Argentina - Education and TrainingArgentina - Education and Training
Capital: Buenos Aires
Population: 45,479,118 (July 2020 est.)
GDP: 922.1 Billion USD (2017 est., Purchasing Power Parity)
Currency: Argentine peso (ARS)
Language: Spanish (Official)
UNESCO Student Mobility Number:
Argentina has 9,021 students studying abroad according to UNESCO.
CIA World Factbook:
39.21% of Argentina’s population is under 24 years of age.
OVERVIEW
The United States is a leading destination for students from Argentina. During the 2018/19 academic year, the number of students from Argentina totaled 2,407, a +5.4 percent increase from the previous academic year.[i]
Source: Institute of International Education Open Doors 2019
According to UNESCO data, the United States was the largest market for students from Argentina. In 2017, UNESCO reported that the top five markets for Dominican Students were:
- United States
- Spain
- Brazil
- France
- Germany
Exports/Imports
During the 2018/19 academic year the United States exported $90 million (USD) in education services to Argentina. However, during the same academic year, the United States imported $70 million (USD) in education services from Argentina, creating a surplus of $20 million (USD) with the Dominican Republic[ii]
SUB-SECTORS
Undergraduate Education
1,043 students from Argentina were enrolled in undergraduate programs in the United States during the 2018/19 academic year, this is a +13 percent increase from the previous academic year.
Graduate Education
896 students from Argentina were enrolled in graduate programs in the United States during the 2018/19 academic year, a +1.6 percent increase from the previous academic year.
Non-Degree
145 students from Argentina were enrolled in non-degree programs in the United States during the 2018/19 academic year, a -14.7 percent decrease from the previous academic year.
OPT
323 students from Argentina were enrolled in OPT programs in the United States during the 2018/19 academic year, a +4.9 percent increase from the previous academic year.
Source: Institute for International Education Open Doors 2019
OPPORTUNITIES
- According to the English Proficiency Index released by Education First, Argentina has by far the highest level of English proficiency in Latin America, but there are still opportunities for intensive English program providers, including targeted English programs on selected topics such as finance, law, and accounting.
- Exchange programs and partnerships with higher education institutions in Argentina is a common method for market entry.
- Argentine universities are interested in forming partnerships with U.S. higher education institutions to teach Spanish and Latin American studies courses to U.S. students coming to study in Argentina.
- Popular fields of study for Argentinian students are engineering, law, and business.[iii]
- Because undergraduate education in Argentina’s public universities are tuition-free, long-term study abroad programs often do not make sense for Argentine students, from an economic perspective, however U.S. colleges and universities may want to consider highlighting short-term programs with students attending public universities in Argentina.
Grants and Scholarship Programs
There are some academic scholarship opportunities for Argentine students who have earned outstanding grades and scores on their ACT and/or SAT exams. Please contact individual admission offices to learn more about their scholarship opportunities for foreign students.
Funding for U.S. Study Online: Funding for U.S. Study Online, is an extensive database of scholarships, fellowships, and grants organized and maintained by the Institute of International Education (IIE). https://Fundingstudy.org
Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program: The Fulbright Program offers grants to international secondary school teachers to participate in a six-week development program in the United States: https://exchanges.state.gov/non-us/program/fulbright-teaching-excellence-and-achievement-program
Fulbright Foreign Student Program: The Fulbright Foreign Student Program enables graduate students, young professionals, and artists from abroad to research and study in the United States at U.S. universities or other appropriate institutions. https://exchanges.state.gov/non-us/program/fulbright-foreign-student-program
Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program: The Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program provides grants to approximately 850 scholars from over 100 countries to conduct pos-doctoral research at U.S. institutions from an academic semester to a full academic year. https://exchanges.state.gov/non-us/program/fulbright-visiting-scholar-program
Challenges
While the United States continues to be a popular destination for students from Argentina, there are challenges to this market:
- Rising tuition costs at U.S. universities discourage students from choosing U.S. higher education institutions.
- High inflation and poor currency exchange rates for Argentine currency make it expensive for Argentinian students to study abroad. [iv]
- Increased competition from U.S. competitors, especially in the European Union. .
Student Mobility Agreements
Student mobility agreements also pose challenges for U.S. colleges and universities recruiting in the region, because of the incentives it gives students to opt to study with our competitors over schools in the United States.
- On July 13, 2019, at the UNESCO organized “International Conference of States”, representatives from twenty three Latin American Countries met in Buenos Aires, finalized and signed the “Buenos Aires Recognition Convention”, when fully implemented it will allow for the recognition of various education credential across the signatory countries, and will make it easier for students to apply to and be accepted into other member countries’ education institutions.[v]
- In 2018, the Argentina-UK master’s recognition was signed, and ensures mutual recognition of master’s degrees studied in the nations’ higher education institutions. The agreement states that degrees earned will be “considered academically comparable” and allows for direct access to doctoral program in the second country for master’s graduates. The agreement is part of a broader effort by the UK to build stronger relations between the UK and Latin America.
- The Work and Holiday Visa: Under this agreement with the Australian government, The Work and Holiday visa is a reciprocal visa agreement that allows 18-30-year-old university educated Australians and Argentines to work, study, and holiday in respective countries over a twelve-month period, the U.S. and Argentine government do not have a similar arrangement, which may cause students not to consider the U.S. for their study abroad.
RESOURCES
- Industry and Analysis, Office of Supply Chain, Professional & Business Services: https://www.trade.gov/professional-and-business-services
- The Fulbright Program: https://eca.state.gov/fulbright
- EducationUSA: https://educationusa.state.gov/
U.S. COMMERCIAL SERVICE CONTACT
Diana Brandon, Commercial Specialist
U.S. Commercial Service – Buenos Aires, Argentina
diana.brandon@trade.gov
(54-11) 5777-4550
[i] Institute of International Education. (2019). “International Totals by Place of Origin, 2012/13-2018/19.” Open Doors Report on International Exchange. Retrieved from http://www.iie.org/opendoors
[ii] U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Table 2.2 U.S. Trade in Services, by Type of Service and by Country or Affiliation. https://apps.bea.gov/iTable/iTable.cfm?ReqID=62&step=1#reqid=62&step=9&isuri=1&6210=4
[iii] ICEF Monitor https://monitor.icef.com
[iv] Monroy, Carlos. “Education in Argentina”. WENR World Education News and Reviews. May 8, 2018
[v] UNESCO. “23 PAÍSES ADOPTARON EL NUEVO CONVENIO DE RECONOCIMIENTO DE ESTUDIOS, TÍTULOS Y DIPLOMAS DE EDUCACIÓN SUPERIOR EN AMÉRICA LATINA Y EL CARIBE”. July 13, 2019. UNESCO.