For months, our Data Insights partners have been watching summer trends unfold in real time, during our Data Insight monthly webinars, and the story was clear long before the season ended. Summer is no longer the quiet, stopgap intake it once was. It’s becoming a serious growth engine, reshaping recruitment calendars, and giving universities more flexibility than ever.
Now that the data is in, here’s what this summer taught us, and why we can see it’s time to start treating March to July as a strategic season, not an afterthought.
76% YoY growth
Think summer is slow? Not this year. Deposits and CAS issued surged, with the biggest gains in June, now accounting for 30% of all summer activity.
2. South Asia domination
One region led the charge. 92% of summer deposits came from South Asia. India grew 78% overall (and 200% YoY in June alone). Nepal surged even higher, up 500% YoY.
3. Computing on the rise
Tech is taking over. Computing jumped from 10% to 14% of the course mix, with June deposits in the subject up 92% YoY.
4. Growth from new and returning markets
Diversity is widening. Deposits came from 38 countries, including a 54% increase in East Africa and 30% in West Africa.
5. East and Southeast Asia lagging
A clear gap to close. Less than 1% of deposits came from East or Southeast Asia, signalling untapped potential for diversification.
Why summer intakes matter more than ever
If your university isn’t running a summer intake, you may be missing booming demand from key markets like Nepal, India, and Sri Lanka, while overloading your September intake, stretching admin capacity, and delaying students who are ready to start sooner.
With policy shifts and rising competition, summer is no longer optional. It’s a strategic lever to:
- Boost conversions
- Diversify recruitment
- Spread operational risk
- Extend the enrolment window
It’s late summer now, but the data offers a clear blueprint for 2026.
All insights in this blog come from Enroly’s Data Insights programme, which includes:
- Monthly webinars
- Comparative dashboards
- Real-time market tracking
- Strategic planning support from your Customer Success Manager
If you’re not a Data Insights partner, you can still access sector-wide trend updates through:
- Public webinars (offered twice per intake)
- LinkedIn Live recaps
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