Why Indian Students Prefer Higher Education Abroad - AEC (2024)

• January 16, 2023
• Blog

Are you getting puzzled whether to Study in India or Abroad? You’re not alone. This is a question faced by millions of Indian Students and their families. By 2024, around 18 lakh Indian students are projected to study abroad. Indian students aspiring for world-class education are limited by the opportunities available in the country. Hence, the number of Indian Students going to Study Abroad is increasing over the years to find quality education. Some of the popular Higher education in Abroad destinations are U.S., U.K., Canada, & Australia. This blog post is going to have a look over the reasons for Why do Indian Students Prefer Pursuing Higher Education in Abroad? Let’s see the reasons!

Requirements for Higher Education in Abroad

• Application– The first and important step for admission to foreign university is writing an application. Include all the relevant details such as academic, professional, & personal details relevant to the course of study.
• Academic Transcripts– Submit all the academic transcripts up to the latest qualifications. A minimum percentage of marks has to be fulfilled for the application.
• English language proficiency test scores– All English language proficiency test scores such as IELTS, TOEFL, GRE, SAT, & PTE have to be submitted. A minimum mark has to be attained.
• Curriculum Vitae– A Candidate has to submit an updated CV including information about academic & professional information. The information should contain all degrees passed, certificates, internships & other job experience.
• Statement of Purpose(SOP)– This essay will include all the details about the student background, the reason for choosing the course, university, & the country, goals, work experience, extracurricular activities, and other miscellaneous information. SOP helps a candidate to gain admission into foreign university.
• Letter of Recommendation(LOR)– LOR is provided by the former professors or managers of the applicant. It contains details like qualifications, achievements, contributions, & tenure to the organization. LOR helps the admission committee of the university to gain insights about the candidates and whether to give him admission or not.
• Student Visa– After receiving a letter of acceptance from the chosen university, a student has to apply for a student visa. Students have to submit the visa application form, offer letter, passport-size photographs, proof of finances, accommodation, copy of academic mark sheets, and receipts of visa application fees as part of the required documents.

Top 10 Reasons Why Indian Students Choose to Study Abroad?

1. Better Quality of Education- The Indian education system is mainly theoretical focused whereas it’s lacking in giving a practical application of the syllabus to the students. Lack of practicality in the course fails to give the skills a student needs to grow in their careers. Compared to this, Higher education in Abroad gives a student a perfect combination of theory & practicality in their curriculum. The universities abroad give students both on-campus and off-campus experience so that students can engage with the syllabus and gain the required skills.

Another positive feature of Study Abroad is the flexibility of the courses. Students can choose whatever course they like based on their interests. The curriculum also gives them flexibility to work part-time while studying.

2. Job Prospects & Higher Salary- One of the main reasons students study abroad is employment & job prospects. Students after receiving Higher Education in Abroad are valued more than students studying in domestic universities. International qualifications help them to receive higher salaries and more job opportunities. Organizations also prefer to work with candidates having international qualifications as they have a higher skill set as compared to another’s. They also got promotions and higher salaries as compared to students from India.
3. Immigration- Indian Students choose Higher Education in Abroad with the sole aim of Immigration. Only after getting a job there, they can apply for Permanent Residency. USA has a 2-year stay back policy post-studies after which a student can convert his visa into study visa. Canada has a 3-year stay back policy during which a student can apply for a work visa & then permanent residency. The UK has brought back its 2-year policy for students to search for job opportunities. Immigration remains the prime motive behind education abroad.
4. Variety of Courses to Choose from- Despite the spread of Higher Education in India, most of the universities in India offer conventional courses only. The students are forced to choose among Science, engineering, technology, and mathematics courses only because they don’t have much to choose from. While Higher Education in Abroad not only offers Variety of courses but also numerous Universities & colleges offering those courses also. Study abroad gives them the choice of choosing their fields of interests.
5. Easy accessibility to seats- India is a populous country, and hence millions of students fight in entrance tests for admission to their dream courses. Top-tier students with very few seats every year sees a bitter battle among students for admission. But they can easily gain admission to the same dream course in a foreign university easily by fulfilling the universities’ basic requirements. Studying this dream course may land them up in a dream job in the future.
6. Research prospects- After gaining a degree from a foreign university, the prospect of research opportunities increases for an Indian student. Firstly, all the top research institutions prefer graduates from the top foreign universities. Second, Studying Abroad gives an Indian student an opportunity to work in Research wings of Top MNCs like Google, Apple & Microsoft.
7. Global Exposure- Higher education in Abroad helps you to become a well-informed person and develop a wider point of view & imagination towards other cultures & people.
8. Scholarships- Studying abroad opens up a wide range of Scholarship options for the students in terms of financial aid. From numerous private organizations to various government institutions, students from India have a variety of Scholarships options to choose from.
9. Lifetime Experience- Overseas Education doesn’t mean spending time at the campus only. During weekends, students visit various tourist places and experience geographies completely different from India. When they come back to India, they’ve interesting stories to share with friends & relatives about their lifetime experience.
10. Learn a New Culture & Language- Students quickly learn to communicate in a foreign language and immerse in a new culture. They start making new friends from all over the world.

Best Countries to Study Abroad

1. USA
2. UK
3. Canada
4. Australia
5. France
6. Switzerland
7. New Zealand
8. Russia
9. Germany
10. Spain

Final Thoughts!

Until Indian universities & education systems improve to provide the same quality of education Higher education in Abroad provides, Indian Students would continue to move abroad to fulfill their dreams. This blog post has tried to examine reasons over Indian students’ increasing preference to Study Abroad! Also tried to present the details. Liked this blog! Please share it!

Read More- How to Manage Funds for Your Child’s Study Abroad Dreams?