Last Updated on April 17, 2024 by Saira Farman
In 2016, over 5 million foreign students studied outside their home countries. India ranks as the second-largest origin of international students after China, with over 3,000,000 Indian students studying abroad. However, in recent years, the political turmoil caused by the UK’s referendum to leave the European Union, or Brexit, and the American Presidential elections has established an atmosphere of stringent immigration and visa policies in such countries. In this environment, will the percentage of Study Abroad For Indian Students continue to rise?
Increase in the number of Indian students
By 2016, the proportion of Indian students applying to US universities had dropped to 45 percent, with the UK at 6 percent. As a result, Australia and Canada have surpassed the United States and the United Kingdom as the preferred study-abroad destinations.
In 2016, over 5 million international students studied outside their home countries. Over 3 million Indian students study abroad, making India the second most significant source of international students after China.
Visible shift in travel preferences
According to a UNESCO Institute of Statistics analysis, the total number of Indian students studying abroad increased from 66,713 in 2000 to 3,01,406 in 2016. In 2016, 2,34,693 more students were studying abroad than in 2000, representing an average annual growth rate of 22% over a 16-year period. The rising aspirations of Indian students to study abroad reflect the rise of high- to middle-income families.
Despite the rise in the overall number of Indian students studying abroad, it has also experienced a period of decline due to the global financial crisis. The number of Indian students peaked in 2010 at 210,649 before declining to 190,358 students in 2013. In 2016, the number of Indian students studying abroad surpassed 3,000,000 for the first time.
Why do students tend towards international study?
Many Indian students aspire to study in the United States. In the year 2000, 59 percent of all Indian students studying abroad were enrolled in US universities, followed by 7 percent in Australia, 6 percent in the United Kingdom, and less than 1 percent in Canada. This data clearly demonstrates that Indian students prefer to study in the United States over other study destinations. The reason behind this is the high demand for master’s degrees in STEM programs, which also provide pathways to work in the US via Optional Practical Training (OPT) and the H-1B visa.
In 2016, however, the number of Indian students in the US fell to 45 percent, while the UK remained at 6 percent. Australia increased its share to 15%, while Canada decreased to 7%. It was observed that Australia and Canada had absorbed an increase in demand for overseas study at the expense of the United States and the United Kingdom.
Aspirations for growth in the future
Indian students are increasingly interested in international education. In 2018, study portals received over 17.7 million and 5.7 million global user hits, respectively. They searched for master’s and bachelor’s programs abroad, experiencing a 37 percent and 77 percent increase from users in India, respectively.
Though there is a high demand for overseas education, pte test exam, unwelcoming visa, and immigration policies make it difficult to make that dream a reality. However, there are two types of students who seek international education.
- The first is the traditional group that prefers a low price with more options.
- The second is achievement awareness and seeking an interesting time.
The first group will continue to look for less expensive options that provide more “value for money,” primarily through master’s programs. Alternative study destinations for these students include the Middle East, Asia, and Continental Europe, all of which offer English-taught programs. For example, the percentage of Indian students in Germany increased threefold between 2010-11 and 2016-17, reaching 15,529 students. Similarly, thirty percent of all international students in the UAE are from India.
The second group of experience seekers focuses primarily on undergraduate studies and fields of study other than engineering and computer science. These students have strong financial support for their education and take assistance from LOR And SOP Writing Services. They are also less concerned with immigration and immediate job opportunities. For example, consider the increase in the number of Indian undergraduate students at the University of British Columbia, which increased from 200 to 726 students in four years, a 263 percent increase between 2013/14 and 2017/18.
Finally,
Their financial situation heavily influences the number of students seeking international education. This heavily relies on India’s economic growth, which will support experience seekers’ growth. The first group of value will be attracted by pro-immigration and visa policies in countries of destination. Therefore, studying abroad is always in high demand and has a bright future.
