The Top 5 Study Abroad Destinations Chosen by Indian Students

The last decade has witnessed a great shift in the preference of Indian students opting for overseas education. The country ranked fourth in the list of the most preferred study destinations is now the number one choice of Indian students. Moreover, the number of students enrolling themselves in foreign educational institutes has increased remarkably. In 2018 alone, more than 2.12 lac Indian students moved to Canada, UK, US, Australia, and New Zealand on their study visas. And this trend has gained momentum in the last 5 years. Here is the list of the top 5 study abroad destinations chosen by Indian students.

1. Canada

In 2018, Canada remained the number one choice of Indian students for studies. the most significant outcome of the year 2018 was the fact that more than 50 per cent of students preferred Canada over other countries. The number is staggering, 107650 students in a year! Not only it was the story for the year 2018 but also for the year 2017, more than 48 per cent of students opted for study in Canada that year. And it seems that this trend will remain the same for this year as well.

There are many reasons for this overwhelming big number. First of all, there is no doubt that the Canadian educational institutes are world class and ideal for skill development and research. In addition to that, the Canadian government is very friendly with immigrants. They have made the visa process very easy and are providing good work opportunities, moreover, favourable probabilities of PR make it an irresistible option for Indian students.

2. United States

There is a clear decline in the number of students that go to the United States for studies. One of the reasons behind this could be the inclination of the US government towards Americans for jobs. Despite this, the situation is still not that bad. The new refinements in 2019 for filing H1B visa have kept the hopes alive for f1 study visa holders who want to work as well. The US has remained the second most popular study destination among Indian students in 2018.

3. Australia

Australia has been gaining momentum since 2015 and Immigration industry witnessed the sudden surge in 2018, the number of students going to Australia jumped from 22457 to 34334 which was more than 52%. Recently, Australia has offered ATG visa (Additional temporary graduate visa) along with a work permit for an additional year. Clearly, Australia does not want to leave behind the race.

4. UK

Although there was a sharp decline in the first half of the decade, the number of Indian students going to the UK is increasing steadily, and it remained at fourth rank in 2018. Their main worry is the work permit. in the upcoming days, there is a strong possibility of change in the UK’s International Education Strategy. International students may witness more rights and work opportunities in the UK.

5. New Zealand

Last but not least, New Zealand remained at 5th positions in 2018. Despite there are only 8 universities in New Zealand they have achieved quite a remarkable level in quality education. Many students prefer to study in New Zealand however, the future will depend upon immigration policies of New Zealand authorities.

These were the top 5 study abroad destinations chosen by Indian students. Of course, this window of opportunity will depend upon the internal situations of the country and International Dynamics. Indian Students have the opportunity in front of them, they just need to grab the right opportunity.

Graph of the top 5 study abroad destinations chosen by Indian students