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(Last updated: 08 May 2008)
Trends and opportunities
The market
A three tier, 11-year education system operates in Peru – six years of primary school, two years of junior secondary school and three years of senior secondary school. Some schools offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme that is usually taken in an extra school year (Year 12).
The government funds most Peruvian universities, providing almost 80 per cent of their budgets. However, universities that do not receive government subsidies exist either on the contributions of patron companies combined with student fees, or are financed entirely by student fees.
Higher education is provided by further education institutes, universities and postgraduate colleges. Many further education establishments offer short courses in addition to their regular ones. Of these programs, 68 per cent take place in Metropolitan Lima and 52 per cent of students are women.
According to the Education Ministry, Peru has 78 universities catering more than 500,000 students, 33 are public universities and 45 are private.
The Peruvian education market is very competitive. Many Peruvian students that belong to social economic levels A and B (this is according to families income, A and B are economic levels with the most resources) have several years of English language tuition as part of the general secondary school curriculum and some continue with English courses at a university level.
Short-term English language courses and postgraduate courses are the most popular, with the average student stay being four to six months in the case of English language courses and one year in the case of postgraduate courses. There is an important number of enquiries received for undergraduate university studies as well as technical certificates and diplomas – an overseas tertiary qualification is often considered superior to a local degree.
Peruvian students take their study abroad experience very seriously and they believe that English language is very important to become competitive in the local market. Australian institutions have proven effective in coming to the Latin America region, visiting agents and following up on visits however, institutions must continue to sustain this approach to the market in order to increase numbers and maintain credibility.
Peruvian students are interested in:
- Postgraduate courses with an important number interested in MBAs
- Undergraduate courses
- English for specific purposes
- Preparation for international examinations
- Technical certificates and diplomas
Australia as a study destination for Peruvian students is rapidly increasing in popularity and there are several reasons for this:
- Many Peruvian students, who can afford tho this, undertake overseas courses during their summer holidays (December to March).
- Australia’s quality education is recognised by Peruvian students (information available on international university rankings)
- The Australian school and university year is similar to Peru’s.
- Australia is seen as a friendly, informal and safe destination.
- For long-term courses or university studies, Australia’s student visa allows students work up to 20 hours per week, a factor greatly appreciated by students.
- Course fees and the cost of living in Australia are significantly lower than in the USA and UK, due to the exchange rate (but this may vary).
- Australia is an exotic, different, new and very attractive desitnation for Peurvian students.
Opportunities
Australia has the potential to recruit up to 2,500 Peruvian students by 2010.
The number of Peruvian students going to Australia has grown more than 20 times in the last four years going from small numbers such as 40 students per year to more than 1000 enrolments up tp November 2007.
There are opportunities for Australian education providers to attract Peruvian students in the following areas:
- Short and long-term English language courses
- Vocational training (TAFE)
- University studies – postgraduate and undergraduate
- Schools, exchange programs or short study trips, still need to be developed
Tertiary non-university, vocational courses are a new concept to Peruvian students and they find Australia’s TAFE system particularly attractive. This is an area that could prove very successful for Australian institutions that choose to actively pursue this market.
Enquiries for undergraduate studies are on the increase due to the number of high schools offering International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and due to the shorter length of bachelor degrees in Australia compared to Peru (three years as opposed to five). However, Peruvians tend to undertake or at least start their undergraduate studies at a local university and then transfer to an overseas university or go overseas for postgraduate qualifications.
Peruvian university students look at Australia for courses of particular interest and for which there are similarities between the two countries, such as:
- Mining and Engineering
- Agribusiness
- Environmental studies
- Urban planning
- Marine biology
- Tourism
- Hospitality management
- Sports management
Competitive environment
Speaking English is considered essential for academic and professional progress and Peruvian parents will sacrifice luxuries to pay for their children’s English lessons as well as for an overseas education at an English language speaking country.
The two main destinations for Peruvian students are the USA and UK, followed by Canada and Australia. In the last years Australia has grown more than Canada in total numbers.
The USA attracts more than half of the number of all Peruvian students who go abroad to study, while UK has basically postgraduate students looking for a specific, recognised university or short English languages courses during our summer (December to March).
The trend is changing, Australia has become an important market for postgraduate courses as well as English language and vocational courses.
The Americans and British have various education and cultural centres mainly for English language courses both in Lima and some other provinces of Peru.
Canada has an important market share as this is an attractive destination in terms of quality of life, tuition costs and migration policy, which is very open to receiving immigrants.
Canada is competitive price-wise with Australia and closer to Peru, but the weather is not as attractive as Australia’s.
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