Online English-taught programmes more than double since 2019
Eindhoven, Netherlands, 3 December 2024 – A new report from British Council and Studyportals maps the supply of online English-taught Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees around the world.
Since 2019, the global supply of online ETPs has surged by 123%. The Big Four study destinations—the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia—lead this charge, offering 92% of all online programmes. Yet, a quiet transformation is happening outside these traditional hubs. Non-Big Four countries have nearly doubled their online offerings, growing from 623 programmes in 2019 to 1,212 in mid-2024. This shift highlights the growing global appetite for flexible, quality education.
The rise of non-traditional study destinations
While the Big Four dominate, other regions are catching up. Europe’s Higher Education Area (EHEA) stands out, accounting for 68% of non-Big Four online ETPs. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and the Americas are also emerging as competitive players.
Conversely, Asian countries in general lag behind in online ETPs. Despite its dominance in on-campus programmes, the region offers fewer online options, highlighting a gap for development.
Cities like Berlin, Barcelona, Dublin, and Johannesburg are becoming hubs for online education. These cities host multiple institutions offering diverse programmes, making them attractive to international students seeking quality and flexibility. Notably, smaller cities with fewer institutions collectively offer a significant share of online programmes, highlighting the dispersed nature of digital education.
STEM and Business Lead the Charge in Online English-Taught Education
STEM disciplines, particularly Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, are in high demand. Business & Management programmes also remain popular, with Digital Marketing, Finance, and Business Administration leading the pack. These trends reflect the evolving needs of a tech-driven, globally interconnected job market.
Despite its rapid growth, the online ETP landscape has gaps. Certain fields, such as Arts, Environmental Studies, and Journalism, remain underrepresented.
For students and institutions alike, the message is clear: online English-taught programmes are not just here to stay—they may be reshaping the future of higher education.
Megan Agnew, IELTS Global Partnerships at British Council said:
“This report highlights that, while the Big Four markets continue to dominate the landscape of online programmes, the overall shifts in English as a Medium of Education provides international students with more choice and flexibility than ever before. Ensuring standardised frameworks in both policy and assessment, whether in on-campus or online programmes, is critical in ensuring students can access valuable educational experiences in their chosen location.”
Edwin van Rest, cofounder and CEO of Studyportals said:
“We clearly see that these online programmes primarily give access to a different segment of students who may otherwise miss out on higher education: adult learners, flexible learners, people with different learning styles/preferences. It is a misconception that online programmes are a threat or a competitor to on-campus programmes. Online education is poised to drive a more inclusive and dynamic future for international higher education, stimulate Lifelong Learning and increase the flexibility of labour markets.
“While Online English-taught programmes are still predominantly a niche strategy for only a part of institutions, and is more developed in the Big Four destinations, it is good to see other markets starting to catch up with phenomenal growth in relative terms. With anti-immigration sentiment rising in many markets, it is also a pathway for institutions to make their internationalisation strategy less dependent on visa and/or accommodation restrictions.”
Access the report
Contact
For more information, or to arrange interviews on the report:
Contact Studyportals – Cara Skikne | Studyportals caraskikne@studyportals.com | +31 684847508
About Studyportals
Studyportals is the world’s most comprehensive study choice platform, helping students to choose their best-fit study across 200,000+ English-taught programmes from 3,500+ institutions.
Over 55 million students use Studyportals platforms annually to find and compare their study options across borders and select the right programme. Our goal is to make education choice transparent, globally and ensure a future where no student will miss out on an education opportunity, because of a lack of information.
Based on the search and choice behaviour of millions of students, our Analytics and Consulting team provide real-time, forward looking market insights on student interest, institutional offering, pricing, and the changes in the competitive landscape for international education. At the same time Studyportals helps universities reach a global audience and diversify their student population.
About British Council
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. We do this through our work in arts and culture, education and the English language. We work with people in over 200 countries and territories and are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2022-23 we reached 600 million people.
