Why overseas students flock to Dubai in thousands to learn English

Why overseas students flock to Dubai in thousands to learn English

More than 12,000 students from 80 nationalities have flown to the Emirate to hone their English in the past two years

Published: Thu 16 Feb 2023, 7:30 PM

Dubai is the first choice for people looking for family vacations and overseas homes, but did you know it is now also the most preferred destination for international students wanting to learn the English language?

Over the last two years, nearly 12,000 students from 80 nationalities have flown to the desert city with just one overriding purpose: learn to speak and write good English.

“Today, students from around the world see Dubai as a premium destination to study English,” said Montserrat Taylor. The Colombian expat is the CEO and founder of English Studies (ES) Dubai, which alone has attracted more than 9,000 foreign students since 2020.

Curiously, Dubai wasn’t even a blip on the radar when Taylor (pictured below on the right) moved to Dubai in 2010 and launched the institute with younger brother Daniel Rodriguez.

“Back then, there were no visa provisions for short-term students. Student visas were only granted to those pursuing higher education,” recalled Taylor. “The concept of students from key international markets, such as Brazil, Colombia, Turkey, Thailand and Vietnam coming to study in