increasing tuition to match demand. New “wealth corridors” are forming in areas where luxury schooling options are concentrated. For example, in the UAE, there are 237 international schools in two different cities, Dubai-Sharjah-Ajman and Abu Dhabi. Dubai has a number of notable international schools with links to other countries, including Nord Anglia International School Dubai, Royal Grammar School Guildford in Dubai and Repton School Dubai. GEMS also has a number of modern, newly-built schools across Dubai. The latest data from ISC Research also reveals
sustained growth in the international schools sector, including rising school and student numbers, increased staff recruitment, and higher total annual fee income. Asia continues to dominate the sector with 58% of
the world’s schools based in the region, the report says. The rise of multinational corporations in countries like Japan, Malaysia, and South Korea is driving large expatriate communities who opt for the stability of international schools’ globally recognised curricula and English language instruction. The two countries with the most international
schools are China and India, and as of January 2025, the international school market generates USD $67.3 billion in total annual fee income, representing a 22% increase since January 2020.
COMPETITION FOR TOP-TIER EDUCATION In some regions, the influx of wealth is increasing competition for prestigious places, including in IB programmes and international colleges. Institutions are responding by expanding campus footprints and tailoring offerings to HNW families’ expectations, including global university placements. The Henley Opportunity Index, published earlier
this year, revealed the impact of education and global citizenship on generational success, and found that Switzerland, Singapore and the US lead the ranking of top investment migration programmes for accessing opportunities for future generations to thrive and maximise their career and income potential. It found that many wealthy migrants choose countries
not just for lifestyle, but for access to education pathways for their children. Golden visa and investment migration programmes (e.g. in Portugal, Greece and the UAE) are tied directly to education opportunities for children and young people. In emerging markets such as Africa, private equity
firms have been investing in education. Under a long term plan, the Chinese government is also working with UNESCO to develop more higher education institutions in Africa.
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS Top UK institutions like Eton and Harrow public schools and universities such as Oxford and Cambridge remain attractive to home and overseas students. Many international schools have also set up new campuses in emerging and established markets in order to capitalise on their own international kudos.
19
The 2024 COBIS Annual Research survey found that
student numbers in COBIS schools remain consistently strong, with 58% of responding schools reporting an increase in student numbers compared to last year. A further 39% have seen a notable or significant
change to the nationalities that make up their student bodies in the past two years. These changes vary from region to region, but increases in Chinese, Russian, and Ukrainian nationals are the most common responses. A key challenge for international schools is recruiting and retaining the right teaching staff. The same survey found that 91% of leavers from
COBIS Schools (from 2023/24) went on to university. Of those, 39% of those leavers went on to university in the UK (down from 45% in 2023 and 44% in 2022). The report suggests that the cost of a UK education might be one reason for the decline in numbers. Research by the International Schools Database
found that the US and China are the most expensive countries in the world for international education, with six cities in the top ten between them. Despite its reputation as an expensive region, the Middle East did not rank as costly in terms of education. Within Europe – Spain, Portugal, Denmark and Bulgaria – were among the locations that had the cheapest international schools, although South Africa and Malaysia were the cheapest. Migration is about more than just relocation for
business or tax purposes, it also involves a choice around where future generations will be raised and educated. As reports show, cost is one factor that families are considering when choosing where and how to educate their children. Overall, countries that offer a combination of political stability, top-tier schooling and personal freedom, are emerging as the preferred destinations for international families.
GLOBAL EDUCATION WEALTH MIGRATION
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