Weathering the Storm

Among institutions in the United States with intensive English programs (IEPs), virtually none have been left untouched by declining enrollments. A confluence of events—including changes to international scholarship programs, a strong U.S. dollar, a slump in Mideast oil prices, increased competition from IEPs in other countries, the current political climate in the United States, and the increased availability of English language training programs in students’ home countries and online—is driving much of the decline. 

“I’ve seen ebbs and flows over the years. This one feels a little different. It feels like it could be a major change in the landscape of intensive English programs,” says Bill Wallace, who has served as director of the English Language Institute at the University of Alabama for nearly 30 years. 

To counter the impact of these measures and enrollment declines, IEPs across the country are retooling their offerings— rolling out more short-term and customized programs, launching pathway programs, and developing courses that cater to the needs of their local communities. 

“People have to get creative in order to sustain their programs,” says Patricia Szasz, assistant dean for Language and Professional Programs at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey in California. 

‘The Whole Industry Is Changing’

Even before the current administration, the number of students enrolled in IEPs had tumbled 18.7 percent from 2015 to 2016, according to the Institute of International Education’s 2017 Open Doors report. More than 108,000 students were enrolled in IEPs in 2016, with more than 21,000 coming from