The onset of Covid -19 pandemic brought a lot of dreams to study abroad on hold. With countries restricting travel, students were made to reconsider their decision to pursue higher education from abroad. Yet, as per UNESCO, despite a major pandemic and restricted travel across the world, 91% of Indian students showed interest in pursuing their studies abroad. 71% of these students reported better healthcare as one of their reasons to choose to study abroad.
As per MEA (Ministry of External Affairs), in 2020 alone 261,406 Indian students went abroad. Though the number was half of what was experienced in 2019 (588,931), MEA reported it to be a large count with consideration of the ongoing pandemic. Currently, 71,769 students have been reported by MAE to have moved abroad until Feb 28/2021 for study purposes.
The uprising vaccination plans and varying unlock policies across the globe has made it easier for students to plan their travel. Additionally, it was also observed that the education system post-pandemic came up with a drastic shift in students’ mindset. During the pandemic, the working of institutions became hybrid or completely online which brought along a change in the expectations of students.
Furthermore, the 2021 QS International Student Survey highlights that prospective students are now looking for study destinations which offers them a complete package. The survey reveals that though the USA is still a popular destination, Top Universities in the USA saw a downward trend in the number of applications in 2020.
Countries like Australia, Canada, New Zealand, rose up the ladder of popular study abroad destinations and saw a rise in the number of international applicants. One of the reasons attributed to the same is the healthcare cover offered by the government of these countries to their student population, irrespective of their nationality.
A drastic shift from America to other countries is because of the relaxation provided on travel and lesser cases of Covid-19. With Collegedunia, Indian students can learn about popular study destinations like Canada, Australia, Germany and at the same time explore upcoming destinations like Ireland, New Zealand, and UAE. The Study Abroad experts provide prospective international students with information on 3400+ universities, 1,50,000+ courses and 2000+ authentic reviews from students to explore. From admission process to visa guidelines, all student queries are answered in the best manner possible.
Shift in Destination Preferences
Due to the ongoing pandemic and by recent reports conducted, it has been obtained that 33% of the applicants are trying to switch to different destinations. Also, there were few who thought that continuing the studies once the situation gets normal will be a better thing to do. Nonetheless, 91% of Indian students are still considering applying for studies abroad in 2021. But, with a change of plan- A Different Study Abroad Destination.
While researching various reports, we discovered that in 2018, 5 million students wanted to pursue studies abroad, out of which, 7,50,000 were Indians. Countries like Canada, Uk and germany are more on a road to receive higher jumps. They have also started to consider countries like New Zealand and Ireland due to their less number in Covid cases and lesser travel bans.
Key Highlights
● Abroad is on students’ prior choice due to their availability of better healthcare facilities.
● Education loans were preferred by 60% of the students.
● Most of the students planned their abroad education in a span of 3 months whereas some of them had it planned for many years.
● Due to the vaccination facility provided to international students by the UK government, a substantial growth in the number of applications is observed.
Foreign Policies Influencing Indian Students to Study Abroad
In recent years, one of the key attractions for Indian students planning to go overseas has been the pro-student policies in countries like Canada and the UK. Even though the people across the world are fighting covid and countries have their own strict regulations, the promise of a better future is pushing students to apply for higher studies in international universities.
As per the WES Survey of Prospective Students, USA universities witnessed a downward trend in terms of international students enrollments. More than 29% of international students were less interested in studying in the USA.
Instead of the US, 67% international students opted to Study in Canada. Though Canada has banned Indians from travelling, it is one of the most popular study abroad destinations amongst Indian students. The comparatively easier visa policies and immigration friendly policies have made Canada a perfect choice for Indian students.
Next to Canada, Indian students now prefer to pursue higher studies in the UK because of the Graduate Immigration Route. With this new policy, students graduating from UK universities will be able to work in the UK for up to 2 years.
With this, it can be determined that most of the Indian students are planning to go ahead with their studies abroad after the pandemic. The leverage in travel ban and immigration could also be a reason for them to switch to another destination overseas. Check Collegedunia for all the latest updates and information required to study abroad.
Disclaimer: This content is distributed by Collegedunia. No TNIE Group journalist is involved in the creation of this content.
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