BENGALURU: In the last few years, and especially post the Covid-19 pandemic, India witnessed a spike in students’ interest in pursuing higher education abroad. According to the Bureau of Immigration statistics, 7.65 lakh students went to different countries to pursue their education till October 2023.
The second edition of the Oxford International Student Global Mobility Index (SGMI) recently released a report that stated that a large group of students are keen on seeking higher education in the US.
Among the ones surveyed, 69% of respondents made the US their top choice for overseas education despite high expenses, safety, and security reasons. Other countries such as the UK saw an interest of 54% among Indian students, 43% in Canada, and 27% in Australia.
The US did not score well when compared to the UK on parameters such as college reputation, quality of education, and affordability of fees. Nearly 29% of respondents find that fees in the UK are affordable compared to only 9% for colleges in the US. Also, 30% of students said they would keep safe in the country while only 11% supported the US on this parameter.
The study was conducted with prospective undergraduate and postgraduate students from India, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Vietnam.
Data showed that many make their decisions based on overall university rankings on websites (51%), university web pages (50%), search engines (49%), and social media sites (42%). However, such was not the case with Indians as they would also trust the higher education agents to make such decisions.
A whopping 71% of the Indian respondents would also seek advice from their parents and guardians to make this choice, which explains why many choose the US despite varied opinions. Some students (44%) would take opinions from their friends on the subject too.
Speaking about the study and its findings, Mohit Gambir, Managing Director, Oxford International Education Services said, “The survey ranked the US as the most preferred study destination followed by the UK as the second most preferred one. It is interesting to note that despite apprehensions surrounding affordability and safety, the allure of quality education and esteemed universities persists as primary drivers.”
He added that it is noteworthy to look at how parental influence plays a pivotal role in higher education. “As aspirations intertwine with opportunity, the narrative of global student mobility continues to evolve, reflecting a mosaic of motivations and influencers shaping the educational journey,” Gambir added.
Far shores, ahoy!
For affordable course fees, 28% of Indian students selected the UK for higher education, followed by Australia (20%), Canada (18%), and the US (9%)
Over 34% of all responding aspiring students selected Australia (34%) as they could apply for scholarships followed by Canada (32%), the UK (27%), and the US (23%)
Also, 71% of Indian students believe parents and guardians influence the decision-making process