• GoStudent launches GoStudent VR, an immersive language learning platform for students, in partnership with Immerse and Meta

• GoStudent VR revolutionises language learning with tutor-led virtual reality (VR) group experiences in virtual environments simulating real-life settings

• The platform aims to enhance students’ foreign language speaking abilities and confidence, further solidifying GoStudent’s position as a leader in the education technology sector

Vienna - June 13, 2023 – GoStudent, one of the world’s leading tutoring providers, proudly unveils GoStudent VR, a pioneering, immersive, virtual reality language learning platform designed specifically for students aged 13-18. This innovative education offering has been created in collaboration with Immerse, an award-winning VR training platform, and supported by Meta via a hardware donation of Meta Quest 2 VR headsets. This groundbreaking launch aims to transform language learning for students.

GoStudent VR offers tutor-led virtual reality group language learning experiences, enabling students to enhance their foreign language speaking abilities and confidence through immersion into foreign environments and ‘real-life’ settings. Tutors join the sessions from their desktops, while students can join either via VR headset or desktop, creating an immersive learning environment that has been designed with the specific needs of both tutors and students in mind.

GoStudent VR comes in direct response to a growing understanding that education is not a ‘one size fits all’ experience and that students are keen to see more technology enter the curriculum. The GoStudent Future of Education Report 2023 found that 77% of students believe technology facilitates learning, with 80% of 14-16 year-olds expressing interest in using the Metaverse as an educational tool. 64% of these 14-16 year-olds believe the Metaverse will make education more fun and 63% think it will allow them to explore potential future careers in a safe, virtual world. More than half believe that, in the Metaverse, they will learn more effectively. Despite this enthusiasm, the same report found that only 13% of students across Europe are currently using VR at school. GoStudent VR steps in to fill this gap, acknowledging the evolving needs and desires of students in their educational journey, and offering learners an adaptable, personalised learning experience.

Felix Ohswald, CEO and Co-Founder of GoStudent comments: “GoStudent VR represents a quantum stride in language learning. We’ve transformed the traditional classroom into an engaging playground where students can experience, interact with, and learn languages in ways that are both fun and effective. Our partnership with Immerse and Meta further cements our position as a leading EdTech player, and we are confident that GoStudent VR supports our mission to provide innovative and personalised learning experiences to students.”

GoStudent VR launched in Germany and Austria today, June 13, 2023, with plans to expand to other markets in the future. It will be taught by native English-speaking tutors from the UK, ensuring an authentic and high-quality language learning experience.

Gregor Müller, COO and Co-Founder of GoStudent, shared an insight into the GoStudent VR experience:* “Envision yourself as a soccer coach, passionately delivering a half-time locker room speech to your favourite team, all while honing your English. Or picture yourself in Paris, practising your French as you order a delicious crepe underneath the Eiffel Tower. With GoStudent VR, scenarios like these transform from mere fantasies into interactive learning environments that students want to engage with. Early users of GoStudent VR have been overwhelmingly positive about their experiences. As education providers, we have a responsibility to innovate in response to the needs of students, so they can truly unlock their potential.”*

GoStudent VR encourages social interaction and collaboration, fostering a supportive environment for students to practise speaking with native-language tutors and their peers. This immersive approach not only enhances memory retention but also bolsters confidence, leading to students feeling less anxious and more empowered.

The profound benefits of VR technology in language learning are evident in research conducted by Immerse. Their studies show significant improvements in listening and reading skills following VR experiences. A striking 98.8% of students reported improved English speaking skills thanks to Immerse.

“GoStudent VR exemplifies a careful selection of partnerships aimed at addressing the unique learning needs of students,” says Alexander Nick, Director of GoStudent Future Labs.* “Aligned with findings from the GoStudent Future of Education Report, where 77% of European children believe in the facilitative role of technology in learning, we sought to partner with those equally committed to this vision. Our alliance with Immerse and Meta brings together pioneering technology and immersive experiences. This triad collaboration enables GoStudent VR to redefine language learning, further propelling GoStudent’s position as a vanguard in the EdTech sector.”*

Central to GoStudent’s mission is the unwavering dedication to innovation for a more effective, engaging, and enjoyable learning experience. GoStudent VR, the latest addition to its offering, makes learning not only easier but also more enjoyable for students.. By offering a range of learning methods, including group VR experiences, GoStudent ensures a tailored and effective learning experience that best suits each student’s unique needs. This comprehensive and personalised approach, which combines GoStudent VR with traditional tutoring services, underscores GoStudent’s deep understanding of the diverse learning needs and preferences of modern students.

“For most of us, learning is social – we learn from and with others, and from each other’s experiences. That’s why the unique feeling of presence and immersion these technologies create can be so transformative for education. Partners like GoStudent will help us understand how teachers and students can get the best out of these technologies.” said Nick Clegg, President, Global Affairs at Meta.

GoStudent VR offers a unique VR learning experience with each lesson designed to cater to the learners’ specific needs. Lessons are of 50-minute duration and each class comprises between one and eight students to ensure an interactive, immersive, and personalised learning experience. GoStudent VR classes are affordably priced between 25€ and 27€, making this cutting-edge technology accessible to a broad spectrum of students. Existing GoStudent customers can book a GoStudent VR session instead of a regular tutoring session through their subscription.

Through GoStudent VR, students will be able to access more than 40 virtual locations, with scenarios centred around teamwork-based exercises. Environments span restaurants and comedy clubs, to TV studios and a desert island. New locations will be added each month to keep the experience fresh and motivating for students.

Students and tutors can sign up for GoStudent VR by visiting https://www.gostudent.org/en-gb/vr/

Media Assets: For a closer look at the GoStudent VR experience, high-resolution images and video demos can be found here.

Demo or Review Opportunities: For journalists interested in experiencing GoStudent VR firsthand or reviewing our platform, please contact Lena van Hooven at lena.vanhooven@gostudent.org

About GoStudent - GoStudent is one of the world’s leading tutoring providers and, with a €3bn valuation, Europe’s highest-valued EdTech company. Founded in Vienna, Austria, in 2016 by Felix Ohswald (CEO) and Gregor Müller (COO), the venture-backed unicorn has raised more than €590m from investors including Prosus and SoftBank Vision Fund 2. Believing the future of education is hybrid, GoStudent has expanded its offering over the past two years with the acquisition of three EdTech companies - Seneca Learning, Tus Media and Fox Education - and offline tutoring business, Studienkreis. Together, these companies aim to unite the best of the online and offline world to unlock every child’s potential. Across its portfolio, GoStudent employs more than 1,500 staff and supports more than 5 million families each month. Learn more here: www.gostudent.org

About Meta - Meta is focused on building an ecosystem to support learning in the metaverse. This includes empowering the next generation of AR/VR creators, transforming the way we learn through high-quality immersive experiences and increasing access to education through technology. Learn more here.

About Immerse - Immerse is the number one virtual world purpose-built for language learning. In Immerse, members can meet up and teleport to a virtual British marketplace to practice speaking with a live English instructor, or a virtual Parisian cafe to build conversational fluency with a French instructor. By increasing access to immersive language learning, Immerse cultivates human connection between people across the globe that otherwise would not be part of the conversation. Immerse has raised $11.5M, built a team of more than thirty staff, and secured landmark partnerships with Meta, ByteDance, and Nvidia.

Media contacts: Kristina Bassett I Director PR & Communications at GoStudent I M: +44 786 914 3214 I E: kristina.bassett@gostudent.org