Seven predictions for international student recruitment in Latin America

EdCo LATAM directors Simon Terrington and Jamie Ash have had a peek into their "LATAM crystal ball for predictions on what international student recruitment from Latin America will look like in 2027."

They have come up with seven predictions for developments in the region through next year, which we have summarised below.

Agent consolidation will continue. "We're already seeing large organisations acquire smaller agencies and regional players in Latin America and we expect that trend to continue into 2027," says Mr Terrington. Technology appears to be accelerating this trend as larger players can invest more heavily in CRM systems, automation, and lead generation – and therefore greater scale. "This means that agent relationships may become more concentrated but also more competitive," says Mr Ash. "The important question will increasingly be how do you make sure your institution remains visible and relevant within a much larger agency portfolio."

Course interests will continue to diversify. The EdCo LATAM team analysed over 700 applications to partner-institutions in Canada, France, Ireland and the UK through mid-2026. The five most-popular subject areas were business management and marketing accounting (20% of applications); engineering and technology (17%); health, psychology and sports sciences (12%); life sciences, environment and agriculture (11%); and computing, AI and data at 9%. "I've been pleasantly surprised that this course diversification continues," says Mr Terrington. "But our analysis shows us that traditional subjects are still in strong demand [as well]."

Undergraduate recruitment will become increasingly more important. EdCo LATAM's application analysis finds a 47% undergraduate: 53% postgraduate split, which is, says Mr Ash, "Much more balanced than many institutions might expect." Mr Terrington agrees, adding: "Latin America is often still viewed predominantly as a post-graduate market. Whilst this is still true, as families become more internationally focused, universities improve their scholarship strategies and institutions engage with students, undergraduate recruitment represents a significant long-term growth opportunity." Indeed, the team's analysis notes Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Panama, and Ecuador as markets with increasing opportunities for undergraduate recruitment.

Competition will increase and destination loyalty will weaken. Visa restrictions, immigration changes, and less welcoming political messaging in the traditional "big five" destinations for Latin American students (Australia, Canada, Spain, the UK, and the US) have encouraged students in the region to consider a wider field of destinations. Mr Ash adds: "We're seeing countries such as France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, and Ireland emerge as serious challengers. So we now see LATAM not as the big five, but the big ten."

Stronger currencies could change affordability. Mr Terrington notes that several currencies have moved over the past year, with the effect that those exchange movements "can materially change the affordability of international education." However, he cautions: "Students and families remain highly price conscious. Scholarships, tuition fees, living costs, and return on investment will continue to influence decisions. Universities need to understand the complete cost of studying at their institution from the perspective of a Latin American family, not simply the headline tuition fee."

Students will become even more outcome driven. "They will increasingly ask what job can I get, what will I earn, can I gain work experience, what connections will I make, and what return will I receive on what is often a very significant family investment," says Mr Terrington. "Universities that communicate employability, placements, industry relationships and graduate outcomes clearly will have a major advantage. Ranking alone will increasingly be insufficient. It's about helping student and their parents understand what international education can actually lead to."

AI will accelerate the recruitment process. Mr Ash explains: We're already seeing institutions using technology for application screening, document assessment, and even initial AI-supported interviews. That means applications can be reviewed faster and offers can be made more quickly. And if decision times become faster, Latin American students will feel that impact, too. And universities that can respond quickly, communicate clearly and follow up effectively will increasingly win students interest before slower competitors have even completed their process. Technology will make the process faster, but I believe that the human element will remain incredibly important in Latin America where students will fact check and ask questions to local representatives. So being physically present is still incredibly important in Latin America and that provides confidence and support for the institution."

"We believe that the institutions that achieve success in Latin America will shift increasingly from activity to strategy," conclude the two directors. "It will no longer be enough to attend fairs, appoint agents, or run isolated digital campaigns. Universities will need an integrated approach combining agents, direct recruitment, digital marketing, schools, institutions, partnerships, conversion, local representation, and real-time market intelligence. In other words, a truly holistic LATAM strategy."

For additional background, please see:

• "Recruiting in Colombia demands a long-term presence and communication with parents"
• "Brazil: New surveys show strong, but price-sensitive, demand for study abroad"
• "Mexico: A personalised, supportive approach is the key to success in this growing study abroad market"