Mumbai: India is key player in the international education market as India sends one the highest number of students to the global universities. Which countries are leading destinations for Indian students? USA is the most preferred destination for Indian students as around 48% of international students of India are pursuing higher studies in USA, revealed by UNSECO’s latest report on mobility of students.
The most significant trend that was found in the report is that Australia has outpaced the UK as the second ranked destination country for higher studies for Indian students. The UK fell to third place while Australia gained second place. With 25,562 number of Indian students, Australia now represented 11% of total Indian students pursuing higher studies abroad in 2015-16.
With 19,604 Indian students, UK accounted for 8% of total international students of India in 2015-16. As per the Statistical First Release report released recently by the UK’s Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), India recorded the largest percentage fall, at 44% between 2011-12 and 2015-16. The number of student enrolments from India was 13,150 less than in 2011-12. The stringent visa rules of the UK applicable to Indian students are believed to have discouraged them to show interest in higher study in the UK.
On the other hand, the Australian government, especially universities based in Australia, is taking pro-active initiatives to project their higher learning institutes as better alternative to UK and USA for higher studies. The number of Indian students enrolling at Australian universities is growing.
With 13,626 Indian students, Canada accounted for 6% of total international students of India in 2015-16. Hence, Canada is the fourth top destination for Indian students. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) stood fifth position in top destination countries list for Indian students for pursuing higher study. With 11,697 Indian students, the UAE represented 5% of total international students of India in 2015-16, as per UNSECO’s data.
Australia’s neighbor New Zealand is emerging as a new favorite study destination for Indian students. More than 10,000 students from India enrolled in New Zealand in 2015-16. So, New Zealand is sixth leading destination country for Indian students. With nearly 10,000 students from India, Germany placed at the seventh position.
The other top ten destination countries for Indian students for higher study are as followed: Ukraine (10), Russian Federation (nine) and France (ten). Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Kyrgyzstan, Italy and Georgia are also in the leading favorite countries for Indian students which were placed after top ten.
Top Ten Higher Study Destination Countries for Indian Students (UNESCO):
- USA
- Australia
- UK
- Canada
- UAE
- New Zealand
- Germany
- Ukraine
- Russian Federation
- France
