Indian students explore the globe for higher studies

Educational consultants have noticed that students now prefer non-traditional destinations like Ireland, Germany, smaller European countries, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Russia and even China for their higher studies The Hindu looks at factors that have driven this choice

In the early 2000s, as the IT industry boomed in Bengaluru, it also set the trend of engineering students going abroad for higher studies, mainly to the United States and Canada. Slowly, as decades rolled, the United Kingdom and Australia also emerged as top countries for higher education as even non-engineering students in streams like pure science, marketing and management hopped on flights.

As the years rolled on, student preferences changed — right from their choice of destination to the subjects they chose. These decisions were also influenced by geopolitical tensions, visa constraints, job availability, and financial constraints. Educational consultants have noticed that students now prefer non-traditional destinations like Ireland, Germany, smaller European countries, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Russia, and even China. 

According to External Affairs Ministry data earlier this year, as of 2024, around 1.33 million Indian students were pursuing higher studies abroad in 101 countries. This figure is a jump from 0.93 million in 2023. While Canada, the US, the UK and Australia had the highest number of students, Germany, UAE, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia and Kazakhstan followed. 

“There was a time when if someone in our circle went abroad for higher education, it used to be a big thing, and everyone would celebrate it. But now, at least one person from every alternate household in Bengaluru goes abroad for education, and sometimes, it is to countries like the Philippines or Ireland, which were not even known for higher education a few years ago,” said Padmini Vilas, a retired schoolteacher from the city.

Why changed choice

Many educational consultancies, as well as educational finance organisations, note an increase of 35-40% in the number of students from Bengaluru who evince interest in newer destinations.

“Students are increasingly choosing newer destinations for various reasons, the primary one being better job prospects,” said Prashant A. Bhonsle, founder of Kuhoo Edufintech. 

Supriya M. chose Ireland as her destination after completing her engineering in Bengaluru. “The entry process to an Irish university was easier, and I was placed in a good tech company by the time I finished my master’s. I had not received such good placement opportunities even in Bengaluru and so I was pleasantly surprised by how smoothly things moved here,” she said.

With the job market reaching near saturation levels in traditional destinations, many students have found that even if they get placed in the US or the UK, the companies transfer them to countries like the UAE, smaller European countries or even back to India. This is why destinations like Ireland, Germany, France and Italy, where job opportunities are more available, even in non-STEM courses are being preferred by students and parents.

“After finishing my master’s in Bengaluru, I moved to the UK for another master’s degree as I wanted to secure a job there. I worked for two years after finishing my studies there. I was due to renew my visa in 2025, and I was not happy with the job I had, so I started looking for other options. But with the current economic situation there, I could not find a job in my field, and I ultimately made the decision to come back to India and apply for jobs in other less saturated countries,” said Kaveri (name changed), a healthcare worker. She said that based on her experience, her younger cousin is now going to study business in Hungary.

Education cost

Elaborating on the financial aspect of these decisions, Prashant said, “The cost of education in these emerging locations is significantly lower than in existing, popular hubs like the UK and the US. This affordability makes higher education more accessible to a wider range of students.”

While a two-year post-graduation course in the US costs around ₹60 lakh to 70 lakh, a similar course in France costs ₹45 lakh to 50 lakh and in UAE, it costs ₹20 lakh to ₹25 lakh. In the UK, a one-year post-graduation course will cost around ₹25 lakh to ₹30 lakh, while the same costs ₹18 lakh to ₹23 lakh in Ireland.

Geopolitical considerations also play a role, said Prashant. “Many students perceive the political climate in these newer destinations more favourable and welcoming compared to that of traditionally popular countries.”

Apart from these reasons, marks/percentage cut-offs at top universities in the US and the UK are also a reason for students choosing other destinations. “Top universities there ask for over 75% grades in 10^th and 12^th classes, which many do not have. So, they choose programmes which do not have such strict cut-offs. The other factor is that these countries also require students to pass exams like TOEFL, which proves to be a hurdle for some,” said Farhan Huda, a foreign education consultant.

Higher competition

Even though foreign education is costlier and requires a lot of leg work and a complete lifestyle change, why do students prefer to go abroad?

Nabihah, a Bengaluru student, was studying medicine in Ukraine for two years before the war broke out and she had to come back to India. Today, she is in her third year of medical studies in Uzbekistan. When asked why she chose not to continue her studies in India upon her return, her parents said, “If she wanted to study here, I would have had to pay a huge sum as a donation for a seat because of the stiff competition. Instead, she got a seat in a top college in Uzbekistan, which costs significantly less. Plus, every year break, she gets to come back here and work at a hospital for one month, which adds to her practical knowledge.”

Students who wish to pursue medicine prefer admission to universities outside India due to the difficulties they face in securing seats here because of the competition. Countries like Uzbekistan, the Philippines, and Mauritius are the preferred destinations. While Ukraine was one such destination too, now most students who came back from there have chosen to go to Uzbekistan, Russia or Malaysia according to education consultants. Samarkand State Medical University in Uzbekistan reportedly got 900 Indian admissions this academic year.

For students in other streams, it is about the quality of education and life in other countries. “Many go abroad because the quality of higher education in India is not great, except in the top 10 universities. But even in smaller countries like Cyprus, which is preferred by students of hotel management and other management streams, universities offer quality education with excellent English-speaking faculty,” Farhan explained.

Option of jobs

Job opportunities in smaller countries might not be as promising as in larger countries like France or Germany, but students do not seem to mind, says Farhan.

“We have seen students take up jobs in housekeeping, driving or even chain restaurants. While Indian parents typically look down on such jobs in India, their children take up such jobs there as they get paid in dollars and pounds and can become self-sufficient. So, they finish their education, get a lot of exposure to international crowds, take up well-paying jobs and settle down in such countries. We rarely see students who go abroad come back to India,” he said.

Many countries also seek Indian students after seeing the impact the diaspora has created in traditional study destinations.

“Many, even traditionally non-English-speaking countries are starting English language programmes to attract Indians because they want the contribution of Indians to their economy. So, we are seeing English Language Programmes in Germany, in Japan, in South Korea,” said Rahul Subramaniam, Co-Founder of Athena Education, a consultancy.

Satellite campuses 

Satellite campuses of popular US universities are also becoming popular among Indian students. They are usually established in tie-ups with local universities or even independently and offer the same quality of education and exposure to students.

“Some of these campuses are coming up primarily in the Gulf countries. For example, New York University is in Abu Dhabi, and Georgetown University is in Doha. In fact, Duke has a satellite campus, Duke Kunshan, in China,” Rahul noted.

Earlier this year, the University Grants Commission gave its nod to the UK’s University of Southampton to set up its satellite campus in Gurugram. The academic programme on this campus is expected to begin by July 2025.

Thinking multi-cultural

However, Rahul added that families must move out of rigid mindsets, think multiculturally and be more flexible while choosing study destinations. “A part of college admissions is the status of it. Some might feel that these satellite campuses are not as good as the ones in the US, but I beg to differ. I would encourage families to be more flexible as these could provide wonderful prospects for students’ professional careers,” he remarked.

Published - December 13, 2024 06:40 am IST