Indian student visa applicants may boost struggling economies
April 03 2009 by Ajay Hasija
The number of Indian students studying in the UK, the US, Canada and Australia reached record highs in 2008. However, the Economic Times says recession-struck nations will be hoping this number does not fall too far as a result of the recession.
Some 97,000 Indian students went to study in Australia last year and 30,000 moved to the UK. India also became the largest source of student visa applications for the US. However, visa applications from Indian students wanting to study in the US fell by 14.3% between October 2008 and January 2009, and this trend is thought to extend elsewhere, with fewer Indians opting to study abroad due to the economic slump.
The US-India Educational Foundation executive director, Adam Grotsky, says it is a little early to predict whether the number of applicants from India will fall in 2009. He says it will be clearer between April and July, when most applications are submitted. However, he added that the Foundation has heard reports that some education institution are offering less funding and scholarships, which is making Indian students reconsider.
Australia also expects to suffer a fall in foreign students and has invested AUS$3.5 million in a campaign to attract more Indian students to study in Australia.
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