While Indian students’ desire to study abroad remains strong, the uncertainty caused by the ongoing pandemic is a concern. Study abroad aspirants are constantly searching high and low for information on how top global study abroad destinations are relaxing COVID-19 restrictions and what universities are doing to restart conducting classes on-campus.
The pandemic brought with it a major change in the education landscape. The delivery of higher education significantly changed with most institutions opting for remote learning methods. However, COVID-19 couldn’t dampen the spirit of study abroad aspirants. According to a survey conducted by iSchoolConnect – an emerging study abroad platform – a stunning 36.5% of students intended to travel overseas to study on campus in order to have a holistic study abroad experience.
Amidst the high hopes of students and the changing face of higher education, the important question remains the same: What will Fall 2022 look like for study abroad students?
The pandemic shift: Current scenario
In the early months of the pandemic, institutions around the world provided assistance to make procedures smooth for students in the light of changing laws, travel restrictions and lockdown. Understanding the hassle involved in the entire study abroad application process, many universities tried to ease the procedure for students and several of them waived their requirements of tests like GMAT, GRE, IELTS, TOEFL, and even SAT. Many of them also offered course application fee waivers.
While all of this provided some relief to study abroad aspirants, their fear of missing out on the in-person study abroad experience remained unchanged in the face of the pandemic’s mobility constraints.
Will we return to the old normal?
Tied to vaccinations and travel guidelines, universities in top study abroad destinations such as the United States are optimistic about an increase in study abroad numbers with 49% of institutions prioritizing safety and planning for in-person classes for Fall 2021, and increasing that to 54% by Spring 2022.
In 2021, despite the pandemic, the US set a record by approving the highest number of student visas for students hailing from India – the country issued over 55,000 visas to Indian students alone!
Another favoured destination for overseas education, the UK, recently moved India from the Red list to the Amber list and a record number of 3,200 Indian students got acceptance into UK universities and higher education programmes using the country’s centralised application system.
To assist students further during these critical times, many institutions in Australia, USA, UK, Canada, New Zealand, and Ireland have also adjusted their fee structures and expanded their list of grants, exemptions, and scholarships for students.
Undoubtedly, as the borders re-open for international students, on-campus studying will resume. However, we aren’t yet out of the pandemic and neither do we have a set timeline about when we can confidently say that we have bypassed the major threat. Higher education institutions are aware of this and are adapting to the “new normal” mode of learning, i.e., the “hybrid model of learning.”
What will happen in Fall 2022?
The dilemma and uncertainty experienced by study abroad aspirants is understandable. Thankfully, higher education institutions are doing all they can to help international students achieve their dream of studying abroad. To aid students in these unprecedented times, institutions around the world have restructured their admission processes and guidelines.
For students seeking enrollment in Fall 2022, applications will start on August 1, 2021, with deadlines falling between November and February. Several universities have opted to waive their GRE and GMAT requirements for Spring and Fall 2022. However, it is advisable for students to check factors influencing their application to universities offering GMAT and GRE waivers.
COVID-19 will make students’ personality count more than ever before in gaining admission to their dream colleges. Because extracurricular activities have been halted as a result of the pandemic, schools have begun to emphasise on the student’s character to substitute for their non-academic profile.
What’s the way forward?
While colleges and universities are laying out the roadmap following their respective country norms, the course of higher education for study abroad aspirants will heavily depend on how well the pandemic situation is tackled now and in the future. The continuous efforts by institutions are definitely proving to be an assurance for international students in both India and abroad.
