Narayan AmmachchiLanguage schools across Argentina, Colombia, and wider Central and South America are experiencing a surge in interest from international students, according to Ibero Spanish School.
These institutions are attracting learners, not just with traditional language instruction, but by offering immersive cultural experiences, extracurricular programs, and career-focused training.
Leading the trend are schools like Maximo Nivel, with campuses in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Peru; Academia Buenos Aires in Argentina; and several prominent institutions in Colombia.
During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, demand for English language learning doubled. Although interest declined somewhat in the following years, it remains strongly linked to employment opportunities, prompting renewed investment in language education across the region.
According to Kumon’s language program operators, only about 5% of Latin America’s population speaks English — a statistic they highlighted two years ago in Chilean media as a major barrier to accessing better job prospects. In contrast, nearly 35% of available jobs require English proficiency.
In countries like Colombia, Mexico, and Peru, employment is the second most common motivation for learning English, underscoring its role in professional growth and upward mobility.
Increasingly, individuals are turning to private language schools and online platforms, beyond formal education systems, to build the language skills necessary for career advancement.
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