The United Kingdom (UK) Home Office has reported a noteworthy uptick in the issuance of sponsored study visas to Indian students, marking a 54% increase compared to the figures from 2022. This translates to Indians now holding nearly seven times the number of study visas they held in 2019. Gradding, India’s premier platform for international education, has analysed and visualised this data, helping over one lakh students realise their aspiration of studying in the UK, according to the report.
The report reveals that the UK has granted a total of approximately five lakh sponsored study visas, and it’s particularly thrilling that nearly a third of these have been awarded to Indian students. This data suggests that the number of students enrolling in UK universities is poised to surpass three lakh in the upcoming academic session.
To provide a more detailed breakdown, 1,42,848 sponsored study visas were extended to Indian students, representing a 54% increase, which is 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.
“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,” Mamta Shekhawat, founder, Gradding, said.
Over the years, a discernible trend has emerged in international enrollments at UK universities, notably characterised 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 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, it added.