Online Learning Statistics 2026

Fall 2023 All students, total 19,039,584 8,732,411 10,307,173 5,329,035 4,978,138

79,376 31,526 100.0 45.9 54.1 28.0 26.1 16.4 8.9

Fall 2023 All students, total 19,039,584 8,732,411 10,307,173 5,329,035 4,978,138

79,376 31,526 100.0 45.9 54.1 28.0 26.1 16.4 8.9

Specifically, the percentage of undergraduate students enrolled in at least one distance education course was 36 percent in 2019; 75 percent in 2020; and 61 percent in 2021.

There was a 5.0 % increase in reported EDEE from Fall 2023 to Fall 2024: from 4,232,210 students (2023) to 4,442,246 (2024).

There was a 5.0 % increase in reported EDEE from Fall 2023 to Fall 2024: from 4,232,210 students (2023) to 4,442,246 (2024).

In Fall 2024, 1,661,689 students attended out-of-state institutions exclusively through distance education under SARA.

In-state EDEE comprised 2,602,686 (58.6%) of reported enrollment

In 2025, 34.8% of EU internet users reported taking an online course or using online learning materials.

This share is a 1.4 percentage point (pp) increase from 2024 (33.4%) and a substantial jump from 2019, when less than a quarter of internet users (21.4%) had used these educational resources.

Among specific online learning methods, 17.3% of internet users took an online course in 2025, with the highest prevalence in Ireland (29.6%), Finland (29.3%) and the Netherlands (28.5%).

At the same time, 30.5% of internet users used online learning materials, with the highest share in the Netherlands (55.1%), Ireland (50.4%) and Hungary (46.4%).

The Netherlands recorded the highest share of internet users engaged in online learning or using online learning materials (60.2%), followed by Ireland (59.7%), Finland (50.7%) and Sweden (50.6%).

By contrast, online education was less prevalent in Romania (11.8%), Bulgaria (18.4%) and Cyprus (21.0%).

In 2022, according to the adult education survey (AES), the proportion of adults aged 25 to 64 in the EU who had participated in education or training during the previous 12 months was 46.6% (see Figure 1).

In 2024, according to the EU labour force survey (EU-LFS) the proportion of adults aged 25 to 64 in the EU who participated in education or training during the previous 12 months was 28.5% (see Figure 2).

In 2025, this share stood at 15.9%.

On average across the OECD countries that participated in PIAAC, two in five adults engage in adult learning each year, but rates range from 58% in Norway to 13% in Korea.

The highest rates were recorded in Finland and Norway (both 58%), closely followed by the United States (55%), Denmark (54%) and New Zealand (53%).

Across the OECD, only 8% of adults participate in formal education, while 37% participate in non-formal learning.

Across the OECD, only 8% of adults participate in formal education, while 37% participate in non-formal learning.

The UK’s longest-running survey of adult learning marks its 30th year with the finding that just 2 in 5 adults (43%) have engaged in learning in the last three years – a figure barely improved since 1996 (40%).

However, in the aftermath of the pandemic, adult learning moved increasing online and towards personal interest, with participation reaching a high of 52% in 2024, before settling back to 43% in 2026.

Just one in five adults (21%) are currently engaged in learning of any kind, down from 30% in 2024.

Adult participation in Education and training decreased by 4.8% to 1,174,940 in 2024/25, following a series of year-on-year increases since 2020/21.

In the 12 months ending in November 2024, 3 in 10 (29.7%) workers in Canada participated in job-related training outside the formal education system.

In November 2024, 36.8% of workers with a bachelor’s degree or higher had participated in training over the previous 12 months, down 2.9 percentage points compared with November 2022 (39.7%).

Participation in work-related training or formal study fell to 34 per cent of people aged 15-74 in 2024-25, compared to 39 per cent of the same age range in 2020-21, according to new data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

During the same period, the proportion of people participating in work-related training fell by four percentage points to 19 per cent, with just over one in six people (17 per cent) incurring personal costs in the process.

Online learning accounts for 34% of training, while blended learning – combining face-to-face and online elements – accounts for the remaining 14%.

In Canada, Chile, England (UK), Latvia and the United States, more than 60% of non-formal learning takes place at a distance, either entirely online or through a mix of online and face-to-face sessions.

In 2024-25, of those who participated in work-related training, 49% undertook their most recent training online or virtually, compared with 55% in 2020-21.

Online learning is also the norm, with almost one half of adult learners (48%) now studying entirely online.

Learning for leisure now accounts for nearly half (46%) of learners, compared with 20% in 2019.

It shows the GenAI enrollment rate increased from 25 per minute in 2025 to more than 40 per minute in 2026, while critical-thinking enrollments grew over 100% year over year.

This demand is reflected in increasing enrollments in AI content on Udemy, which grew 120% year-over-year in 2025, with learners investing more than 700 million minutes of time to develop these critical skills.

Across Coursera and Udemy, we have reached more than 310 million learners, serve more than 1.6 million Paid Subscribers and nearly 12,000 Enterprise Customers, and bring together more than 100,000 instructors and over 425 university and industry partners.

Across Coursera and Udemy, we have reached more than 310 million learners, serve more than 1.6 million Paid Subscribers and nearly 12,000 Enterprise Customers, and bring together more than 100,000 instructors and over 425 university and industry partners.

Coursera’s global scale continues to expand, reaching 205 million cumulative registered learners.

This included the addition of 7.6 million new registered learners, a first quarter record.

We added nearly 50,000 paid subscribers during Q4 to reach more than 340,000 total at year end.

This demand is reflected in increasing enrollments in AI content on Udemy, which grew 120% year-over-year in 2025, with learners investing more than 700 million minutes of time to develop these critical skills.

Since its inception, SWAYAM MOOCs have witnessed cumulative enrolments of approximately 5.80 crore learners, with 52.88 lakh certifications awarded.

Since its inception, SWAYAM MOOCs have witnessed cumulative enrolments of approximately 5.80 crore learners, with 52.88 lakh certifications awarded.

Daily Active Users 50.5M 64.9M 29% YoY Paid Subscribers 11.5M 13.1M

Daily Active Users 50.5M 64.9M 29% YoY Paid Subscribers 11.5M 13.1M

Daily Active Users 50.5M 64.9M 29% YoY Paid Subscribers 11.5M 13.1M

MAUs were 135.3 million and 153.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2025 and 2026, respectively, representing 13% year-over-year growth.

This year, English learning soared again, becoming the #1 language in 154 countries—an increase of 14% over 2024.

Asia continued to lead the way, accounting for 55% of all test sessions, while Africa saw year-over-year growth, with its share rising from 7% to 8.3%, driven by increased popularity in Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Ghana.