With the pandemic paving way for explorative formats of education, there has been a significant perspective shift in how students are narrowing down on their destinations and courses of choice. While the UK, USA, Canada, Australia and Germany continue to top the preference charts, new countries that earlier seemed quite distant and unconventional for overseas education, have also started making space in the consideration set of students. A recent study Leap-Ipsos Strategy3 Study Abroad Outlook Report targeted at unveiling emerging trends in the study abroad space found that 42 per cent of Indian students are now looking to explore non-English speaking countries like France, Italy, Japan and Scandinavian countries, among others.

Comparatively lower tuition fees, permanent residency pathways, accessibility to work permits, scholarship opportunities and considerable interest to explore niche specialisations are some of the factors that have a role to play in fuelling this changing interest. For example, gaining popularity for their programmes in arts, music, drama & acting, more remote regions such as Scandinavian countries are starting to attract a considerable set of Indian aspirants; eager to explore beyond the conventional engineering, medicine and IT courses.

According to the survey results, some notable reasons why Indian aspirants are seeking to study abroad are listed as - eagerness to learn new skills, build a diversified network, develop a new language skill and also immerse in a new foreign culture. The study also reveals the top drivers for studying abroad in non-English-speaking countries.

Research methodology and profile of respondents:

This is a pan-India comprehensive study that dives deep into emerging destination preferences, changes in needs and choices, psychosocial trends and outcomes including behavioural and perception shifts. The total aspirants covered during the course of the study include a broad sample size of respondents pan India. About 60 per cent of the aspirants covered are males, 39 per cent are females and 2 per cent do not prefer to say. About 2/3rd of the aspirants were observed in the 18-24 years age group; about 34 per cent from the 25-30 years age group.