Online education in EU sees significant rise since start of pandemic

Cyprus reported one of the lowest shares of internet users engaging in online education in 2025, according to Eurostat.

The statistical office reported that only 21 per cent of internet users in Cyprus took an online course or used online learning materials during the year.

Across the European Union, 34.8 per cent of internet users reported taking an online course or using online learning materials, marking a 1.4 percentage point increase from 33.4 per cent in 2024.

The figures also show a substantial rise since 2019, when less than a quarter of EU internet users, 21.4 per cent, had engaged in online education.

The Netherlands recorded the highest share of online learners at 60.2 per cent, followed closely by Ireland at 59.7 per cent, Finland at 50.7 per cent, and Sweden at 50.6 per cent.

By contrast, online education remained less prevalent in Romania at 11.8 per cent and Bulgaria at 18.4 per cent, highlighting the uneven uptake across member states.

Among specific online learning methods, 17.3 per cent of EU internet users took an online course in 2025.

The highest participation in online courses was in Ireland at 29.6 per cent, Finland at 29.3 per cent, and the Netherlands at 28.5 per cent.

At the same time, 30.5 per cent of internet users across the EU used online learning materials, with the Netherlands leading at 55.1 per cent, Ireland at 50.4 per cent, and Hungary at 46.4 per cent.