Graduate route visa, scholarships; how UK is a major draw for international students

The UK and India have been collaborating extensively to internationalise higher education and enable globally relevant education for Indian students to attain success in the international job markets. Over the years, the two nations have worked together to build opportunities in education, research and employment, across both countries.

These efforts have generated greater interest among Indian students to opt for higher education in the UK. As per the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), there were 126,535 students from India studying at UK universities in 2021-’22, which indicates a rise of 50 per cent over the previous year. Today, Indian students form one of the largest student groups in the UK.

For Indian students, to graduate with globally recognised degrees that make them employable anywhere in the world, is definitely important. But over the years, one of the most motivating reasons for them to opt for higher education in the UK is the chance that they get to pursue their desired global careers. Let’s look at the topmost factors that make the UK the ideal destination for students to launch their academic and professional careers:

The Graduate Route

While the marked rise of Indian students opting for higher education in the UK can be attributed to various factors, one highly important reason could be the introduction of the graduate route.

Also known as the Post-Study Work visa, it offers international students who have graduated from a UK university the ability to stay and work in the UK for up to two years after graduation (three years for PhD students). This visa allows graduates to work at any skill level and in any industry, and there is no requirement for sponsorship by an employer.

Scholarships

To enable Indian students with more opportunities and financial support to access some of the world’s best academic programmes, the UK offers a variety of scholarships and bursaries worth millions of pounds, like the Commonwealth Scholarships, Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships and many more. In addition to this universities and colleges in the UK offer a wide variety of scholarships to students. The British Council too offers unique and excellent scholarship options every year to young talented Indians to enable greater opportunities for them like the British Council Women in STEM Scholarships and GREAT Scholarships.

British Council’s Women in STEM Scholarships are awarded on merit basis with no country-specific cap and aim to raise more prospects for girls and women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). Since 2018, over 200 Indian women have gone on to pursue master’s degrees in STEM subjects in the United Kingdom. These scholarships not only encourage women STEM scholars to apply for Early Academic Fellowships and master’s courses across the UK; but are also to address and improve gender equity in STEM careers.

This year’s GREAT Scholarships programme is offering 200 scholarships to postgraduates from across 14 countries, including India, to access world-class higher education at one of the 49 partner universities across the UK. The GREAT scholarships provide students pursuing a wide range of one-year postgraduate programmes with financial support of £10,000 towards their tuition.

Academic Excellence

With industry experts, knowledgeable instructors, advanced research facilities, and prime infrastructure, the UK is well-equipped to provide students with the practical skills they need to succeed in the competitive job market. The most recent QS World University Rankings for 2023 place four UK institutions in the top 10 worldwide, while the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for 2023 place an astounding 28 UK universities in the top 200.

With the strong industry-academic link, students are frequently challenged to work on real-world problems and develop creative solutions. This prepares them for tough tasks when they enter new age job profiles at some of the top organisations worldwide. A report by the Universities UK International (UUKi) states that 83 per cent of international graduates, credit their UK degree for helping them get a job.

The UK, as a campus destination, strives to grow students into world leaders who are employable wherever. Due to this on their return on investment, Indian students considering attending a higher education programme overseas are more likely to pick the UK.

(The writer is Director, Education (India) at the British Council)