Indian students in the UK: The rise of sponsored study visas

In a development that underscores the changing dynamics of international education, the United Kingdom (UK) Home Office has reported a remarkable uptick in the issuance of sponsored study visas to Indian students.

This surge, marking a 54% increase compared to the figures from 2022, has sent shockwaves through the education sector. Indians now hold nearly seven times the number of study visas they held in 2019, signifying a monumental shift in preferences for higher education among Indian youth.

Gradding, India’s premier platform for international education, has meticulously analyzed and visualized this data, enabling over one lakh students to realize their aspiration of studying in the UK, according to their latest report.

Indian Students Visas in UK Updates

The report reveals that the UK has granted approximately five lakh sponsored study visas in total, and what makes this surge even more thrilling is that nearly a third of these visas have been awarded to Indian students.

This substantial surge suggests that the number of students enrolling in UK universities is poised to surpass three lakh in the upcoming academic session, solidifying the UK’s position as a top global education destination.

To provide a more detailed breakdown, a staggering 1,42,848 sponsored study visas were extended to Indian students, representing a 54% increase, equivalent to 49,883 more visas granted compared to the year ending June 2022. The statistics also unveil that from July 2020 to June 2021, 98,394 Graduate route extensions were granted, with 42% of these benefiting Indian students.

Furthermore, it’s worth noting that 20% of students whose visas expired in 2022 opted to transition to the Graduate Route after successfully completing their studies. This trend appears set to continue in 2023 and is expected to burgeon further in the forthcoming academic year, the report revealed.

Mamta Shekhawat, founder of Gradding, commented on this trend, “Studying in the UK is an acceptable value for money, and the average costs there are lower than in other countries like the United States of America (USA) and Australia.

Graduates from the UK are the most employable in the world. In fact, eight in ten international students are progressing, promoted, and earning more because of their education in the UK.”

Over the years, a discernible trend has emerged in international enrollments at UK universities, notably characterized by a shift in the composition of the student body. As of 2020, the landscape was dominated by students from Greece and Ireland, accounting for a significant 21% of all enrollments.

However, the year 2021 brought about a noteworthy transformation in this dynamic. By the years 2022 and 2023, the top 15 countries sending students to UK universities underwent a substantial reconfiguration, with China and India now taking the lead as the two primary source countries, collectively contributing 41% of all international enrollments, as per the report.

One significant factor contributing to this shift is the recent strains in the India-Canada relationship, which has led many Indian students to opt for the UK as their preferred destination for higher education. It would not be an overstatement to assert that these diplomatic tensions have triggered a swift surge in the number of Indian students choosing to pursue their studies in the UK.

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