Q2 2026 saw the expected seasonal increase in student volumes as the sector moved towards the summer period. However, on a like-for-like basis, student weeks were 6% lower than in Q2 2025, with declines in both the adult and junior sectors.
Participating centres delivered 106,500 student weeks during April to June 2026, with adult student weeks down 5% and junior student weeks down 10% on Q2 2025.
While volumes were lower year on year, the overall pattern of demand remained familiar. Adult students accounted for 86% of all student weeks, and demand continued to be concentrated in a relatively small number of source markets and UK destinations.
Demand remains concentrated
Saudi Arabia and Türkiye remained the largest source markets overall, followed by Brazil, Japan and Italy.
One notable trend this quarter was Türkiye's rise in both the overall and adult market rankings. In the junior sector, compared with Q2 2025, demand became increasingly concentrated in Italy and Spain.
The top 10 source markets generated 71.4% of all student weeks, virtually unchanged from Q1 2026. This underlines the continued importance of a relatively small number of key sending countries.
Regionally, London, South & South East and Northern England remained the three largest host regions, together accounting for approximately 76% of all student weeks.
Looking ahead
Taken together, the findings suggest that current pressures are affecting demand volumes without materially altering underlying market patterns. However, the peak junior summer season is not yet reflected in the data and will provide a clearer indication of market performance later in the year.
Supporting insight through QUIC
QUIC provides in-year data to help member centres track seasonal performance, monitor short-term shifts in demand, and benchmark against peers and the wider sector.
The quarterly snapshot offers a high-level view of national trends, while the full QUIC outputs, available only to participating centres, enable more detailed analysis by source market, age group, course type and region. This complements English UK's annual student statistics, which provide a comprehensive retrospective picture of the sector.
Q2 2026 at a glance
- 121 of the cohort's 223 advertised teaching premises were open, 7% fewer than in Q2 2025
- 106.5k student weeks delivered collectively, comprising 86% adult and 14% junior provision
- Student weeks fell by 6% year on year; adult weeks fell by 5% and junior weeks by 10%
- Top five adult source markets: Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Brazil, Japan and France
- Top five junior source markets: Italy, Spain, Mexico, South Korea and Brazil
- The top 10 source markets generated 71.4% of all student weeks, virtually unchanged from Q1 2026
- The top three regions, London, South & South East and Northern England, hosted approximately 76% of all student weeks
(n = 115 English UK member centres, with 223 advertised teaching premises)
