Going places

Updated on: Tuesday, January 31, 2012

The unpredictable world economy and a more diversity-oriented world today has led Indian students to consider countries other than the US, UK, Canada and Australia to study abroad.

With many European countries offering academic excellence at lower costs and because of simpler visa procedures, study abroad aspirants have found new destinations to explore.

The countries in Europe are diverse and offer a range of courses that are of interest to Indian students. Most of the countries are safe and welcoming to international students. Students who opt to study in Europe prefer to learn new languages and enjoy the cultural marvels and food that countries in Europe offer.

In order to streamline the education systems in the EU, the Bologna Process was adopted by most of the countries. After the adoption of the Bologna Process, students can easily move across institutions in different countries within the EU. Also, there is more similarity between the American and European education system and, hence, the education system is now more global.

All my friends are planning to study in the US. But I am more fascinated with universities in Spain. I think learning a new language and being in a university where there are students from all over the world will be a better bet for me, says Shridhar Mane, a study abroad aspirant.

Italy has always been a centre for learning historically, and even today it has a wide range of universities that provide specialised and quality education. Architecture, engineering, fashion, design, food, art history, business management and strong research-oriented universities are some of the most popular sectors in education, which attract Indian students to Italy while Milan, Turin, Florence and Rome are some of the main education centres for international students, says Raul DSouza, Istituto Marangoni.

International students are important to us. Education today must be about studying with people from all over the world and learning from each others cultures and experiences. International students generally work hard and do well in our classes, says William Davila, director for international relations (Asia) at IE University in Spain. Another reason why EU universities prefer international students is because most international students pay full tuition fees as compared to local students, who can avail of several tuition grants and federal loans.

Eligibility Work Rules

For admissions to the Bachelors degree programmes, students need to have completed their class XII. Most universities will accept the Indian local boards but a few universities insist that students have IB scores or A Level grade exams before they can be considered for admission; such universities include Oxford University, Cambridge University, London School of Economics and IE University. For admissions to the Masters degree courses, students generally need to have a recognised three or four-year Bachelors degree. Some universities may need the GRE or the GMAT score as well.

While studying in the EU, students are allowed to work for a limited duration (generally 180 half days in a year). However, in many cases, students may need additional paperwork and the process may not be easy. Hence, students should not rely on income from employment while studying. After graduation, if students find a job, it may be possible to get a work visa. In most cases, students have to learn the local language in order to find suitable employment after graduation.

New Destinations

GERMANY: German public universities offer very low or have no tuition fees. This makes them affordable for any academically bright student. Of course, learning German would make the process of studying in Germany easier, although one can find many institutes that teach in English. Among the leading institutes in Germany are Ruprecht-Karls-Universitt Heidelberg, Technische Universitt Mnchen (TUM) and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitt Mnchen (LMU). The most popular course for Indian students in Germany is engineering.

Spain: Great weather and inexpensive education make Spain a preferred place to study for Indian students. The crime rates are low and the people of Spain are warm and welcoming. Some of the well-known institutes in Spain include Universitat de Barcelona, IE University, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid and Universitat Pompeu Fabra. The popular courses for Indian students include business, architecture and language studies.

Italy: Italy is well known for its food and fashion and most Indian students choose Italy to study fields such as fashion, food technology and art. The government strictly evaluates the institutes to make sure that the education offered is of highest quality. The leading universities in Italy include Universita di Bologna, Politechnico di Milano and Universita di Pisa.

Switzerland: Often described as heaven on earth and introduced to most of India through Bollywood numbers, Switzerland is a great place for students to pursue courses in hotel management, international affairs and public management. The well-known institutes in Switzerland include University of Geneva, University of Zurich, University of Lausanne and University of Bern.

Scandinavia: Norway, Sweden and Finland are the new emerging destinations for Indian students who wish to study abroad. One of the main reasons why Indian students choose to study in Scandinavia is because of the safety and lush green surroundings. Most students know that Nokia, the worlds leading telecom provider is from Finland, giving the country a reputation of being technologically advanced. The most popular courses for Indian students include technology-related courses, engineering and energy management. Some of the known universities in Sweden are Lund University, Uppsala University and Stockholm University, while in Norway are University of Oslo, University of Bergen and University of Tromso.

Some of Finlands well-known universities include University of Kuopio and University of Turku. It is important that students now look at their global options before deciding on where to study further. Study your options carefully and then make an informed decision.

(The writer is an overseas education consultant)

Times of India

Going places

More Education news