A lot of Indian students have this dream of completing their undergraduate degree in the motherland and then moving abroad to pursue a Masters to land a high paying job and earn in dollars, pounds, euros (whatever tickles their fancy). It is a good dream to have, one within reach if you can manage the cost of education and living, especially since the average Indian is used to long hours of studying and putting in extra efforts to do well in a country where competition is extreme with its high population.
But where do you go? Which country is the best for the Major you plan to pursue? Will it land you a lucrative job? What are the visa rules there for the same? Can you work while studying?
These are some of the questions we plan to answer for you in this post, and hopefully help get you one step closer to that dream of yours.
Here are some of the popular – and even a couple of not-so-popular study destinations with their pros and cons:
America
You expected this to be on the list, didn’t you? Of course you did! The USA is one of the most popular study destinations for foreign students with its tagline of ‘pursuing the American Dream’. Freedom, liberty, and great conditions to succeed for a person who has the drive and willingness to go for it.
The only hindrance here is the high cost of education, and unless you work hard enough and make a good enough network to recoup the money, getting proper return on investment on getting back to India will be very difficult.
On the plus side, it has some of the best universities in the world whose degrees are held in high regard all over, so getting a job in Canada or even the gulf countries is a possibility on graduating.
United Kingdom
Once upon a time this was the most popular destination for Indian students, with their one year Masters Courses and manageable tuition fees. But since they closed the post-study work visa in 2012, getting a job in the UK has been nigh impossible, and the new government’s stringent policies has made it even worse now. Look at this place as a destination only if you can afford it without taking a loan, or you are guaranteed a job on graduation by someplace. Otherwise you’ll only be getting into debt and have to get back to your home country if you aren’t a European national.
Germany
Possibly the best place to study for engineers or those interested in technical fields, Germany with its negligible tuition fees should rank high on your list of educational destinations. But make sure you research well and go to a good college, otherwise it will be for naught. Remember to start learning German to better your chances of employment here, there are apps which help with it. This is a good place to do an MBA or an MS in Engineering.
Australia/New Zealand
Beautiful country, great beaches, and the chance to continue to work after graduation makes this a great place to study. Its fees are higher than the ones in an average UK university (but then the course here is for 2 years, unlike the one year in UK), the only downside of Australia is the cases of racism against brown folk heard there. Research well about the university and place you plan to reside in before taking the leap.
As for New Zealand, it is one of the best places for those in the travel and tourism industry, chefs, and even medicinal professionals such as doctors, dentists, and physiotherapists.
Norway
One of the most beautiful countries in the world with free education for everyone and a host of opportunities for engineers and similar technical professions as well as the marine and oil industry, the only downside of Norway is that you are often seen as an outsider without a decent knowledge of the Norwegian language and may have to face some forms of racism there. Also, the cost of living in Norway is one of the highest in the world, so that balances out the free education aspect.
All said and done, this post just provides a brief overview of the countries to give you a starting point for your research. Proceed with caution and do a thorough study before investing your time and money anywhere. Make the right decisions, and the world is yours!
