Top study destinations for Indians

Being one of the most populated countries in the world with a population of 1.26 billion, we Indians have to face a bountiful competition when it comes to education and job opportunities. Since India is a youth-centric country with 50% of its population below 25 years of age, every year a huge number of students pass their high school or graduation together. Hence, the chance of getting into the top institutes or universities in India is highly competitive. Since we do not have a Hagrid to our Harry to come with the Hogwarts letter at our door, comes the stress of dealing with the number of entrance examinations where you have to compete with the crowd of lakhs to get into the top institute that acts as a kickstarter for your career. Too much to worry? Then why not go for abroad universities to fulfill your dreams? Don't worry! We are here to help you in deciding which abroad destination to choose for achieving your dreams and goals.

Studying abroad gives you a sky full of stars options along with opportunities for global exposure. We Indians prefer studying abroad over waiting for our turn to fulfill our dreams in India anytime because of all the worldwide favorable scope that they have in store for us. Wondering what all options make studying abroad preferable than the Indian education system? For a better picture, you can jot down the following points for your research that can help you choose your destination for your university shortlisting.

• Wide variety of courses
• Better admission process
• Scope for global exposure
• Job opportunities
• Market value of the certificate
• Infrastructure and quality

Now, when you know all the favorable reasons and are all hopeful about fulfilling your goals, you can determine the factors and choose your favorable study destination accordingly. No doubt studying abroad is a bit too heavy on your pockets, and the universities understand what difficulty it costs to the family. Therefore, most of the universities offer you financial aid, grant you loans and scholarships so that your decision of choosing an abroad university over the Indian institutes’ journey is worth it. Besides the money matters, it still takes a lot of factors like the safety, placement rates, job opportunities, cultural diversities, social structure, etc to be considered before finalizing the university. We have listed the best study destinations for Indians below which might help you settle your mind.

• United States of America.

With a varying landscape that offers a lot for a tourist and a nature lover, world-class education and umpteen number of universities, studying in the USA have been dreams of many international students since years. Especially for Indians, the most preferred abroad study destination is US because of the scholarships and fellowships offered by institutions and the American government. Also, an American degree is highly valued by many employers around the world. It is so highly preferable, also because all leading institutions conduct a Student Orientation Programme, which helps the student acclimatize to life in the USA.

• Costing-

Community colleges may cost around $20,000 (along with transport and other living expenses)
A four-year public college may cost $40,000, and private non-profit four-year institutions may cost $50,000.

• Job opportunities-

With a wide variety of research-centric science and technology courses and job-oriented management courses, the job opportunities are very high. According to the US visa guidelines, international students are allowed to work 20 hours per week and finding a job on-campus in the US isn’t difficult at all. You also get an OPT (Optional Practical Training), an extra 1-year permit to stay back and work.

• Eligibility-

TOEFL/IELTS/PTE for English Language Testing

SAT/ACT/GRE/GMAT for Standardised Evaluation

• Top 5 universities in United States are -

1. Princeton University.
2. Harvard University.
3. University of Chicago.
4. Yale University.
5. Stanford University.
    

• United Kingdom.

The UK is known for its traditional consistency of maintaining its legacy and providing quality education and is home to the top 3 universities among the top 10: Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial College, London. Among the benefits of studying in the UK like the one-year duration for all Master's programmes which helps reduce tuition and accommodation costs, there is a wide choice in picking your field of study and institution as in you can choose from 150,000 courses at universities and colleges across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

• Costing-

For undergrads, it is approximately 10,000-22,000 pounds including the living costs.

• Job opportunities-

To gain work experience along with their study, many Indian students in the UK go for part-time jobs and internships during vacation and volunteering are some ways to develop valuable skills that you can add to your CV that is a great help during your placement. With an economic growth rate of 2.2 international placements are very high in European B schools. Post-study, you get a 4 months work permit.

• Eligibility-

Top IELTS scores or TOEFL score is a must. GRE is also a must for Masters in management courses but it highly depends on the universities.

• Top 5 Universities of United Kingdom are-

1. University of Oxford.
2. University of Cambridge.
3. Imperial College, London.
4. University College London.
5. London School of Economics and Political Science.
    

• Germany.

Germany being home to the famous Disney inspired castle, students are usually drawn to the many pleasures of German culture and its world-class education. One of the major attractions is also the low cost of education.

• Costing-

the average annual living costs in Germany are around €10,200 (~US$11,800).

• Undergraduate-

Although you can study for free at public German universities as an undergraduate, it is not more than €250 (~US$290) per semester and for the Private institutions, it can be anything up to and beyond €20,000 a year (~US$24,400).

• Postgraduate-

For those who have secured their bachelor’s degree outside Germany, tuition fees for the master’s degreesmaybee around €20,000 (~US$24,400) per year at public institutions and up to €30,000 (~US$36,600) at private German universities.

• Job opportunities-

With headquarters of some of the world’s biggest companies, it is a good place for academic internships and it is also a great place to study business, hard sciences, and German. Germany is one of the most desired study destinations for Indians because it is considered to have the biggest economy in Europe and also the fact that they can stay for 1.5 years post studies for working.

• Eligibility-

For masters - 4 years Bachelor degree.
For MBA- GRE, TOEFL or IELTS. Also, minimum 2 years of work experience is preferable.
For MS- GRE, TOEFL or IELTS.

If your parents are worried about the safety, then Germany is a really safe country as the crime level is really low according to the statistics.

• Top 5 universities of Germany are-

1. University of Munich.
2. Heidelberg University.
3. Technical University of Munich.
4. Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.
5. University of Bonn.
    

• Canada.

Canadians being very welcoming and friendly has a multicultural environment with people from all the religions and cultures and also have a lot of communities and associations which make you feel home. Offering a diverse variety of experiences and opportunities in a country which is known for its vast expanses, multicultural cities, and natural beauty, Canada is one of the world’s most popular destinations for international students.   

• Costing-

The average tuition fees for an Undergraduate course in Canada is approximately CA$20,000 per year to CA$30,000 per year. And for executive MBA and regular MBA courses are CA$51,891 (~US$42,440) and CA$29,293 (~US$23,900) on average respectively.

• Job opportunities-

You are permitted with 20 hours of paid part-time job a week and also with 3 years work permit post education in Canada. Canada has a high employability rate as they invest a lot in their Economic Cooperation and Development, so has good job prospects and the universities boast of having more than 5000 global collaboration agreements.

• Eligibility-

To study in Canada you must have good IELTS and GRE scores.

• Top 5 universities of Canada are-

1. University of Toronto.
2. University of British Columbia.
3. McGill University.
4. McMaster University.
5. University of Montreal.
    

• Australia.

Besides being home to some spectacular visiting places like the Great Barrier Reef and the iconic Sydney Opera House and Offering 22,000 courses in 1,100 institutions, Australia is a leading global educational powerhouse with some of the world’s best facilities and educators, providing international students with quality study options.

• Costing-

A bachelor’s degree can cost somewhere around AU$10,000 and Postgraduate and Ph.D. programs may cost almost AU$20,000 to 37,000 annually.

• Job opportunities-

In Australia, you are allowed to work part-time during your education for 40 hours per week and you get an extra 2 years of work permit post education as well. You get a good international exposure, a diverse cultural interaction and a strong statement for your CV when you are in Australia with standard quality education.

• Eligibility-

Most of the universities in Australia demand IELTS and PTE scores for MS admission.

• Top 5 universities of Australia are-

1. University of Melbourne.
2. University of Sydney.
3. University of Queensland, Australia.
4. Monash University.
5. Australian National University.
    

• New Zealand.

New Zealand is home to around 40,000 international students with a chance to enhance your peer-to-peer learning and interpersonal skills since you will be sharing your ideas with people from all over the globe. Along with some of the best colleges in the country, Auckland is the most bustling city in New Zealand and cities like Wellington, Christchurch and Hamilton are equally popular.

• Costing-

An undergraduate programme may cost approximately between NZD 18,000 and 25,000 and a postgraduate programme may cost approximately between NZD 10,000 and 30,000.

• Job opportunities-

With an economic growth of 2.4%, New Zealand is ranked as the best country to start a business or a startup. You are allowed to work 20 hours per week and also get an extension of 1-year work permit post your education. New Zealand institutes are highly regarded by employers worldwide because of its practical as well as academic achievements in the courses.

• Eligibility-

IELTS and PTE are a must to get admission into universities of New Zealand.

• Top 5 universities of New Zealand are-

1. University of Auckland.
2. University of Otago.
3. University of Canterbury.
4. University of Waikato.
5. Massey University.