In recent years, the number of Indian students going abroad for higher education is increasing day by day. A large part of the students travel abroad to obtain a degree in a variety of educational streams, administration, engineering, medicine, fine arts, information technology, among others. The allure of earning a foreign degree looms large as it not only equips the student with relevant skills and training, but also enriches the experience by exposing these students to a global culture. And getting a foreign degree or diploma is becoming much more accessible today. This is because many countries have opened special departments and cells in India itself to provide full assistance to budding professionals to fulfill their educational dream. These departments, many of which work under the aegis of their respective embassies, provide invaluable assistance regarding admission, visa and life. Not only this, the number of foreign destinations where students can enter for higher education has multiplied in the last five years or so. And with readily available education loans, students head straight to study at the college and university of their choice.
Although the US and UK remain the favourites, followed by Australia, France and Germany, many, many more destinations have joined the list. We provide you with a list of some sought after educational destinations.
The United States
Students can obtain information about education in the US from the United States Educational Foundation in India, commonly called USEFI. US Admissions Tests: Most American colleges and universities require scores from one or more standardized admissions tests. Students can visit individual college websites for information on admission requirements. International students whose native language is not English must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Some institutions may accept scores from other English language tests.
Colleges will require students aspiring to pursue undergraduate study in the United States to take the SAT Reasoning Test and the SAT Subject Tests. Most graduate departments require students to take one or more of the following: GRE: Graduate Record Examination (General Test); GRE – Graduate Record Examination (Subject Test); GMAT – Graduate Management Admission Test; and TSE – Test of Spoken English Law, Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine programs require: LSAT – Law School Admission Test; MCAT – Medical College Admission Test; DAT – Dental Admission Test; PCAT – College of Pharmacy Admission Test and VCAT – Veterinary Aptitude Test.
Also, there are some other tests that students can take, depending on their requirements. These are: USMLE – United States Medical Licensing Examination; CGFNS – Graduation Council of Foreign Schools of Nursing; CPA Certified Public Accountant Exam.
The United Kingdom
The most popular university degrees are bachelor’s degrees (also called university or first degrees), which are now required to enter a wide range of careers in the UK and other countries. British degree programs incorporate the most up-to-date subject developments. Many universities and colleges now cooperate to teach degree courses, and this has further increased the number and variety of courses and study settings. For English proficiency, one has to take IELTS or the International English Language Testing System.
Undergraduate and graduate applications are processed through the UCAS (University and College Admissions Service), a centralized clearing agency. UCAS forms are available on the UCAS website. UCAS is working towards a 100% electronic application system, called ucasapply. UCAS Apply is a secure web-based online application system for all students (UK and international). The key message from UCAS is for all international students to move as quickly as possible from the traditional paper application method to the UCAS Apply electronic application.
Australia
The latest year-to-date (YTD) enrollment data, August 2008, shows that more than 80,000 Indian students had enrolled for an Australian degree in 2008. India is now the second leading source country for the IT industry. Australian international education. Many Indian students study mainly in the postgraduate fields of study. This contrasts with fewer than 500 Indian students in the early 1990s and 10,000 Indian student enrollments in 2001.
Canada
The Canadian Education Center (CEC) – INDIA was established in June 1995 with the support of the Government of Canada to provide information and counseling services to students interested in studying in Canada. There are 14 CEC offices around the world, providing comprehensive information on educational courses and training facilities.
More information on study abroad log in to Indian education website