- The number of Indians being issued student visas is almost back to what it was in 2012.
- India ranked 4th in terms of the total number of UK visa issued
- Speculation about the post-study work visa and weak pound may be reasons for growth in student population
Are you planning to study in the UK? Here is the good news if you are an Indian student.
The UK may be undecided about Brexit but the UK is still a popular choice for Indian students. The number of Indians heading to the UK for education has increased over the past year by 42%.
According to information from the UK residence workplace, Indians received 21,881 Tier 4 or student visas in the last year. This is the highest number of visas granted since 2011-12.
Read: The UK Graduate Visa Route – Everything You Must Know
Why Had The Number Of Indians Wanting To Study In The UK Dropped?
Indian students always fancied studying in the UK. In fact, the country was a popular choice for Indian students until 2011. In 2011, the two-year post-study work visa was discontinued. This visa had allowed international students to live and work in the UK for up to 2 years after completing their course.
With the discontinuation of this visa, international students were permitted to stay on for only a maximum of 6 months. Thus, it wasn’t very surprising to see the number of Indians going to study in the UK drop by 55% between 2011 and 2012. By 2017-18, this number had dropped further.
| Year | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| 2010-11 | 51,218 |
| 2011-12 | 22,757 |
| 2017-18 | 15,388 |
| 2018-19 | 21,881 |
Indians Traveling To The UK On Other Visas
While the number of students traveling to the UK may have fallen, Indians continued to travel to the country on other visas. In 2018, India followed the USA, China, and Australia to be ranked 4th in terms of the number of visas issued. A total of about 1.45 million UK visas were issued to Indians.
Of these, 56,322 visas were Tier 2 visas for expert work. It is interesting to note that India was granted the most Tier 2 visas. The USA came in second with only 9,693 expert visas.
India was also granted 306 Tier 1 visas in 2018. This marked an increase of 90 visas as compared to the previous year.
| Year | Number of Tier 1 Visas |
|---|---|
| 2017-18 | 216 |
| 2018-19 | 306 |
Study In The UK: What Makes The UK A Popular Destination?
The weak pound may be one of the reasons for the country to retain its popularity with Indians traveling abroad. Given the cost of education, this could be one of the more important reasons for a growing Indian student population. Many students are also hoping for the post-study work visa to be reintroduced.
It also reflects a strong relationship between the two countries. This can be noted especially in people-to-people links and business connections. The UK recognizes the contributions Indians make to the country’s economy, academia and life in general. These contributions will be even more invaluable in the event of the UK leaving EU.
Also See
- Is The UK Becoming More Popular With Indian Students Post Brexit?
- The UK to Allow Indian Students to Work during Study Term
