An Evolving Landscape of Indian Student Mobility in 2023

India’s trajectory of student mobility in 2023 is characterized by agility and flexibility, responding quickly to geopolitical and visa processing changes. The Indian Education News 2023 shows that preferences are changing, with a focus on a holistic learning experience. Indian students are estimated to spend $70 billion per annum by 2025 in overseas expenditure, reflecting a dynamic shift in preferences, choices and economic impact.

India's outbound mobility has changed a lot over the years. The UK and the US countries account for a significant portion of  Indian students in 2023, and Australia has seen a big jump  in compared to 2022. Diplomatic ties between Canada and India have hit a low as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has requested a session of Parliament. Unfortunately, the two nations have yet to find a resolution to the standoff. Indian student mobility is undergoing a significant transformation in 2023. Let’s take a look at some of the different factors that shape the preference of Indian students seeking education beyond the border.

1. Global Presence of Indian Students

According to ICEF Monitor, Indian students are increasingly diversifying their study destinations. This shows that students are looking for opportunities in those countries that do not typically have a larger Indian student population. According to the Department of External Affairs of the government, a significant number of students pursued higher education in various countries from 2017 to 2022. The United States, Canada, Australia and the UK emerged as the choices for students due to their excellent educational standards, diverse program offerings, affordable living options and promising career prospects.

Notably, in the United States, Indian students account for more than 25% of 1 million international students. Indian students are recognized globally for their academic excellence in 2023. Australia is one of the top destinations in 2023 for Indian students, offering a wide range of study and work opportunities. The World Bank recently approved a $255.5 million loan for India to enhance technical education, benefitting 350,000 Indian students each year. Indian students are also gaining access to South Korea through Korean scholarships, which are helping foster global academic cooperation. These trends reflect India’s impressive growth in global education during the G20 presidency of 2023. Let’s have a destination analysis of Indian students studying abroad.

1.1 United States: The Melting Pot of Opportunities

The United States continues to be one of the top destinations for Indian students. The country offers a wide variety of educational programs and research facilities. The flexible nature of the education system and its emphasis on innovation attract students who want to learn about innovative technologies. Harvard University and Stanford University are renowned for their cutting-edge technology and business programs, which attract Indian students who aspire to pursue a career in these fields. 
There are now almost 253,631 Indian students on active visas, close to the  Chinese students in the US. According to International Educational Exchange (IIE’s) spring 2023 research, US institutions are focusing more on India as a recruiting destination, which can only help to increase the number of Indians abroad. The United States government has a national strategy in place. The goal for 2023 was to process more than one million visas from India. Last September, the U.S. Mission to India announced that it had exceeded that goal by nearly 20% compared to 2019. India was the top destination for both undergraduate and graduate programmes for 57% and 77%, respectively.  At the undergraduate level, Vietnam was cited as a top country (48%) followed by India, South Korea (41%), followed by Brazil (40%) and China (39%).

Source: IIE

Meanwhile, at the graduation level, China and Nigeria were mentioned a lot less than India, with 42% and 37%, respectively.

Source: IIE

US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti stated that “the US-India relationship is one of the world's most important bilateral relationships. Our people are closer than ever, and our record-breaking visa work will continue in the upcoming months to provide as many Indian applicants as possible the chance to visit the US and experience the friendship between the two countries first-hand.”

1.2 Canada: A Welcoming Haven for Education and Beyond

Canada has a population of nearly 2 million Indians, which accounts for 80% of the South Asian population in Canada and about 6% of Canada's total population. India is the largest source of immigration into Canada, with an estimated 118,095 Indian immigrants in 2022. Chinese students, on the other hand, are the second largest immigration source, with an estimated 31,815 Chinese students in 2022. At the end of Dec 2022, over 320,000 Indians had active study permits, which was a 47% increase from the year before. Indian students made up almost 4 out of every 10 international students in Canada at the time. 
The current political tensions between the two countries could cause visa issues for Indian students and could even affect the start of the spring semester in January 2024. Although both countries have eased visa restrictions, a complete diplomatic thaw is still far off, impacting trade, travel and business relations between India and Canada.  At the October 2023 CIMM meeting, Immigration Minister Marc Miller reported that there are currently only five immigration staff working on Indian visa applications, as compared to 27 prior to the onset of the diplomatic crisis. Furthermore, he stated:

• The deadline of December 2023 for the processing of 38,000 Indian visas will not be met,
• Only 20,000 visas to be processed due to a lack of resources and personnel,
• The backlog of pending Indian visa applications is estimated to be 17,500 by January 2024.

He also added that Indian candidates should expect a slower overall processing time and response to enquiry as the department has limited resources. However, in September, India started issuing visas to Canadian citizens. In the third week of November, the government resumed online visa services for Canadians. These developments indicate that both governments are making some progress in improving relations.

1.3 Australia: A Pacific Hub for Quality Education

Australia bounced back as a study destination for Indians after the pandemic. Indian students are drawn to Australia because of its top-notch education system and relaxed lifestyle. Moreover, the country's dedication to research and innovation and its multicultural environment make it a great place for students to study. With the spring semester of 2024 approaching, universities are getting ready to welcome more and more Indian students.
The number of Indian students in Australia increased by 34% between January - August 2023 compared to the same time frame for 2022. India makes up 17% of all foreign students in Australia, making the country second after China (21%). Graduates of Australian institutions are eligible to work in Australia for a period of up to 4 years, and 1,000 work and holiday visas are reserved for Indian students annually, according to India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA). 

In the ECTA deal, Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism, and Investment Dan Tehan stated, “Every month, 1 million Indians reach the age of 18, creating a massive and rapidly expanding need for quality education. As an international leader in education, Australia is well-positioned to collaborate with India in the areas of secondary education, higher education and professional training.” Furthermore, one of the reasons why Australia has become an increasingly attractive destination for Indian students was announced in September by Australia’s Minister for Education, Jason Clare, that “International students who complete their degrees from Australian universities in fields of verified skills shortage will be granted an additional two-year extension of their post-study work (PSW) rights in the country. Currently, the PSW rules allow Bachelor’s degree holders from Australia to remain in the country for two years after completing their degree, Master’s students for three years, and Doctorate holders for four years.

Australia’s new post-study work offering has made it one of the major global education destinations. “It’s a big draw for students and gives them the opportunity to study and gain work experience, and it also helps with the return on investment. The Australian dollars are very affordable compared to the US dollar, and most universities are offering scholarships,” stated Singh, CEO of the Association of Australian Education in India (AAERI).

1.4 United Kingdom: A Shape of Tradition and Modernity

The UK’s rich academic history, combined with its modern, exciting programs, makes it an ideal place for Indian students to study. The attraction of historical institutions and the worldwide recognition of UK qualifications play a significant role in this decision. With the spring semester in 2024 fast approaching, Indian students can’t wait to experience the academic excellence and cultural diversity that UK universities offer. According to University World News, there were 98,394 extensions of Graduate route extension approved till June 2023, of which 42% were granted to Indians.
As per UK news, for the academic year ending in June 2023:

• The UK issued approximately 500,000 study visas, with Indian students accounting for approximately 30% of the total. 
• Nearly one-third of the study grants are sponsored to main applicants – the highest of any nationality.
• The total number of Indian student visas granted to the UK stood at almost 143,000, representing a 54% year-on-year increase, placing India as the top sender of study visas to the UK. 
• The number of sponsored study visas issued to Chinese students decreased by 6% from June 2022 to 107,670 in June 2023. Chinese and Indian nationals combined accounted for 50% of all sponsored study visa placements. The other  top five countries that received sponsored study visas were Nigeria, Pakistan, and the US.

Source: GOV.UK

“The UK is also one of the most affordable study abroad destinations for Indian students, as the cost of education is relatively low compared to other destinations” according to Lakshmi Iyer, Managing Director, India of SI-UK. She added further that the GIR (Graduate Immigration Route) has contributed to this push. She says. "Indian students are drawn to employment opportunities in the UK, and a post-secondary work visa is a key factor in their decision-making process."

2. Trends Highlight the Swift Changes in Outbound Strategies

Indian student mobility is changing at a rapid pace in 2023. This is due to several dynamic trends that show the flexible Indian students’ outbound strategies. These trends are influenced by geopolitics, visa processing and mobility agreements. Here are some of the key trends that show that India’s outbound strategies are changing so quickly in 2023.

• India has become the world's second most sought-after market, after China, due to its growing geo-political importance and recognition of its growth potential by governments and institutions.
• Outbound mobility in India is one of the most flexible in the world, demonstrating the ability to move quickly between study destinations. This is because of the evolving global landscape, including changes in political and visa processing rules. The analysis of student mobility revealed attracting regional trends, with states such as Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, as well as Punjab and Maharashtra, playing a significant role in the Indian student population studying abroad in the year 2023.
• The India Outbound Tourism Market report predicts that around 50 million Indians will be travelling abroad by 2023, indicating a sharp rise in outbound movements.
• As per the ICEF monitor report, Indian students are expected to reach an impressive $70 billion in direct expenditure on study abroad by 2025, showing the scale of this mobility.

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In conclusion, the agility, variety, and regional variation of Indian students’ mobility reflect the rapid changes in their outbound strategies. These changes not only reflect the flexibility of Indian students, but also reflect the fluidity of the global learning landscape. As the number of students studying abroad increases, so do the strategies driving their outbound journeys. Top destinations for Indian students, such as the US, Canada, Australia and the UK, have their own unique set of opportunities. Understanding the factors that influence students’ decisions is important for educators, policymakers, and institutions looking to meet the needs of a diverse global student population.

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