Racial attacks and changes in the United State’s immigration policy, and stringent visa policies for the United Kingdom (UK) has hit hard on Indian students’ aspirations and decision to study in these two countries.
According to a recent study by the Open Doors 2016, US universities have witnessed a 26% decline in undergraduate applications from Indian students, and a 15% decline in graduate applications. This has led to Indian students opting for other education avenues.
Australia and New Zealand are being widely preferred by Indian students, which is justified by the fact that the enrolment of Indian students in New Zealand was 53% more than the previous year. According to John Laxon, Regional Director, South and South East Asia and Middle East, Education New Zealand, “New Zealand’s world-class education offerings have been responsible for this rise.
SAFETY & QUALITY
“Students are choosing New Zealand for one more reason, over more traditional markets such as the United States and United Kingdom due to its safe, welcoming and high quality education environment. For instance, all of New Zealand’s universities are ranked in the top 3% worldwide.
To encourage more India students to come to New Zealand, Education New Zealand, the government agency for international education, have taken several measures, related to specialist subject areas, scholarships, and short-term internships.
Australia is another educational destination for Indian students. It was the second most preferred destination for Indian students in 2016-17 in which 11% of the total students opted for Australia. PG courses here offer an irresistible appeal to Indian students. “As many as 40,561 out of 67,279 students, July 2016 onwards have enrolled in postgraduate programmes in the country. The most popular courses that have suited the Indian students are in management and commerce. They are food, hospitality and personal services; engineering and related technologies; and, information technology.
