Top 10 Overseas Study Destinations for Indian Students

An increasing number of Indian students are beginning to take a liking towards overseas studies, not only because some universities abroad offer greater career opportunities post-graduation, but also because of the experience that comes with studying abroad. Until about a decade ago, Indian students primarily pursued higher education in countries such as the USA, the UK, and Australia. However, trends have been changing over the years, and students now have various options to develop themselves for professional life. Here we will go through the top ten countries that Indian students can visit to attain a degree in their preferred courses.

The United States of America has always been one of the main countries for Indian students and is also among the major overseas study destinations for students all over the world. The country is home to a multitude of top tier universities, and currently has over nine lakh foreign students within its borders. India, apart, even students from countries like South Korea and China prefer the USA over other countries owing to its standard of living among other factors.

The USA has some of the biggest institutions on the planet, such as Harvard, MIT, Princeton and Stanford to name a few. With more than 4000 universities that are ranked highly on the education front, there is little surprise that the USA has as many foreign students as it does. There are over 1.3 lakh Indian students pursuing educational courses in the USA at the moment, and some of the courses that attract foreign students include business management, maths and computer sciences, engineering, physical and life sciences, and social sciences.

The United Kingdom is among the favourite destinations for Indian students who wish to study abroad. The country is home to some of the oldest and most popular universities on the planet, such as Cambridge and Oxford. Indian students can find a wide range of courses, varying from undergraduate degrees to PG degrees across a variety of domains such as management and engineering among others.

The UK currently has over five lakh overseas students, and around 25,000 of them are Indians. A prominent factor that attracts students to pursue their educational courses in the country is the wide variety of scholarships offered by the universities in the country. These scholarships offer partial to full study waiver, and some of the popular fee paying scholarships that foreign students can avail in the UK include GREAT, Commonwealth and Rhodes. The main courses that attract students to study in the UK include business management, social sciences, fine and applied arts, engineering, and physical and life sciences.

Australia is the third-most preferred education destination for overseas students after the USA and the UK. The education system down under has developed a strong reputation around the world and several different Australian universities have now established themselves among the top 100 institutions in the world. The country is home to over 12,000 institutions for higher education, and students can undertake courses for English Language training and vocational training in addition to courses such as sports management, finance and business at both, the undergraduate as well as the graduate level. The number of Indian students who are currently undertaking educational courses in the land down under exceed 25,000, and the top courses that attract students from all over the world include business management, mathematics and computer sciences, social sciences, engineering, and health professions.

New Zealand is one of the emerging destinations for students who wish to undertake educational courses abroad. So far as Indian students are concerned, New Zealand has recorded a 400% increase over the past five years. The institutes and universities in the country are ranked among the top 500 on the planet, making the country a great option for those who wish to study in a new place. Some of the popular universities in the country include Auckland Territorial University and University of Auckland among others. Moreover, New Zealand also boasts around 20 institutes of polytechnics and technology in addition to several private training establishments that enable students to hone their vocational skills. As a result, the country is becoming increasingly popular among foreign students. India is currently among the biggest sources of foreign students in New Zealand, with more than 20,000 students undertaking courses in the country. The courses that attract the most number of overseas students include business management, social sciences, maths and computer sciences, engineering, and physical and life sciences.

Canada is another emerging destination for foreign students who wish to undertake courses away from home. The country has experienced manifold increase so far as the number of overseas students enrolling for educational courses. There are more than 40,000 Indian students who are currently studying in Canada, and some of the popular courses that attract overseas students include business, hospitality, animation, engineering, liberal arts, and biotechnology. The main reasons as to why Canada has grown into one of the top destinations for international students is quality education in addition to a safe, multicultural environment.

So far as Europe is concerned, Germany is one of the top destinations for overseas students pursuing higher education. Although the country isn’t at the same level as the USA and the UK, it has been growing steadily over the years as testified by an increase of over 70% in the number of Indian students within its borders. Even UNESCO has listed Germany among its top five destinations for abroad students. One of the main reasons for Germany’s emergence as a top educational destination is the fact that public universities in the country charge little or no tuition fees, and many students across the world are enticed by the prospect of attaining quality education at minimal costs. The country is home to around 10,000 students from India at the moment, and the courses with the highest number of applications from all over the world include business management, maths and computer sciences, engineering, fine and applied arts, and humanities.

China has become one of the biggest destination for international students who aspire to make it in the medical field. The country has several medical colleges, and there are currently more than 6000 Indian students who are studying medicine in around 50 colleges across the country. For students who wish to pursue education in the Asia Pacific region, China is currently the best option as the cost of education is relatively affordable and the international programmes provide instruction in English.

Although China has always been an attraction for medical aspirants, particularly from India, it has now begin spreading its wings to welcome students from all corners of the planet. One of the key factors leading to China’s growth in terms of attracting international students is the fact that most medical colleges in the country do not need students to take any entrance exams such as MCAT or AIPMT, thereby making it simple for students to gain admission in medical colleges. Apart from medicine, China is also home to a few of the top ranked universities and business schools on the planet. There are more than 15,000 Indian students who are currently pursuing education in China. The courses that attract the highest number of students from across the globe include medicine, business management, engineering, social sciences and humanities.

Singapore is home to a diverse population and the country boasts an eccentric lifestyle which has contributed towards its reputation for being Southeast Asia’s financial centre. The economy of the country is constantly growing at a rapid pace and the education sector has also grown by leaps and bounds over the past few years. The country is home to some highly ranked universities as well as subsidiaries of overseas universities.

Singapore is most renowned for its management programmes that attract a large number of overseas students since it is a centre for businesses with multinational companies such as IBM, Unilever, General Motors or DHL, thereby making it a fine destination for overseas education. The country also welcomes a large number of exchange students from the world over, making it one of the best places to undertake global education. At the moment, there are more than one lakh overseas students in Singapore, and the courses that attract the highest number of students include banking and finance, business management, engineering, law, computer sciences.

Ireland is home to around 30,000 students from overseas. The country also has a number of universities that continue to grow in popularity and rankings among some of the finest educational institutions on the planet. Ireland also has a strong network of research institutes that concentrate on innovation. The country has been attracting a growing number of students from India in recent years and over 1000 Indian students have been enrolled in colleges and universities across the country, and the Indian community in the country is steadily growing in strength. Some of the courses that attract international students to Ireland include engineering, information and communication technology, computer sciences, physics, and data science and analytics.

The United Arab Emirates may seem like a vague destination for overseas students, but it has steadily grown into one of the top countries for international students. The country has a large number of Indians, and the number of students who leave India to study in the middle-east is constantly increasing as work opportunities are greater in the gulf. Over the past few years, a sudden burst of Indian students have contributed towards making UAE a welcome destination for overseas students. Dubai has developed a reputation for housing some truly amazing universities that are also branches of recognised international universities such as the Manchester Business School and the University of Wollongong, among others. At present, there are over 2000 Indian students pursuing higher education in the UAE. Some of the popular courses that attract international students to the UAE include business management, medicine, engineering, and banking and finance.