In the US, Trump’s policy of ‘America for Americans
first’ is making the environment less welcoming for international students.
After a student and her
family have spent a fortune on overseas education, most expect the former to
get a high-paying job in that country and gain permanent residency, if not
citizenship.
But
with most popular destinations, barring Canada, imposing tougher work visa
norms, Indian students are now exploring newer destinations.
Two
categories of Indian students go abroad for studies. The first hopes to use a
foreign degree as a means to emigrate. In the second category, there are
students from affluent families who want quality education and international
exposure, but plan to come back once their course ends.
For
the first category, the UK is no longer attractive as job opportunities have
become scarce after Brexit.
Tighter
visa norms mean students cannot stay back to hunt for a job once the course
gets over.
In
the US, Trump’s policy of ‘America for Americans first’ is making the
environment less welcoming for international students.
For students who plan to study
abroad and then return to India, the UK is still fine as a destination. But
most students are now becoming wary of going to the US owing to Trump’s
aggressive rhetoric.
Indian
students are hence exploring newer destinations now. Let us now look at a few emerging destinations
for Indian students.
Hong
Kong
It has globally renowned universities like the University of
Hong Kong (HKU) and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST).
It
is one of the few countries where international and local students are charged
the same fee. Hong Kong is also quite liberal in offering scholarships based on
marks.
Studying
there can be cheaper than studying in some of the private colleges in India.
Engineering
is a much sought after course. Universities also let students do a semester in
another country, thereby enhancing global exposure.
France and Spain
France
is emerging as a magnet for students who wish to pursue business studies,
humanities, and fashion design.
French
is one of the most commonly taught international languages in Indian schools;
so many students are familiar with it.
Campus
France, a French government initiative, has done a good job of spreading
awareness in India about French educational institutions. Bachelor courses at
public universities in France have low tuition fees.
Two
of the world’s top management schools -- HEC Paris and INSEAD Business School
-- are located there. Other globally reputed institutions include The Paris
University of Political Studies (popularly known as Sciences Po), ESSEC
International Business School and The American Business School.
However,
scholarships are not common, and job opportunities scarce. It is suited for
students who wish to return to India when their course ends.
Most
students go to Spain for degrees in business management, economics, and other
liberal arts courses.
Colleges
also allow students to complete a couple of semesters in another country.
Both
France and Spain now have universities that offer four-year undergraduate
degrees, which allow students to apply for Masters Degrees in US and Canada.
Singapore and China
Both
are cost-effective destinations, and they also offer scholarships.
Singapore
is popular among students who wish to pursue a Management or MS degree, while
China is attracting students who wish to study medicine.
China
is setting up joint venture universities in its effort to reach its target of
attracting 5,00,000 international students annually by 2020.
Lithuania
The
Kaunas University of Technology and Vilnius Gediminas Technical University are
among the popular universities.
Lithuania
is known for courses in laser technology, agricultural and medical sciences,
engineering and arts. It’s also much cheaper to study in Lithuania compared to
other popular destinations.
The
country offers plenty of work opportunities.
Countries
like Germany continue to be popular for engineering, Italy for design and
Russia for medicine.
