In the early 2000s, as the IT industry boomed in Bengaluru, it also set a trend for engineering students to go abroad for higher studies, primarily to the United States and Canada. Gradually, as the decades passed, the United Kingdom and Australia also emerged as top countries for higher education, as non-engineering students in streams like pure science, marketing and management also took flight.
As the years passed, students’ preferences changed – from their choice of destination to the subjects they chose. These decisions were also influenced by geopolitical tensions, visa barriers, job availability and financial constraints. Educational consultants have observed that students now prefer non-traditional destinations like Ireland, Germany, smaller European countries, UAE, Uzbekistan, Russia and even China.
According to Ministry of External Affairs data earlier this year, by 2024, about 1.33 million Indian students were expected to pursue higher studies abroad in 101 countries. This figure is a jump from 0.93 million in 2023. While Canada, US, UK and Australia had the highest number of students, followed by Germany, UAE, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia and Kazakhstan.
“There was a time when in our circle someone went abroad for higher education, it was a big deal and everyone celebrated it. But now, at least one person from every alternative 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. Padmini Vilas said. Retired teacher of the city Mohd.
Why changed the option?
Many educational consultants, as well as educational finance organizations, have observed a 35-40% increase in the number of students from Bengaluru showing interest in new destinations.
Prashant A., Founder, Kuhu EduFintech. “Students are increasingly choosing new locations for various reasons, the most prominent of which is better job prospects,” Bhonsle said.
Supriya M. chose Ireland as her destination after completing her engineering in Bengaluru. “The Irish university admissions process was easy, and when I completed my master’s degree I got a job at a good tech company. I didn’t get such good placement opportunities even in Bengaluru and so I was pleasantly surprised by how smoothly things progressed here,” she said.
With the job market in traditional destinations approaching saturation levels, many students have found that even if they get a job in the US or UK, companies do not want them to move to the UAE, smaller European countries or even back to India. Transfers across countries. 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 completing my master’s degree in Bengaluru, I went to the UK for a second master’s degree because I wanted to secure a job there. I worked there for two years after completing my studies. I had to renew my visa in 2025, and I wasn’t happy with my job, so I started looking for other options. But due to the current economic situation there, I could not get a job in my field, and ultimately I decided to come back to India and apply for jobs in other less saturated countries,” says Kaveri (name changed), a health care The worker said. , He said that based on his experience, his 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 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 the UAE it costs ₹20 lakh to ₹25 lakh. Is. In the UK, a one-year post-graduation course will cost around ₹25 lakh to ₹30 lakh, while in Ireland it will cost ₹18 lakh to ₹23 lakh.
Geopolitical considerations also play a role, Prashant said. “Many students find the political climate in these new destinations to be more friendly and welcoming than in traditionally popular countries.”
Apart from these reasons, the marks/percentage cut-off in top universities in the US and UK is also a reason for students to choose other destinations. “The top universities out there ask for more than 75% grades in 10thth and 12th Classes, which many don’t have. Therefore, they choose programs that do not have such strict cut-offs. The flip side is that students in these countries also need to pass exams like TOEFL, which proves to be a hurdle for some,” said Farhan Hooda, overseas education consultant.
higher competition
Even though foreign education is expensive and requires a lot of hard work and a complete change in lifestyle, why do students still prefer to go abroad?
Nabiha, a student from Bengaluru, was studying medicine in Ukraine for two years before the war broke out and had to return to India. Today he is in his third year of medical studies in Uzbekistan. When asked why she decided not to continue her studies upon returning to India, her parents said, “If she had wanted to study here, I would have got a seat as a donation because of the tough competition.” Had to pay a huge amount. Instead, he got a seat at a top college in Uzbekistan, which cost much less. Also, every year after leave, he gets a chance to come back here and work in the hospital for a month, which increases his practical knowledge.”
Students who want to study medicine prefer to take admission in universities outside India as they face difficulties in securing seats here due to competition. Countries like Uzbekistan, Philippines and Mauritius are preferred destinations. While Ukraine was also one such destination, now according to education consultants most of the students coming back from there have chosen to go to Uzbekistan, Russia or Malaysia. Samarkand State Medical University in Uzbekistan reportedly admitted 900 Indians this academic year.
For students from other streams, it is about the quality of education and life in other countries. “Many people go abroad because the quality of higher education in India is not good 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, the universities provide quality education with excellent English-speaking faculty,” Farhan explained.
choice of jobs
Farhan says that job opportunities in smaller countries may not be as promising as in larger countries like France or Germany, but students do not mind.
“We have seen students taking up jobs in housekeeping, driving or even chain restaurants. While Indian parents generally dislike such jobs in India, their children take up such jobs there because they get paid in dollars and pounds and can become self-reliant. Therefore, they complete their education, get ample exposure to the international crowd, take up well-paid jobs and settle in such countries. We rarely see students who go abroad coming back to India,” he said.
Many countries also look for Indian students after seeing the impact of NRIs on traditional study destinations.
“Many, even traditionally non-English speaking countries are starting English language programs to attract Indians because they want the contribution of Indians to their economy. So, we are looking at English language programs in Germany, in Japan, in South Korea,” said Rahul Subramaniam, co-founder of Athena Education, a consultancy.
satellite complex
Satellite campuses of popular American universities are also becoming popular among Indian students. They are usually established in alliance with local universities or independently and provide the same quality education and experience to students.
“Some of these complexes are being built mainly 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 said.
Earlier this year, the University Grants Commission had given its approval to the UK’s University of Southampton to set up its satellite campus in Gurugram. Academic programs at this campus are expected to start by July 2025.
multicultural thinking
However, Rahul said that families should get over the rigid mindset, think multiculturally and be more flexible while choosing study destinations. “Part of college admissions is its status. Some people may think that these satellite complexes are not as good as the US, but I beg to differ. I would encourage families to be more flexible as these can provide wonderful possibilities for students’ professional careers,” he commented.
published – December 13, 2024 06:40 AM IST
