According to a recent Acumen analysis that involved online questionnaires and interviews with over 100 education agencies in India, the US (80%), UK (79%), and Australia (77%) remain the top study locations for Indian students. However, new trends show that interest in France and Germany is increasing; 82% of agents mention Germany as a target market that is developing, and 73% mention France as a recently popular option.
New emerging study abroad destination
The study, referenced by The Pie News, also identified other emerging study abroad markets for Indian students. Following Germany and France, Dubai (50%), Finland (41%), Singapore (31%), Italy (30%), Sweden (24%), and Denmark (21%) are becoming increasingly popular. "Agents now prioritise clear value demonstrations and robust risk mitigation strategies, such as rigorous checks on student documentation and credentials and ensuring strong English proficiency," stated the Acumen report.
Surprisingly, 88% of respondents reported an increase in applications from tier-three cities like Roorkee, Rohtak, Udaipur, and Salem, even though big cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, and Chennai generated the most number of applications. This change points to a wider range of students who want to study overseas.
According to the Shiksha reports, additionally, the survey showed that 63% of agents handled the majority of applications for postgraduate courses, 33% handled applications equally for postgraduate and undergraduate courses, and only 4% handled applications for undergraduate courses entirely.
Applications to Canada, the UK, and Australia have noticeably decreased despite these trends. The two-year temporary study permit cap and rising cost of living caused a 50% decline in applicants in Canada, as reported by Shiksha. Similar drops of 10–40% are forecast from the Australian market, and due to recent legislative modifications intended to restrict excessive migration, a 20–30% decline is anticipated in the UK market.
