Study abroad: Key factors students consider while choosing foreign university

Immigration rules

With the introduction of the Graduation Immigration Route (GIR), interest in the United Kingdom as a study abroad destination zoomed. The new policy allows students graduating from UK universities to work in the country for up to two years.

“Job prospects, post-study work duration, and immigration opportunities play a critical role in students choosing an overseas university. With the introduction of a restrictive post-study work policy in 2012 in the UK, the number of student visas issued dropped from 60,000 on an annual basis to nearly 15,000. The percentage jump after the announcement of GIR and liberalisation of immigration policy is 143 per cent with 91,000 student visas issued in 2021,” said Ankit Mehra, Founder and CEO, GyanDhan, a study abroad counselling platform.

“Canada has emerged as the preferred country for higher studies owing to the country’s open immigration policies. In 2016, student applications from India [to the US] registered a 26 per cent decline in undergraduate courses, a 15 per cent decline in graduate applications, and an overall 40 per cent drop after Trump’s victory due to fear and anxiety about policy and immigration changes,” added Mehra.

Budget

Studying in a foreign country can prove to be overwhelming in terms of finances. It can cost more than four to five times what a student will pay while pursuing the same course at any Indian university.

Piyush Kumar, Regional Director (South Asia), IDP Education, said the budget is definitely a critical factor. “Some programmes may have higher tuition fees but would offer higher returns. At the same time, in some countries, the living cost may reduce significantly, thus reducing the overall expenditure on studying abroad. Students should carefully research their preferred destination, institution and the availability of courses there,” Kumar explained.

Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Sarthak Agrawal, an alumnus of Oxford University, said he applied to Oxford University, Cambridge University, University College London (UCL), and the London School of Economics (LSE) and was accepted by all of them. “Although all these were premier colleges, the most important criterion for me was funding. Oxford University offered me a 100 per cent scholarship that covered my tuition and provided a generous stipend of almost £15,000 per year. Hence, I chose Oxford over others,” he added.

Educational prospects, opportunities

Students also keep in mind the academic programme, especially one which has a flexible curriculum, and the reputation of a university while making the decision to study abroad.

“Education segment incorporates the university’s ranking, scholarship opportunities and diversity of programs in specific countries especially the ones associated with new skills which are in high demand like AI/ML, Data science, etc. Students usually see this segment as a vital factor in choosing a university abroad,” Vaibhav Singh, Co-founder, Leap Scholar said.

According to experts, in this aspect, Canada continues to be a favoured destination among students because of its diverse educational opportunities and a student-friendly policy stance.

Work opportunities

Students also consider a country, which can offer jobs after they have completed their course.

“The US had a particularly strong rebound with the new political administration taking a welcoming stance towards the international students. Indians are the second-largest nationality of foreign students in the US, many of whom stay on under the optional practical training (OPT) to work in the country. In the post Trump era, the US has again become a top destination for overseas education aspirants in India,” Leap Scholar’s Singh highlighted.

Peer, alumni feedback

When students evaluate their decision to study overseas, pre-existing Indian student communities contribute to their decision remarkably. These communities help them get to know about the lifestyle, exposure and experience in a new country.

IAS officer Agrawal did just that. “After completing my graduation from DU, I decided to pursue my post-graduation from an overseas college. However, the big questions were which university and course to pursue. I did plenty of online research and also interacted with the Oxford alumni to know about the university,” said Agrawal.

“It is easiest to get in touch with alumni by contacting them over LinkedIn. Most people I corresponded with were very helpful and I have been trying to return the favour since,” he added.