Perceived Student Workload in English-Medium Instruction: Evidence from a Large-Scale Study in Business Education

Abstract

This study examines differences in perceived academic workload between students enrolled in English-Medium Instruction (EMI) and non-EMI programs, contributing to the broader discussion on student experience in higher education. Drawing on a large sample of 11,427 course evaluations from a Business Administration degree at a Spanish university (2016–2019), we compare self-reported workload scores across groups. Results indicate that EMI students report slightly higher workloads, particularly in the first year and in subject areas such as Economics and Quantitative Methods. However, these differences diminish in subsequent years, and effect sizes are generally small or negligible. The findings suggest that while EMI students initially invest more effort, likely due to adapting to instruction in a non-native language, this additional workload is temporary. These results reinforce the viability of EMI programs and highlight the value of targeted first-year support to optimize the student learning experience.