14 September 2022
There has been a sudden increase in the number of Indian students enrolling on undergraduate courses in UK.
It has surpassed all past numbers, and there is an indication that the UK is becoming the first choice among Indian students for studying abroad.
There are many reasons for the same. In this blog, we try to understand this trend and the reason students are applying more to UK universities.
Record number of Indian students enrolled in UK varsities
India has overtaken China and registered the highest number of students who have enrolled in the UK for study. This was indicated by official data that was published by the British government recently.
Indian citizens have gathered the largest share of student, visitor visa, and skilled worker visas in the UK.
According to the data, as many as 1,17,065 students have received student visas and enrolled in various institutions across the UK. Post-pandemic, this is registered as an 80% increase (when compared to 2019) by the students coming from India.
Apart from the students, there has been a considerable rise in the number of visas issued for visitors and skilled workers.
There is a new initiative that has been started by the UK for higher education, which is called as Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
Enrolment of Indian Students in the UG Courses in UK 2021
In the year 2021, there was an overall increase of 19% (when compared to 2020) in admissions of Indian students to UK universities.
The Indian students were selected using the UK’s centralized application system. A record number of 3,200 students enrolled in various universities across the UK, and this was when there was when India was moved from the COVID-19 Red List to Amber.
The rise in the number of student visas indicated the interest of students in pursuing higher education in the UK.
The change to the Amber list created a big impact on students who were planning to move to the UK for study purposes. Amber List arrivals were required to undergo a COVID-19 test, and a negative test was mandatory before travelling.
Upon arrival in the UK, they had to undergo a COVID-19 test on day 2 and day 8 of their period of quarantine.
Even amid all these restrictions, a good number of students enrolled for study in the UK, which was welcoming news for Indian students and education providers.
Why more Indian students are applying to UK Universities?
Post the ease of pandemic restrictions, many Indian students have been applying to study at UK Universities. The applications have even surpassed China, which used to dominate the number of students going to the UK for study purposes.
When compared to 2019, there has been an increase of an astonishing 215% in the year 2022 when it comes to sponsored student visas provided to Indian students.
What is the reason behind so many applications on part of Indian students? There are many reasons for this trend.
The success rate of student visas in the UK is close to 100% and most of the students who apply for a student visa to study in the UK get a nod.
As visa approval is getting tougher in countries like Canada and Australia for students, they do not wish to lose time, and they see more ease and possibilities in the UK.
The country is home to some of the best institutions in the world, which lure students to apply to UK universities.
The visa process in the UK is fast and almost sure-shot. The visa processing is also very transparent.
The students require 6 bands in 4 modules which are reading, listening, writing, and speaking. As per experts, Brexit is also one of the reasons behind the surge in the number of Indian students opting for the UK for higher studies.
Priority Visas for Indian Students
The UK High Commission has announced that soon Indian students will be provided with priority visas, which is another welcoming news for students planning to study in the UK.
The students who are planning to study in the UK need to apply for the visas as soon as possible, as it takes time to prepare the required documents. The UK has also announced super-priority visas for Indian students.
This news has come at a time when there is a considerable increase in the number of students opting for the UK for higher studies.
For better guidance, about studying in UK, it is best to consult international educational experts at Landmark Immigration.
