Study Abroad: Check list, best foreign universities, and scholarships for Indian students

The number of Indian students attending foreign universities is expected to grow to 18 lakh by 2024, according to consulting firm Redseer's 'Higher Education Abroad 2021' report. The same report says the students' spending abroad is expected to soar to $80 billion by 2024. (Representational image: Element 5 via Unsplash)

Where to start: Study abroad options are innumerable, and you might get lost in the maze. The best way to begin is to narrow down your choices: first, decide the major you want to pursue. Second, look for universities that have the best faculty in the subject of your choice. Third, dig into the financials: How much money do you have? How much you require? What are the available loan options? The financials play a major role in decision-making because studying abroad can be expensive. Add everything: airfare, visa fee, tuition fee, cost of living.

Also read: Are student loans from foreign fintech firms a good idea?

Education fairs can give you a broad perspective about various universities.

Student agents: You can also approach private companies that help students with everything from picking a subject/college, writing statement of purpose, submitting applications, to finding loans/scholarships, and visa application/interview, etc. Remember to first check the credentials of these companies and discuss how much they charge for the services provided.

Also read: Study Abroad | 6 things to do before you apply to an Ivy League university

Study Hubs: Check whether the university of your choice has a study hub in India. For example, the Study Melbourne Hubs are a new initiative for international students - the student hub is accessible virtually in India.Webinars are organised by several universities with experts speaking about all that you need to know about a particular university and their programs - sign up to get a quick sense of the place, courses and ask questions.

How to choose universities/subjects: Start with a Google search of best universities. The annual QS Global University Ranking is a good place to start with. The QS ranking receives approval from the International Ranking Expert Group (IREG) and is recognised as one of the three most-widely read university rankings in the world - the other two being Academic Ranking of World Universities and the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. You can choose by University Ranking, Universities by Subject ranking, best universities by region/location. According to the 2023 QS Global University ranking, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is the world’s best institution followed by University of Cambridge (UK) and Stanford University.

Best College Majors for a Lucrative Career: If you are unsure of a major, check the most-sought-after college majors based on salary, expected growth, and the availability of programs from reputable, top accredited universities (Source:kiplinger.com).

1. Computer Engineering

2. Computer Science

3. Electrical Engineering

4. Finance

5. Aerospace Engineering

6. Supply Chain Management

7. Physics

8. Operations Management

9. Management Information Systems

10. Construction Management

11. CyberSecurity

12. Industrial Design

13. International Business

14. Project Management

Best Student Cities of 2023

The QS World Best Student Cities, as on topuniversities.com, are:

1. London (United Kingdom)

2. Munich (Germany)

3. Seoul (South Korea)

4. Zurich (Switzerland)

5. Melbourne (Australia)

6. Berlin (Germany)

7. Tokyo (Japan)

8. Paris (France)

9. Sydney (Australia)

10. Edinburgh (United Kingdom)

Check Graduate Employability Rankings: Getting a degree is not enough, you need to check how the university can prepare you adequately for full-time employment. Some of the best universities that help with your future career prospects are: MIT, Stanford, UCLA, Harvard, University of Sydney, University of Oxford, Cornell University, University of Hong Kong.

Network with the University: Reach out to the Indian/International Students’ body of the university. Network with their alumni on LinkedIn.

Visa: Prepare for the visa interview. Few countries, for example, the US, is no longer allowing second interviews of student visa. Check how much longer you can stay in the country after course completion.

Funding: Search for scholarships. Compare student loans offered by financial institutions/banks.

Also read: Do’s and don’ts of applying for a foreign education loan

Health Cover: Ensure you have medical coverage while abroad. Go for check-ups before you leave. Also, buy travel insurance.

Airlines: Look for airlines that offer discounted/special fares and baggage allowance for students.

Cost of living: Some of the Western and Northern European countries have the highest cost of living. More budget-friendly countries are found in South and Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. Even in the US and UK, bigger cities are more expensive than smaller cities. Check/compare approximate cost of living before making a choice. You can look for student jobs abroad, search for scholarships, and find other creative ways to save money.

Also read: Studying abroad? Be aware of these 5 additional costs linked to your education

Some scholarship options for Indian students:

1. Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation Scholarships: For undergraduate and postgraduate study in North America or Europe. Age: under 30.

2. Silk-Road Scholarship Program at Seoul National University: Graduate-level humanities or social science programs

3. University of Adelaide Ashok Khurana Scholarship: For post-graduate studies

4. India Global Leaders Scholarship: Master’s or undergraduate degree within the faculty of business, economics and law at the University of Queensland in Australia. Excludes MBAs

5. University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney) Future of Change India Scholarship: For undergraduate or postgraduate degree at UNSW Sydney

6. UCD Global Graduate Scholarships for Indian Students in Ireland: Graduate level studying at University College Dublin

7. Orange Tulip Scholarship: Master’s or undergraduate study in the Netherlands

8. Campus France Charpak Scholarship: Master’s level. Age: under 30

9. British Council GREAT scholarships for Indian Students: Several options available

10. Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships: To study in the UK.

11. LSE Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme (CSSS): 5 scholarships at Master’s level

12. Oxford and Cambridge Society of India (OCSI) Scholarships

13. Cornell University Tata Scholarship

14. Fulbright-Nehru Research Fellowships

15. Stanford Reliance Dhirubhai Fellowships for Indian students

16. S.N. Bose Scholars Student Exchange Program for Indian Students