponsored by CS Taiwan 

• AIEF Education Foundation Fair (AIEF)

• USEAS Study World 

• The MBA Tour

• QS Top MBA Fair

Current Demand

• Degree programs in business, 

engineering, life sciences, computer 

sciences, health care, education, and 

the arts.

• Programs containing a work or 

internship component

• Pathway programs

• Professional certificate or diploma 

programs

• Joint degree programs with local 

universities

Resources

• Taiwan Ministry of Education, 

english.moe.gov.tw

• Oh! Study Education Center, 

ohstudy.net/expo

• American International Education 

Foundation (AIEF), aief-usa.org

• USEAS Study World, 

useas.com.tw/study-world

• Top MBA Tour, topmba.com

• The MBA Tour, thembatour.com

• The Association of Boarding Schools Fair 

(TABS), tabs.org
106 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Thailand

Statistics

Capital: Bangkok

Population: 67,976,405

GDP (USD): 1.07 trillion (est. 2014)

Currency: Thai baht (THB)

Language: Thai (official)

Contact

Thanyathorn Voravongsatit

Commercial Specialist

tvoravon@trade.gov

662-205-5282

Overview

The number of Thai students and business professionals seeking to improve 

their English proficiency is expected to reach 746,500 people in 2015, up from 

432,000 people in 2012, an increase of twenty percent annually. The demand 

has been enhanced by the formation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), 

which is scheduled to take effect by the end of 2015. English is likely to be a key 

component of facilitating transnational investment and movement of labor within 

the AEC.

The Thai government has established an education “Superboard” to overhaul the 

system and improve Thai education in many aspects by formulating a master 

plan for education reform from 2015–20. One area of improvement is English 

teaching in classrooms, where teachers’ skills need to be upgraded in order to 

improve students’ English proficiency. The number of English language schools 

and language training centers is growing in order to meet this demand for more 

education options.

There are also growing numbers of bilingual schools. By the end of 2014, there 

were 147 international schools in Thailand catering to over 60,000 international 

students, up from 138 schools in 2012. Private schools offering English Programs 

(EP) increased from 144 in 2008 to 174 in 2014 with EP students climbing from 

54,800 to over 70,000. Both state and private universities also offer more than 

1,200 international programs to attract Thais and foreign students. In 2014, 

there were more than 40,000 Thai students and more than 10,000 international 

undergraduate students in Thailand, of which 44 percent were from China, 

followed by Burma, Laos PDR, and Vietnam.

Market Entry

Student Exchange and summer programs are still popular among youth and high 

school students as a pathway to learning Western culture and English language 
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 107

with native speakers. It is estimated that over 15,000 youth and high school students study 

in summer programs overseas annually. Within the sector of higher education, community 

colleges and two-year educational programs offer strong growth potential in Thailand. A 

lack of understanding about the programs contributes to the low number of Thai students 

participating in this subsector in the United States. 

Due to the lack of English proficiency, Thai students frequently enroll in universities that 

offer ESL and English-intensive programs and/or conditional admission. The most popular 

academic programs are business administration, computer information, engineering, and 

mass communication.

The other area with growth potential is high school students from Thailand. Currently, Canada, 

New Zealand, and Australia are the major destinations for Thai high school students studying 

abroad. School fees in these countries are more competitive than fees of schools in the United 

States and United Kingdom. Moreover, most of the schools in Canada, New Zealand, and 

Australia work with agents to promote their institutions, while most of the schools in the 

United States do not.

Current Demand

The demand to study abroad during an undergraduate degree is growing continually. 

According to the Open Door reports, the number of Thai undergraduate students who study 

abroad in the United States has increased from 29.8 percent in 2011 to 36.9 percent in 2014. 

However, the number of graduate students studying abroad has decreased from 52.2 percent 

in 2011 to 45.3 percent in 2014, in part due to strong marketing by one year MBA programs in 

the United Kingdom, which offer fewer admission requirements and more affordable tuition 

fees than U.S. institutions. However, the United States is still the number one destination for 

Thais to study abroad because of the reputation of strong academic programs. It is expected 

that the number of Thai students in the United States will increase in the next few years as the 

economy improves.

• Two-year, community college

• Business administration, graduate and 

undergraduate degrees

• 4–6 week summer language training 

and cultural programs

• One-year exchange program for 

high school

• Boarding high school

Resources

• The American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand, amchamthailand.com

• Thai International Education Consultants Association, tieca.com/?switch_lang=1

• OCSC International Education Fair, www.ocsc.go.th
108 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Turkey

Statistics

Capital: Ankara

Population: 79,414,269 (est. 2015)

GDP (USD): 1.515 trillion (est. 2014)

Currency: Turkish lira (TRY)

Language: Turkish

Contact

Perim Akguner

Commercial Specialist

perim.akguner@trade.gov

[90] 212-335 9197

Overview

Turkey’s population of 78 million is relatively young when compared with many 

other countries. Over 30 percent of the population is under the age of eighteen. 

This young population provides considerable opportunities for international 

education institutions.

As of December 2015, there are 109 public and 84 private foundation universities 

serving five million students in various academic programs. 2015 figures reveal 

that 3.63 million students are enrolled in undergraduate programs, 342,000 in 

master’s programs, 78,000 in PhD, 20,100 in doctors in residency programs and 

2.86 million in the Open University. Public universities charge a small fee, whereas 

private university tuition costs range from USD 4,000 to 20,000 per year. Many 

outstanding students of limited means are able to attend private universities on 

merit scholarships.

Entrance into universities is competitive due to the limited capacity of Turkish 

universities. Students need to successfully pass two nationwide placement tests 

that are administered in March and in June every year. Every year an increasing 

number of students take the university exams. In 2015, 1,987,484 high school 

graduates took the exams and around 25.6 percent of these applicants were 

enrolled in a 4-year program, 20.3 percent in a 2-year program, and 11 percent 

to the Open University (distance education in the various subfields). The rest 

were unable to enter any higher education program. In Turkey, the Ministry of 

National Education is responsible for administering all educational services in the 

country, excluding higher education. The Council of Higher Education (YÖK) is a 

22-member corporate public body responsible for the planning, coordination and 

supervision of higher education.

The number of Turkish universities is insufficient to meet the increasing demand 

for higher education, thus there is a large Turkish student population studying 

abroad. Many students willing to study abroad place U.S. universities at the top 
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 109

of the list due to the quality of education and good career prospects. Over 33,000 Turkish 

students go abroad for university education. U.S. colleges and universities already attract 

around one third of these students for undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as 

specialized training.

The Institute of International Education’s Open Doors® 2016 shows that Turkey, with its 10,691 

students, is the thirteenth leading place of origin for students in the United States. Among 

European countries, Turkey has the second place after the UK with its number of students in 

the United States. The enrollment level of the Turkish students includes:

• Undergraduate: 3,393

• Graduate: 5,125

• Other (Language, Training, OPT Courses): 2,173

Nearly half of the Turkish students in U.S. universities are studying for their graduate degrees.

Market Entry

There are more students interested in higher education than can be accommodated by the 

Turkish universities. Thus, good opportunities exist for U.S. universities and colleges to explore 

a rapidly growing market. The results of the central university placement exam in Turkey are 

not announced until mid-August. Overseas schools that can accept unmatched or dissatisfied 

students for the second semester/quarter have an advantage.

The Ministry of National Education, the Council of Higher Education and many ministries offer 

scholarships to hundreds of successful students each year wishing to continue their studies 

abroad. These students usually apply to top “brand name” universities. Cost is not a critical 

factor in their decision-making process as the scholarship sponsors pay for their entire studies 

and the scholarship holders are usually bonded to work with their sponsoring organizations 

for about 4–8 years after they graduate. The student decisions are based mostly on the 

reputations of institutions, the faculty, and the programs.

Due to the competitive nature of the Turkish labor market and the significant level of 

unemployment, many students feel the necessity to have a post graduate/master’s degree 

to be able to find better jobs. These programs are even more competitive, so students seek 

placement at foreign universities. Graduate studies are the most popular level of enrollment 

for Turkish students; nearly half of the Turkish students in the United States are pursuing 

graduate degrees.

Several Turkish universities have cooperation programs (such as dual diploma, language 

programs) with U.S. universities, enabling their students to continue their education in the U.S. 

institutions. Other U.S. universities may wish to pursue such cooperative agreements as well as 

student exchange programs to attract qualified Turkish students.
110 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Many students and professionals opt for supplementary English language education to 

improve their command of English, as fluency in English provides a competitive advantage 

in job hunting and career prospects. This opportunity gives U.S. firms a chance to compete in 

the market by providing private English language courses in Turkey and intensive language 

programs in the United States.

Current Demand

According to the Turkish Fulbright Commission, the most popular fields of study chosen by 

Turkish students planning to study abroad are:

• Business administration and economics (especially MBA programs in finance, marketing 

and international business)

• Engineering, computer science and other technical fields

• English as a second language

• Short-term certificate programs and/or summer programs (mostly in business ESL)

• Social sciences, humanities and arts (mainly psychology, political sciences, architecture, 

and law)

• Mass communications (radio-TV, film, and video production)

• Medicine and other medical fields (for the most part, advanced level residencies)

Resources

• Institute of International Education, iie.org

• EducationUSA Turkey, 1.usa.gov/1QXiH2f

• Turkish Ministry of National Education, meb.gov.tr

• Higher Education Council of Turkey, yok.gov.tr

• The Turkish Fulbright Commission, fulbright.org.tr
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 111

Ukraine

Statistics

Capital: Kyiv

Population: 42.8 million

GDP (USD): 348 billion (est. 2016)

Currency: Ukrainian Hryvnya (UAH)

Language: Ukrainian

Contact

Iuliia Myronenko

Commercial Specialist

iuliia.myronenko@trade.gov

+38 (044) 521 6140 

Overview

With nearly 5.7 million students in a country the size of Texas, Ukraine is among 

the largest and most talented international student markets in Europe. 

After decades of standing in Russia’s shadow, Western institutions are gradually 

taking more notice of Ukrainian students. The country ranks fourth in the world 

in the number of people with a higher education degree, and the literacy rate is 

100 percent among its youngest generations. According to the World Economic 

Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report, Ukraine ranks 31 out of 144 countries 

in primary school enrollment, 41st in secondary education, and 13th in higher 

education. In the 2015/2016 academic year, 3,783,150 students were enrolled in 

primary and secondary school; 1,605,300 were in higher education.

Despite its track record in producing talented, literate students, over the last 

20 years Ukraine’s educational system has suffered, which in turn has caused 

increasing numbers of students to look for study abroad programs. Between 2009 

and 2014, the number of Ukrainians studying abroad increased by 79 percent to 

47,724 students studying in 34 countries. 

According to the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors® 2016, 1,680 

Ukrainian students went to the United States to study in 2015/2016 (8.3 percent 

more than in 2014/2015). According to EducationUSA, 42 percent of Ukrainians 

studying in the United States pursue Bachelor’s degrees, 41 percent enroll in 

Master’s programs, 11 percent take optional practical training, and five percent go 

for non-degree programs.

Market Entry

There are many recruiting agents in Ukraine and numerous small agencies 

dominate the market. Last year, most agents recruited up to 20 students to study 
112 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

in America. Most agents concentrate their efforts on serving students who plan to use their 

parent’s income or personal savings to pay for their education.

Current Demand

To gain more insight into Ukraine’s international student market, in the summer of 2016 the 

U.S. Commercial Service in Kyiv conducted two online surveys regarding the demand for study 

abroad programs—one among Ukrainian students, and one among Ukrainian education 

companies (i.e. agents). The survey results revealed that the most popular destination for 

prospective students is the United States, followed by Canada, the UK, and Western Europe.

When selecting a country in which to study, Ukrainians base their decisions on a country’s 

reputation for helping a student with career preparation and the strength of a country’s overall 

education system. When comparing schools, prospective students consider first the quality 

and then the cost of tuition.

The most popular programs for Ukrainians are Master’s degrees, English courses, and 

Bachelor’s degrees. Due to a limited number of high-quality business education programs in 

Ukraine, business administration is the number one field of study for Ukrainian international 

students. Regarding competition for U.S. universities, according to agents, Canada is the 

United States’ primary competitor in recruiting Ukrainians to study in primary and higher 

education programs; the UK is the major competitor for language schools and programs.
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 113

United Arab Emirates

Statistics

Capital: Abu Dhabi

Population: 5,779,760

GDP (USD): 617.1 billion (est. 2014)

Currency: UAE dirham (AED)

Languages: Arabic (official), Persian, 

English, Hindi, Urdu

Contact

Manal L. El Masry

Commercial Specialist

manal.elmasry@trade.gov

+971 2 414 2217

Overview

The development of education in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) started 

effectively in 1962. At that time there were only 20 schools, in which less than 

4,000 students studied and were predominantly male students. The necessary 

infrastructure was often unavailable in many social services venues including 

hospitals, households, airports, due to the lack of necessary manpower 

and funding.

Upon the exploration of oil and the beginning of development, the UAE focused 

a lot of attention on education. When the Federation was established in 1971, 

educational services were still immature and inaccessible to many cities and 

villages. Enrollment rate was nearly 28,000 students. Higher education was 

unavailable locally; therefore students had to seek other countries to pursue 

higher education after school on the government expense. 

Currently, education is one of the UAE’s highest priorities; in 1975, the rate of adult 

literacy was 54 percent among men and 31 percent among women. Today, literacy 

rates for both genders are nearly 90 percent.

New initiatives are being launched at all educational levels. A key area of focus has 

been to transform K to 12 programs, to ensure that UAE students are fully prepared 

to attend universities around the world and compete in the global marketplace. 

According to the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors® 2016, there 

has been a 1.5 percent increase in the number of Emiratis studying in the United 

States—2,920 Emirati students in 2015/2016, compared to 2,878 in 2014/2015. 

Most of the Emirati students in the United States are on a government sponsored 

scholarship.
114 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Market Entry

The United States continues to be the preferred destination of overseas study for Emirati 

students going to the United States on government scholarships, these students come from 

a public school background. Student’s mobility increased as a result of these government 

scholarships available to students at the graduate and undergraduate levels, both locally and 

overseas. 

Current Market Trends

The education system in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is divided into public schools, private 

schools and higher education. The public schools follow the Arabic curriculum whereas the 

private schools follow 15 different curricula. Schools following national curricula from the 

United Kingdom (UK), United States (U.S.), India and the UAE Ministry of Education (MoE) 

cater to 90 percent of the private school student population. Among other curricula are 

International Baccalaureate (IB), Canadian, French, German, Philippines, Pakistani, Iranian and 

Japanese. The MoE primary and secondary education is provided for all UAE citizens and is 

mandatory up to the ninth grade. The existing educational structure, which was established 

in the early 1970s, is a four-tier system covering 14 years of education: Kindergarten (1–2-year 

program), Primary (6 year program), Preparatory (3 year program) and Secondary 

(3-year program). 

In 2013/2014, number of private schools totaled 459, most of which are in Dubai (169) and 

Abu Dhabi (185), with approximately 214,587 and 255,208 students in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, 

respectively; an increase of 10 percent from the last academic year. 

The MoE oversees all UAE-based education councils and authorities.

Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC)

Established in 2005, ADEC is the regulatory body that provides licensing and accreditation 

to private schools in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and the Western Emirates, and sets the minimum 

standards that must be met in terms of educational outcomes, health, safety, building and 

site requirements. ADEC works closely with the MoE in formulating the Emirate education 

plan and focuses on developing the educational system in line with the highest standards by 

developing and implementing innovative approaches and initiatives.

Knowledge and Human Development (KHDA) in Dubai

Established in 2007, KHDA is responsible for inspecting all private schools in Dubai to ensure 

proper quality of education, from early learning to higher and continuing education. Among 

KHDA activities are publishing education standards and reports, data collection and analysis, 

the provision of educational services permits, and the supervision of educational institutions 

on an ongoing basis.
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 115

Notable Trends

• The UAE education sector has been growing, attracting billions of dollars in investment 

and experiencing a rapid pace of enrollment across its K–12 and higher education

• The UAE population is predominantly expatriates

• There is a strong preference for international schools

• There is a yawning gap between the demand of the population and the supply of 

education facilities

• There is an ease of market entry, an absence of bureaucracy and positive demographic 

and socioeconomic indicators

• 57 percent of the UAE nationals send their children to private schools.

Current Demand

The UAE government has committed a large budget for the development of educational 

infrastructure, realizing the need to invest in educating their future generations to ensure 

growth and maintain social stability. Due to the transient nature of the expatriate population 

in the UAE, parents prefer enrolling their children within international schools. In addition to 

this, almost 58 percent of the UAE nationals send their children to private rather than public 

schools. Hence, demand for private education has been on the rise in the UAE, thus leading to 

strong growth in the education sector. As indicated by KHDA, ADEC and several educational 

consultants and private investors, the private education market will require an addition of 52 

educational facilities across multiple curriculums, out of which at least 10 will be U.S. schools. 

There is expressed demand for local operators to introduce K–12 U.S. schools, especially in Abu 

Dhabi and Dubai. Local investors/operators are looking to establish medium-to-high tier U.S. 

schools, and to ensure that such schools are accredited by U.S. accreditation authorities. 

Another market opportunity is education technology. The UAE government believes that 

the quality of education and innovation can drive sustainable economic and social skills 

development. Across K–12 and Higher Education Institutions, there have been marked 

increases in educational technology. Investment in education technology is predicted to 

surge 71 percent, from USD 373 million in 2013 to USD 639 million by 2016. In 2012, the UAE 

government launched the Mohammed Bin Rashid Smart Learning Program (MBRSLP), a new 

curriculum with greater emphasis on teaching technology and the 21st century skills. MBRSLP 

offers a modern way of teaching through the integration of technology to the education 

system. Currently, the program reaches 208 schools, 34,513 students and 5,295 teachers. By 

2019, the program will be applied in all government schools across all grades.
116 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Emiratis’ academic majors are related to the countries vision and future workforce. 

Undergraduate Emirati students are going into fields and majors selected by the scholarship 

programs with a high demand on engineering (petroleum, civil, mechanical, electrical,), cyber 

security and criminal justice in order to meet the labor market needs.

Best prospects include:

• K–12 U.S. curriculum schools

• Student and teacher training programs, 

such as creativity in curriculum delivery, 

leadership, STEM, and robotics

• Programs for special needs

• Vocational training

• Digital and e-learning

Trade Events

• NAJAH Education & Training Exhibition (October 25–27, 2016), najahonline.com

Resources

• Ministry of Health, moh.gov.ae

• Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), khda.gov.ae/en

• Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC), adec.ac.ae/en

• The World Bank, bit.ly/1IqJov2
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 117

United Kingdom

Statistics

Capital: London

Population: 64,088,222 (est. 2015)

GDP (USD): 2.569 trillion (est. 2014)

Currency: Pound Sterling (GBP/£)

Language: English (official)

Contact

Chrystal Denys

Commercial Specialist

chrystal.denys@trade.gov

+44 20 7894 0432

Overview

According to the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors® 2015, the United 

Kingdom (UK) is ranked 12th (up one place from last year) among countries sending 

students to the United States for higher education and training. The UK has ranked in 

the top 15 senders for many years, and this year the UK overtook Turkey to become 

the top market in Europe.

During the 2015/2016 academic year, a total of 11,599 students from the UK studied in 

the United States. The number of UK students has risen for the past eight consecutive 

years, reaching another new peak in 2015/2016. This record high marks a 8 percent 

increase over the previous year. The majority of British students in the United States 

are undergraduates (49 percent). Graduates make up 23.1 percent, and the remaining 

students are categorized as Other (18.7 percent) and Optional Practical Training 

(9.2 percent).

Last year, UK students at U.S. colleges and universities contributed USD 330 million 

to the U.S. economy (approximately USD 30,700 per student). It is also interesting to 

note the strong U.S.–UK ties to one another with regards to study abroad. The UK is by 

far the leading destination for U.S. study abroad students, with 12.6 percent market 

share. In the British Council’s Broadening Horizons 2015 report, 34 percent of all British 

undergraduates expressed interest in studying abroad, and the United States was the 

most desired destination.

Market Entry

Considering the strong ties between the United States and United Kingdom, 

exchange programs and partnerships with British universities are a common 

method of market entry. For U.S. schools looking to gain exposure and to test the 

market, the U.S.–UK Fulbright Commission’s USA College Day is a well-established, 
118 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

growing event. Taking place each September in Central London, the 2015 USA College Day had 

both a record number of U.S. universities (190) and registrations (6,000).

In recent years, changes to UK government policy have made U.S. universities more competitive 

in this market. Rising university fees and active encouragement of outward mobility both 

present opportunities for recruiting British students. Tuition fees were first introduced across 

the UK in September 1998. At that time, the UK government set a cap on fees of £1,000 a year 

(approx. USD 1,700). Prior to this date, tuition was free and thus studying outside of the UK 

was a difficult financial burden for many. Since tuition was introduced in 1998, it has further 

increased and various regulations have come into force for each of the countries within the 

United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales). Since 2012, tuition fees in 

England are at a maximum of £ 9,000 per year (approx. USD 15,300). It is expected that fees will 

continue to rise. 

In September 2013, the UK government launched its international education strategy, Global 

Growth and Prosperity. The strategy focuses on encouraging foreign students to study in the 

UK, but also places emphasis on actively encouraging British students to study and travel 

outside of the UK.

Current Demand

The United Kingdom’s educational system is well established, with a highly regarded 

international reputation. The best prospects for attracting British students to the United States 

lie in the undergraduate and graduate areas of study. According to the Higher Education 

Statistics Agency (HESA), the most popular subjects for UK undergraduate students in 

2013/2014 were business and administrative, biological sciences, subjects allied to medicine, 

creative arts and design, and social studies. At the graduate level, the most popular subjects 

were business and administrative, education, social studies, engineering and technology, and 

biological sciences.

Trade Events

• U.S.–UK Fulbright Commission’s USA College Day (September), bit.ly/1zoE4gs

Resources

• U.S.–UK Fulbright Commission, fulbright.org.uk

• UK International Education Strategy: Global Growth and Prosperity, bit.ly/1vAWeu8

• UK Strategy for Outward Mobility, bit.ly/13LQI0y
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 119

Vietnam

Statistics

Capital: Hanoi

Population: 94,348,835 (est. 2015)

GDP (USD): 512.6 billion (est. 2014)

Currency: Vietnamese dong (VND)

Language: Vietnamese

Contact—Hanoi

Ngo Anh

Commercial Specialist

ngo.anh@trade.gov

+84-4-3850-5199 x6159

Overview

Educational exchange is a cornerstone of the U.S. bilateral relationship with 

Vietnam and a top prospect opportunity for U.S. universities and educational 

institutions. The number of students from Vietnam fluctuated moderately 

throughout the 1980s and 1990s with a steady trend of growth beginning in the 

late 1990s. In the 2015/2016 academic year, Vietnam topped Southeast Asia in 

terms of students learning in the United States: 21,403, a year-on-year increase 

of 14.3 percent. This figure is also the sixth highest among countries which 

have students in the United States. The mutual understanding between the 

two countries’ students will play a key role in the process of expanding the two 

countries’ bilateral relations and consolidating their comprehensive cooperation.

A significant increase in per capita income in the past 10 years, the robust 

expansion of both the manufacturing and service sectors, and the value 

Vietnamese traditionally place on education are creating substantial opportunities 

for education and training services providers. 

However, competition will continue to grow as globalization creates more 

opportunities for study elsewhere. Competitors in Asia (including Australia and 

Singapore) promote proximity, affordable costs, and the possibility of postgraduation employment. Currently, there are 234 universities and 185 colleges 

operating in the higher education system in Vietnam. Vietnamese universities had 

room for only about 600,000 of over 1.8 million candidates who took university/

college entrance exams.

Three top priorities for Vietnamese government in the next 10 years include 

infrastructure, institutional reform, and human resources development. Improving 

domestic education is a top priority in various Vietnamese government plans and 

initiatives which include ambitious goals, such as a 10 percent annual increase in 

domestic university enrollment and developing a higher education system more 

in line with regional and global standards. To this end, recently the Vietnamese 
120 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

government has increased budget allocations, liberalized private sector involvement, and 

encouraged foreign participation in developing education and training services in Vietnam. 

However, many observers find the reform process to be slow, and domestic higher education 

falls far short of meeting demand.

With a population of over 90 million and robust GDP growth, Vietnam is a promising market for 

U.S. providers of education. Vietnam’s economy has seen robust economic growth for the last 

decade, and Vietnam has ambitious plans to attract foreign investment, create new industries 

and put in the necessary infrastructure to continue economic development. With more than 

50 percent of Vietnam’s population under the age of 30, developing a well-trained labor force 

is crucial. Education and training are top priorities for the Vietnamese government, which 

needs to equip the labor force with scientific, technological, and management skills. As new 

industries expand, a university degree is increasingly essential for young Vietnamese workers 

searching for higher paying jobs in newly emerging industries.

The government has acknowledged that the current education system is unable to meet 

demand. According to a survey conducted by the Vietnamese government, the World Health 

Organization, and UNICEF, 90 percent of students in Vietnam want to enroll in a university. 

In practice, however, opportunities for higher education are limited since the system can 

accommodate only a fraction of those seeking admission. Although the number of university 

students has doubled since 1990, the number of teachers remains virtually unchanged.

Furthermore, a large percentage of university graduates cannot find jobs in their field (or at all) 

without further training, demonstrating a need for a more practical and effective education 

for students. As a result, many Vietnamese students are looking for education opportunities 

outside of Vietnam.

With a booming economy, increased global integration and exposure, and a great need for 

higher education, the Vietnamese are showing an unprecedented level of interest in studying 

in the United States. According to the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors® 

2016, students from Vietnam studying in the United States have increased by 14.3 percent to 

21,403 in 2015/2016, making it the sixth leading place of origin. The majority of Vietnamese 

students study at the undergraduate level. In 2015/2016, the breakdown was 67.2 percent 

undergraduate, 15.1 percent graduate, 9.9 percent other, and 7.8 percent optional 

practical training.

The number of students from Vietnam fluctuated moderately throughout the 1980s and 1990s 

with a steady trend of growth beginning in the late 1990s. The number of Vietnamese students 

has risen significantly since 1998–99, with double-digit growth in many years. Vietnam has 

been a top 20 place of origin since 2006–07 and ranked number 6 in 2015/2016.
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 121

Market Entry

Appoint a Representative 

Local representation is essential for the success of any U.S. schools in the Vietnamese market. 

Local students and parents tend to depend on people who are located in Vietnam, with 

whom they can communicate about the many issues involved in applying for admission and 

studying in the United States. A representative could be an alumnus or someone with ties and 

familiarity with your school to handle in-country marketing, outreach and serve as a local point 

of contact. U.S. education institutions often appoint a professional education agent to market 

their school. Education agents typically represent other schools—from the United States or 

other countries—and provide a wide range of counseling services directly to parents and 

students. U.S. schools seeking agents should thoroughly vet prospective partners. 

Establish an Alumni Network

One of the most effective and low-cost ways of recruiting students is to establish and support 

an alumni network in Vietnam. There is no better promoter of your school than a student 

who achieved success and returned to Vietnam to tell his/her friends and family about 

their experiences.

Exhibit at Major Education Fairs

There are several education fairs in Vietnam annually, including events organized by the 

Institute of International Education (IIE) and EducationUSA. For more information, please visit 

educationusa.state.gov.

Stand-alone Marketing Events 

Universities or university consortia frequently organize outreach visits to local high schools, 

and hold seminars and counseling sessions, often employing a local partner or representative 

to organize and handle the necessary paperwork and public event approval process.

Become Familiar with Vietnamese Education-related Organizations

U.S. Schools should familiarize themselves with the many groups in Vietnam that are 

promoting U.S.–Vietnam education exchange such as the nonprofit organization VietAbroader 

(vietabroader.org) and the recently-established Vietnam Education and Training Consortium 

(VETEC, vetecusa.org/en). 

Vietnamese Materials and Websites

While many prospective students are comfortable with English, schools will reach a wider 

audience—and appeal to more parents—with Vietnamese promotional materials 

and websites.
122 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Virtual Agent Fairs 

Participating schools join these periodic virtual matchmaking fairs that introduce appropriate 

education agents, school counselors, and other partners via web-based “webinar” 

meetings. Virtual partner fairs will concentrate on different segments each time, such as the 

undergraduate, community college, and Intensive English Program segments. 

U.S. Catalog Pavilions 

Participating schools gain market exposure and collect leads at Vietnam’s largest student fairs 

in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The U.S. Commercial Service frequently organizes U.S. pavilions 

at education fairs that showcase participating schools, and collects and disseminates leads to 

clients for follow up.

Current Market Trends

Vietnam’s per capita GDP is around USD 2,000 and the majority of Vietnamese families cannot 

easily afford the costs associated with an overseas education. Providing clear information 

about available financial aid and payment plans is important. 

In the last few years, a number of U.S.-affiliated companies offering unaccredited programs 

have created a firestorm of criticism about “diploma mills” and “rogue providers” of education 

in Vietnam. U.S. schools should provide clear information about their accreditation.

Competing school programs from Australia, Singapore, the UK and Canada have been very 

active in Vietnam, and have developed significant reputations and brand recognition while 

offering competitively priced programs. 

Given the high demand for visas to the United States, a large number of unscrupulous “visa 

brokers” and consultants promising access to the United States have gravitated toward 

education advising and recruitment. U.S. schools that wish to identify a legitimate recruitment 

agent need to carefully review and investigate any prospective candidates and avoid the 

disreputable ones. Schools should avoid agents that are solely motivated by commissions, 

irrespective of the needs of the student, and those who do not transparently disclose their fee 

and commission structure to clients.

Current Demand

4-year Degree University Study

More Vietnamese students are pursuing 4-year study in universities. Business management, 

banking and finance, engineering, science and technology, IT, and health care programs are 

often their top choices. 
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 123

ESL and English Preparatory Programs

As Vietnam transitions to a market economy, English skills are becoming essential for many 

job seekers. Schools that offer ESL and English preparatory programs are attractive choices for 

students who need to develop these skills before starting their college programs. 

Technical and Vocational Training

Vietnam has a growing demand for skilled workers and production technicians as industrial 

sectors become a main provider of employment. According to the Ministry of Education and 

Training (MOET), the country needs 10,000–15,000 skilled workers trained each year in the 

service and industrial fields. Training facilities in Vietnam cannot satisfy this demand effectively 

which presents an opportunity for U.S. schools to provide much-needed 

professional training. 

Community Colleges

Community colleges offer financial and academic accessibility, serve as a bridge for Vietnamese 

students to acclimate to English, American culture and the U.S. education system, as well as a 

transition to four-year universities. Vietnam is the fifth largest country of origin for students at 

U.S. community colleges.

Programs aimed at cultivating ‘Soft Skills’

Due to the rote-learning style of the Vietnamese education system, there is a need to cultivate 

skills such as leadership, public speaking and teamwork. 

Boarding schools

In the past, few students from Vietnam pursued boarding school in the United States, opting 

instead to enroll later in community colleges and universities. Recently, there is growing 

interest among Vietnamese families in sending children to the United States to enroll in high 

school and high school finishing programs (generally grades 9 to 12) to better prepare for 

U.S. college admissions. In addition, parents in Vietnam cite their desire for providing a safe, 

comfortable environment for their kids as primary criteria for selecting boarding schools. 

Several education recruiters in Vietnam have expressed interest in representing U.S. boarding 

schools, reflecting this growing trend.

Resources

• Higher Engineering Education Alliances, heeap.org

• Institute of International Education, iie.org

• Vietnam Education and Training Center, vetecusa.com

• Viet Abroader, vietabroader.org

• Vietnam Education Foundation, vef.gov
124 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Best Prospects Best Recruitment 

Methods

High SchoolBoarding SchoolCommunity CollegeUndergraduateGraduateLaw SchoolOPT ESLOnlineSummer/CertificateEducation AgentsInstitutionalStudent OutreachOnline Outreach

Argentina     

Australia     

Brazil     

Bulgaria       

Canada     

Central America        

Chile         

China        

Colombia          

Czech Republic       

Denmark      

Ecuador       

Egypt      

France        

Finland     

Germany       

Ghana          

Hong Kong         

India         

Indonesia      

Israel       

Japan       

Kazakhstan          

Kenya          

Korea, Republic of       

Market Reference Chart
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 125

Best Prospects Best Recruitment 

Methods

High SchoolBoarding SchoolCommunity CollegeUndergraduateGraduateLaw SchoolOPT ESLOnlineSummer/CertificateEducation AgentsInstitutionalStudent OutreachOnline Outreach

Kuwait      

Malaysia        

Mexico          

New Zealand       

Nigeria      

Norway      

Panama        

Peru      

The Philippines        

Portugal        

Qatar      

Romania       

Russia        

Saudi Arabia      

Serbia      

Singapore    

Spain         

Sweden     

Taiwan           

Thailand         

Turkey        

UAE        

Ukraine     

United Kingdom      

Vietnam         
126 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Contacts

For more information about how we can help you, please contact 

one of our trade specialists. For detailed contact information, 

please visit export.gov/usoffices.

U.S. Offices

Alabama

Birmingham

Alaska

Anchorage

Arizona

Phoenix

Scottsdale

Tucson

Arkansas

Little Rock

California

Bakersfield

Cabazon

Fresno

Indio

Irvine

Inland Empire

Los Angeles (Downtown)

Los Angeles (West)

Monterey

North Bay

Oakland

Sacramento

San Diego

San Francisco

San Jose

Ventura County

Colorado

Denver

Connecticut

Middletown

Delaware

Served by Philadelphia, PA

District of Columbia

Served by Arlington, VA

Florida

Clearwater

Fort Lauderdale

Jacksonville

Miami

Orlando

Tallahassee

Georgia

Atlanta

Savannah

Hawaii

Honolulu

Idaho

Boise

Illinois

Chicago

Peoria

Rockford

Indiana

Indianapolis

Iowa

Des Moines

Kansas

Wichita

Kentucky

Lexington

Louisville

Louisiana

New Orleans
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 127

Maine

Portland

Maryland

Baltimore

Massachusetts

Boston

Michigan

Detroit

Grand Rapids

Pontiac

Minnesota

Minneapolis

Mississippi

Jackson

Missouri

Kansas City

St. Louis

Montana

Missoula

Nebraska

Omaha

Nevada

Las Vegas

Reno

New Hampshire

Portsmouth

New Jersey

Newark

Trenton

New Mexico

Santa Fe

New York

Buffalo

Harlem

Long Island

New York

Rochester

Syracuse

Westchester

North Carolina

Charlotte

Greensboro

Raleigh

North Dakota

Fargo

Ohio

Akron

Cincinnati

Cleveland

Columbus

Toledo

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City

Tulsa

Oregon

Portland

Pennsylvania

Harrisburg

Philadelphia

Pittsburgh

Puerto Rico

San Juan

Rhode Island

Providence

South Carolina

Charleston

Columbia

Greenville

South Dakota

Sioux Falls

Tennessee

Knoxville

Memphis 

Nashville

Texas

Austin

El Paso

Fort Worth

Grapevine

Houston

McAllen

Midland

San Antonio

Utah

Salt Lake City

Vermont

Montpelier

Virginia

Arlington 

Richmond

Washington

Seattle

Spokane

West Virginia

Charleston

Wheeling

Wisconsin

Milwaukee

Wyoming

Served by Denver, CO
128 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

International Contacts

Argentina—Buenos Aires

Diana Brandon, Commercial Specialist

(54-11) 5777-4550

diana.brandon@trade.gov

Australia—Sydney

Georgina Harrowell, 

Commercial Specialist

61-2-9373-9203

georgina.harrowell@trade.gov

Austria—Vienna

Robee Salleguen, Commercial Specialist

43-1-31339 2203

robee.sallegue@trade.gov

Azerbaijan

Govhar Mammadova, 

Commercial Specialist

+994-12-498-0 th335 x4231

bakucommercial@state.gov

Brazil—Brasilia

Laura Reffatti, Commercial Assistant

55/61/3312-7481

laura.reffatti@trade.gov

Bulgaria—Sofia

Peter Delin, Commercial Assistant

+359-2-939-5784

Peter.Delin@trade.gov

Canada—Ottawa

Patrick Barry, Commercial Specialist

(613) 688-5117

patrick.barry@trade.gov

Chile—Santiago

Valerie Henderson, Commercial Assistant

56/2/2330-3316

valerie.henderson@trade.gov

China—Beijing

Jing Qiu, Commercial Specialist

(86-10) 8531 4157

jing.qiu@trade.gov

China—Chengdu

Mini Tian, Commercial Specialist

(86-28) 8558 3992 x6536

mini.tian@trade.gov

China—Guangzhou

Veronica Liang, Commercial Specialist

(86-20) 3814 5630

veronica.liang@trade.gov

China—Shanghai

Yuan Liu, Commercial Specialist

(86-21) 6279 8958

yuan.liu@trade.gov

China—Shenyang

Andrea Shen, Commercial Specialist

(86-24) 2322 1198 x8145

andrea.shen@trade.gov

China—Wuhan

Catherine Le, Commercial Specialist

(86-20) 3814 5000

catherine.le@trade.gov

Colombia—Bogota

Julio Acero, Commercial Assistant

+57 1 275 2635

julio.acero@trade.gov

Costa Rica—San Jose

Gabriela Lucke, Commercial Assistant

506 2519-2271

gabriela.lucke@trade.gov

Czech Republic—Prague

Zdenek Svoboda, Commercial Specialist

(420) 257 022 323

zdenek.svoboda@trade.gov

Denmark—Copenhagen

Sabina Kroigaard, Commercial Specialist

+4533417202

sabina.kroigaard@trade.gov
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 129

Dominican Republic—

Santo Domingo

Maria Elena Portorreal, 

Senior Commercial Specialist

(809) 368-7220

maria.portorreal@trade.gov

Egypt—Cairo

Dina Bissada, Commercial Assistant

+20 (2) 2797-2340

dina.bissada@trade.gov

El Salvador—San Salvador

Lidia Sosa, Senior Commercial Specialist

011 503 2501 2999 x3144

lidia.sosa@trade.gov

Estonia—Tallinn

Reene Sepp, Commercial Specialist

(372) 66 88 130

seppr@state.gov

Finland—Helsinki

Mia Maki, Commercial Specialist

358-9-616 25289

mia.maki@trade.gov

France—Paris

Valerie Ferriere, Commercial Specialist

+33 (0)1 43 12 70 77

valerie.ferriere@trade.gov

Isabelle Singletary, 

Commercial Specialist

+33 (0)1 43 12 70 63

isabelle.singletary@trade.gov

Germany—Frankfurt

Ulrike Riegeler, Commercial Specialist

49-69-7535-3157

ulrike.riegeler@trade.gov

Ghana—Accra

Joseph Snapp, Commercial Specialist

+233-30-274-1329

joseph.snapp@trade.gov

Greece—Athens

George Bonanos, Commercial Specialist

30-210-720-2331

george.bonanos@trade.gov

Guatemala—Guatemala City

Ana Polanco, Senior 

Commercial Specialist

011-502-2326-4258

ana.polanco@trade.gov

Honduras—Tegucigalpa

Rossana Lobo, Senior 

Commercial Specialist

(504) 2236-9320, x4842

rossana.lobo@trade.gov

Hong Kong

Swee-keng Cheong, 

Commercial Specialist

+852 2521-5233

sweekeng.cheong@trade.gov

Hungary—Budapest

Bianka Wallner, Commercial Assistant

+36 (1) 475-4234

bianka.wallner@trade.gov

India—Bangalore

Manjushree Phookan, 

Senior Commercial Specialist

+91 80 2220 6404

manjushree.phookan@trade.gov

India—Chennai

Mala Venkat, Senior 

Commercial Specialist

+91 44 2857 4293

mala.venkat@trade.gov

Lakshmi M. Davey, Commercial Assistant

+91 44 2857 4145

lakshmi.davey@trade.gov

India—New Delhi

Shibu Mathews, Commercial Specialist

+91 11 2347 2131

shibu.mathews@trade.gov
130 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Indonesia—Jakarta

Yulie Tanuwidjaja, Commercial Specialist

+62-21-526-2850

yulie.tanuwidjaja@trade.gov

Ireland—Dublin

Padraig O'Connor, Commercial Specialist

353-1-237-5848

padraig.o'connor@trade.gov

Israel—Tel Aviv

Alan Wielunski, Commercial Specialist

+972-3-519-8526

alan.wielunski@trade.gov

Israel—West Bank

Issa Noursi, Commercial Specialist

972-2-625-5201

issa.noursi@trade.gov

Italy—Rome

Elisa Martucci, Commercial Assistant

+39 06 4674 2252

elisa.martucci@trade.gov

Japan—Osaka-Kobe

Tetsuko Fujioka, Commercial Assistant

81-6-6315-6078

tetsuko.fujioka@trade.gov

Japan—Tokyo

Kazuko Tsurumachi, 

Commercial Assistant

81-3-3224-5049

kazuko.tsurumachi@trade.gov

Jordan—Amman

Muna Farkouh, Senior 

Commercial Specialist

962-6-590-6057

muna.farkouh@trade.gov

Kazakhstan—Almaty

Aliya Shaikhina, Commercial Specialist

7-727-250-7612 (x6491)

aliya.shaikhina@trade.gov

Kenya—Nairobi

Catherine K. Malinda, 

Commercial Assistant

234-1-460 3400 x3807

catherine.malinda@trade.gov

Korea, Republic of—Seoul

Young Hee Koo, Commercial Specialist

82-2-397-4396

younghee.koo@trade.gov

Kuwait—Kuwait City

Xavier Muthu, Commercial Specialist

(965) 2259-1456

xavier.muthu@trade.gov

Lebanon—Beirut

Naaman Tayyar, Senior 

Commercial Specialist

961-4-544860

naaman.tayyar@trade.gov

Maya Barhouche, Commercial Assistant

961-4-544860

maya.barhouche@trade.gov

Malaysia—Kuala Lumpur

Joanne Looi, Commercial Specialist

60-3-2168-5048

joanne.looi@trade.gov

Mexico—Guadalajara

Juan Herrera, Commercial Specialist

52-33-3615-1140 x103

juan.herrera@trade.gov

Mexico—Mexico City

Martha Sanchez, Commercial Assistant

52-55-5140-2621

martha.sanchez@trade.gov

Morocco—Casablanca

Kenza El-Amrani, Commercial Assistant

(212-0522) 26-45-50 x4183

kenza.el-amrani@trade.gov

New Zealand—Auckland

Dhiraj Mani, Commercial Specialist

64 (9) 3032724 x2867

dhiraj.mani@trade.gov
Education and Training Services Resource Guide 131

Nicaragua—Managuas

Lilliam Baez, Commercial Specialist

(505) 2252-7100 x7371

baezlau@state.gov

Nigeria—Lagos

Joseph Umoetteh, Commercial Specialist

234-1-460 3400 x3807

joseph.umoetteh@trade.gov

Norway—Oslo

Britt Hestenes, Commercial Specialist

+47 21 30 85 12

britt.hestenes@trade.gov

Panama—Panama City

Jeane Zuniga, Commercial Specialist

(507) 317-5392

jeane.zuniga@trade.gov

Peru—Lima

Jorge Prado, Commercial Specialist

(51-1) 618-2296

jorge.prado@trade.gov

Philippines—Manila

Aliza Totayo, Commercial Officer

(632) 301 6366

aliza.totayo@trade.gov

John Giray, Commercial Specialist

(632) 301 2182

john.giray@trade.gov

Poland—Warsaw

Maria Kowalska, Commercial Specialist

+48 22 625 4374

maria.kowalska@trade.gov

Portugal—Lisbon

Pedro Ferreira, Senior 

Commercial Specialist

+351 (21) 770-2572

pedro.ferreira@trade.gov

Qatar—Doha

Natalia Hernandez, 

Commercial Specialist

+974 4496 6730

natalia.hernandez@trade.gov

Romania—Bucharest

Corina Gheorghisor, 

Commercial Specialist

+4 (021) 200-3397

corina.gheorghisor@trade.gov

Russia—Moscow

Gulnara Kenzhebulatova, 

Commercial Specialist

+7 495 728-5405

gulnara.kenzhebulatova@trade.gov

Diana Ryan, Commercial Specialist

+7 495 745-5398

diana.ryan@trade.gov

Russia—St. Petersburg

Lyudmila Ocheredko, 

Commercial Specialist

+7 (812) 326-2583

lyudmila.ocheredko@trade.gov

Saudi Arabia—Dhahran

Tareq Ghazal, Commercial Assistant

(966-1) 333-3200 x3065

tareq.ghazal@trade.gov

Saudi Arabia—Jeddah

Mai AbuDabat, Commercial Specialist

(966-2) 667-0080 x4612

mai.aabudabat@trade.gov

Wasif Shah, Commercial Specialist

(966-2) 667-0080 x4040

sasif.shah@trade.gov

Saudi Arabia—Riyadh

Ahmed Khayyat, Commercial Specialist

(966-1) 488-3800 x4441

ahmed.khayyat@trade.gov

Hanein Nassar, Commercial Specialist

(966-1) 488-3800 x4511

hanein.nassar@trade.gov

Serbia—Belgrade

Boris Popovski, Commercial Specialist

381-11-706-4533

boris.popovski@trade.gov
132 2017 | U.S. Commercial Service

Singapore

Yiu Kei Chan, Commercial Specialist

(65) 6476-9029

yiukei.chan@trade.gov

Jayacely Joseph, Commercial Assistant

(65) 6476 9415

jayacely.joseph@trade.gov

Slovak Republic—Bratislava

Lucia Maskova, Commercial Assistant

+421 2 5922 3325

lucia.maskova@trade.gov

Slovenia—Ljubljana

Mirjana Rabic, Commercial Specialist

+386 1 200 5528

rabicm@state.gov

Spain—Madrid

Jesus Garcia, Senior 

Commercial Specialist

34-91-3081578

jesus.garcia@trade.gov

Sweden—Stockholm

Kevin Chambers, Commercial Officer

0046 8 783 5348

kevin.chambers@trade.gov

Nancy Bjorshammar, 

Commercial Specialist

0046 8 783 5347

nancy.bjorshammar@trade.gov

Switzerland—Bern

Sandor Galambos,Commercial Specialist

+41 31 357 7237

galamboss@state.gov

Taiwan—Taipei

Grace Tao, Commercial Specialist

886-2-2720-1550 x383

grace.tao@trade.gov

Thailand—Bangkok

Thanyathorn Voravongsatit, 

Commercial Specialist

66-2-205-5282

thanyathorn.voravongsatit@trade.gov

Turkey—Ankara

Sema Okurer, Budget Analyst

+90 (312) 417-7539

sema.okurer@trade.gov

Turkey—Istanbul

Perim Akguner, Commercial Specialist

+90 (212) 335 9197

perim.akguner@trade.gov

Ukraine—Kyiv

Iuliia Myronenko, Commercial Specialist

+380-44-521-5640

iuliia.myronenko@trade.gov

United Arab Emirates—Abu Dhabi

Manal El Masry, Commercial Specialist

+971 2 414 2217

manal.elmasry@trade.gov

United Arab Emirates—Dubai

Ashok Ghosh, Commercial Specialist

+971 4 309 4935

ashok.ghosh@trade.gov

United Kingdom—London

Chrystal Denys, Commercial Specialist

+44 20 7894 0432

chrystal.denys@trade.gov

Uruguay—Montevideo

Robert Gorter, Senior 

Commercial Specialist

(5982) 1770-2366

gorterrh@state.gov

Vietnam—Hanoi

Ngo Anh, Commercial Specialist

84-4-3850-5199 x6159

ngo.anh@trade.gov

Vietnam—Ho Chi Minh City

Huong Nguyen, Commercial Assistant

84-8-3520-4654

huong.nguyen@trade.gov
EDUEXPOS

SEPT-OCT 2017

Brazil

STUDENT FAIRS

FALL 2017

OCT 2017

Mexico

EDUEXPOS

SEPT 2017

EDUEXPOS

Latin

America

OCT 2017

United

Kingdom

THE STUDENT

WORLD

SEPT 2017

EDUEXPOS

India

OCT 2017

EDUEXPOS

Middle

East &

Africa

THE WORLD'S LARGEST

STUDENT FAIR ORGANIZER.

IN 2016...

Over 110 student fairs

Across 21 countries

Hosting 4000 booths

202,000 pre-screened

students

OCT 2017

EDUEXPOS

Europe

OCT-NOV 2017

Asia

EDUEXPOS

OCT 2017 OCT 2017

America

BUY 3 CITIES, GET A 4TH FREE!

www.fppedu.media

talkto@fppedu.media
1508-00-e03-13

U.S. Commercial Service

1401 Constitution Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20230

export.gov
Education and Training Services Resource Guide: A Reference for U.S. Educational Institutions U.S. Commercial Service • 2017 Edition