Are you a class 11th or 12th student trying to figure out the best countries to study abroad for pursuing your UG course? If you took the time to read this piece of content, the answer would most probably be yes. So, let’s help you make an informed decision for your overseas education journey by comparing the top study-abroad destinations based on several factors like affordability, ease of entry, career scope, scholarships etc. Please note that the country listed on the top is not our first choice, nor the one at the bottom is our least priority. We filtered out the five countries we believed that are good for Indian students to study abroad based on certain important parameters. So, try to understand the pros and cons of migrating to each of the following countries and do your own research before moving to any country for your graduation.
1. USA
The USA is one of the favourite study-abroad destinations for students not just from India but across the world. Geographically, as you already know, India is really far from the USA, which usually takes fifteen to seventeen hours to travel by plane. While this factor of geographical proximity is not really a big concern, there are a lot of upsides to studying in the United States to build a promising career. Let’s understand some of the crucial things to consider before choosing the USA as your study abroad destination, and we will show you meaningful numbers to clearly understand if the US aligns with your overseas education goals.
How affordable is the USA for Indian students?
While looking at the financial aspect, we need to consider two important things.
- Cost of Living
- Cost of Studying
By estimating the combined cost of the above two, you need to make a decision if the United States is really affordable for you.
For foreign students, the average cost of living in
the USA is estimated to be around $15,000. Well, this is a rough estimate, while the actual expense depends on the area you choose to live in and the way you spend over there. Academic costs will highly depend on the course and the university in the USA you choose. For instance, the cost of a full-time B.tech in the US is around $55k. Of course, it will obviously vary depending on the university and the course you choose.
Number of Indian & International students studying in the USA
As discussed earlier, the United States is one of the favourite study-abroad options for students from every corner of the world. So, it won’t be surprising with the fact that there are more than seven lakh international students studying in the US. Even from India, it was recorded that there are more than two lakh students enrolled in various courses in the US. If the numbers are this big, there must be something special about studying in this country, so it’s definitely worth considering.
Life after getting graduated from USA universities
The United States, being home to several top universities in the world, provides you with an ocean of opportunities! After graduation, you can consider pursuing your masters over there, and the salaries of a master’s degree holder in the US are really impressive. Students who complete MS from universities in the USA can expect a salary of around $70,000 to $100,000, which is pretty impressive! The huge amount of investment in terms of money and academic efforts is definitely worth it, as the benefits you are going to enjoy after the completion of your studies are invaluable. So, you can definitely consider the United States of America as one of the best countries to study abroad for Indian students.
2. UK
The United Kingdom attracts a wide range of students who are passionate about overseas education because of its popularity and influential nature in the European Union. For Indian students, it’s one of the favourite study-abroad destinations because of the countless benefits it has to offer. Let’s try to understand how studying in the UK is beneficial for Indian students and how the career path is going after the completion of studies.
Is the UK more affordable to Indian students compared to the USA
First, let’s understand one thing. This whole concept of overseas education is a very broad concept. Because of that, there can’t be an absolute answer to which is more affordable in between USA and UK. It widely depends on the university, the type of course and various other factors. The academic costs are most likely to stay close to that of the United States. So, it depends on the student’s personal interest before choosing their overseas education destination. But yes! After graduating from the Universities in the United Kingdom, you can expect a solid and promising career.
How many Indian & International students are studying in the UK
For students aspiring to study abroad, the United Kingdom is as attractive as the United States for various reasons.
As per stats, there are more than six lakh seventy thousand students who are currently studying in the UK from other countries. There are around forty thousand students from India pursuing various streams of education in the United Kingdom. So, if you are a true believer in numbers, the UK is definitely a worthy option for you to pursue your graduation after the twelfth.
Career Scope after Graduating from universities in the UK
If you are someone planning to settle permanently in the UK, you will get a whole lot of opportunities that satisfy both your curiosity and financial aspirations.
For an engineer, you can expect an average salary of around £59,900/ year, which, when converted to INR, amounts to sixty lakhs per annum. Apart from the earnings, you will get an opportunity to explore the culture and aesthetic aspects of Europe, which is one of the best travel destinations in the world.
3. Canada
Canada attracts a wide range of international students because of the high standard of living benefits, which makes it unique and excites many Indian students to continue their studies. Canada ranks third place in the world for the best quality of life, and what’s even more interesting is that international students can enjoy all the rights as Canadian citizens. If this fact does excite you, you should definitely consider Canada over other countries for your overseas education. Along with this, there are many positive aspects of studying in Canada which we are going to explore now.
How affordable is Canada for Indian Students?
The academic costs will definitely vary depending on the course and the university you choose. If we look at the rough estimates, an international undergraduate student in Canada has to spend around $36,000 on Academics. The average cost of living will also be around $15,000 per year. If we look at the affordability, it’s almost the same as the United States, but the extra benefits, like being able to enjoy the same rights as Canadian citizens, make it an interesting option for many overseas education enthusiasts in the world.
Number of Indian & International students studying in Canada
There are around 800,000 international students in Canada who are pursuing their higher education from different corners of the world. In the year 2022 alone, there are more than two lakh students migrated to Canada to pursue their studies. The numbers look pretty impressive and act as a crucial deciding factor in choosing Canada as their study-abroad destination.
Opportunities after getting graduated from universities in Canada
Right after graduating from Canadian universities, you will unlock a treasure of opportunities as Canadian universities are among the most reputed universities in the world. The average salary of a typical IT manager in Canada ranges from around 180,000 Canadian Dollars. So, if you are someone passionate about the legislative privileges that Canada offers and planning to settle there by studying in the top universities, you are thinking in the right way!
4. Australia
Australia has some unique privileges to offer to international students who come to study there. There are more than 100,000 scholarships available to support students who want to study in Australia. Apart from this, there is an interesting fact about Australia for those who want to work while studying. In a fortnight, an international student can work for more than 40 hours, and you can even also try for a full-time job also! Flexibilities like these will help students who want to manage their finances along with their studies at Australian Universities.
Is studying in Australia expensive for Indian students? Let’s understand the math!
Just like any other study abroad destination, for Australia also, the academic costs vary depending on the course and the university you choose. We can estimate the fee for an undergraduate bachelor’s degree fee as around Eleven Lakhs to Twenty-Four Lakhs. If we examine the cost of living in Australia, an international student has to spend around 15,000 Australian dollars.
Let’s look at the number of International students studying in Australia
In 2022 alone, more than five lakh students enrolled to study in Australia, of which nearly one Lakh students are from India. These crazy facts are enough for us to consider Australia is one of the best countries to study abroad for Indian students. It’s affordable, the standard of living is good, and the country is very popular for its natural beauty, with amazing beaches and visually appealing landscapes everywhere. That’s why it has become a favourite study-abroad destination for that many Indian students.
Career Scope after getting graduated from Australian Universities
Students who graduate from Australian universities can apply for a temporary graduate visa to work for two to four years in Australia. Apart from this, Australian universities are highly reputed and regarded as one of the top in the world. So, you can stay assured of a fruitful career after graduating from Australian universities.
5. Germany
Germany is really a special country that is very kind to offer free education even for students outside Germany. Yes, you read it right! Anyone can study for free in public universities in Germany, irrespective of their nationality, by fulfilling the eligibility criteria.
If you can clear the entrance exam, you will be officially eligible to get into the university. However, you will be charged a minimal administrative fee, and you need to maintain the prescribed balance in your German Blocked account. This amount is nothing but proof that you won’t face any issues with your finances while pursuing your education in Germany.
Is Germany an affordable European country for Indian students?
Germany is one of the most affordable countries for international students because of the privilege of free education through public universities, which we discussed a little ago. Apart from this, the cost of living is also quite conducive for students planning to study abroad.
Never worry about the cost of living in Germany, as you will be given admission only when you have €11,172 in your bank account. You will only be allowed to withdraw €931 per month, and this smart move makes sure that you can study peacefully without worrying about finances.
How many students from India and across the globe are studying in Germany?
There are around three lakh fifty thousand international students enrolled on universities in Germany in 2023, out of which nearly thirty-three thousand students are from India. The number of students from India might seem less, but if you feel excited about the privileges we discussed so far, it definitely makes sense to choose Germany as your overseas education destination.
Life after graduating from German Universities
By securing a job in Germany after completing your studies, you can expect an annual salary of fifty to eight lakhs INR, and it might vary depending on the skillset, experience and stream of education. Remember that anyone who is outside of the European Union should apply for an extended residence permit to work in Germany.
To conclude, there are amazing destinations across the world for overseas education, but we compiled a list of five countries as we found these countries to be the best countries to study abroad for Indian students based on several factors. But we know that not everybody’s preferences or aspirations are the same. So, feel free to explore more options before choosing your study abroad destination.
FAQs
It depends on your preferences. For example, if you are one hundred percent sure about what you want to study and want to finish as soon as possible, then the UK is the best option. So, please compare several factors and then choose the best option for you.
If we consider undergraduate courses, the UK could be more affordable in terms of tuition fees. But, it again largely depends on personal preferences.
Among the five countries we discussed, Public Universities in Germany offer free education with a minimal administrative fee.
