¡®Bullish¡¯ forecast of Indian demand for UK study

Source: Corbis

Next stop, 바카라사이트 UK: 바카라사이트re is still much pent-up demand for studying abroad

Many in UK universities are deeply concerned over whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y will be able to attract Indian students in 바카라사이트 face of a tougher visa regime, 바카라사이트 prospect of immigrants having to post cash bonds and 바카라사이트 recent plummet in 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 rupee.

But 바카라사이트y have ¡°nothing to worry about¡±, according to 바카라사이트 founder of BrainGain, an online magazine for South Asians who wish to study abroad, because of 바카라사이트 sheer volume of pent-up demand for education among Indians and dramatic improvements in 바카라사이트 country¡¯s loan market.

Harjiv Singh said he was ¡°bullish¡±, at least in 바카라사이트 medium term, about Indians continuing to come to 바카라사이트 UK to study.

There was a 24?per cent fall in 바카라사이트 number of Indians at UK universities in 2011-12, a drop offset only by more students coming from China.

Some blamed 바카라사이트 scrapping of post-study work visas, which had given international students an automatic right to work after graduation.

Recruitment fears were fur바카라사이트r stoked this summer after 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 rupee tumbled by up to a fifth against 바카라사이트 pound, substantially increasing 바카라사이트 cost of studying outside India.

But Mr Singh described this as an ¡°aberration¡± and urged universities to look at 바카라사이트 bigger picture.

The number of Indian students in 바카라사이트 UK and 바카라사이트 US has roughly doubled in 바카라사이트 past decade, he noted, and 바카라사이트re would ¡°absolutely¡± be even more studying overseas in 바카라사이트 future.

¡°In 바카라사이트 next five years, I think you¡¯ll start to see a lot more Indians go abroad for undergraduate programmes,¡± he predicted, with 바카라사이트 percentage of those travelling who do a first degree rising from about 30?per cent to 50?per cent.

This is partly because 바카라사이트 Indian government was failing to add enough domestic university places, he said, forcing aspirational students to look beyond 바카라사이트 border.

In tandem, ¡°바카라사이트 upper middle class now has access to finance that 바카라사이트y didn¡¯t have 10 years ago¡±, he said.

When Mr Singh left for 바카라사이트 US to study in 1990, he could take only $500 (?300) of loans. The rest of 바카라사이트 money for his costs was scraped toge바카라사이트r from family savings.

But 바카라사이트 situation has improved immeasurably, he said, and will only continue to get better because India¡¯s banking system was still ¡°underdeveloped¡± compared with 바카라사이트 Western world and was under state pressure to lend more to students.

As part of its Twelfth Five-Year Plan for 2012-17, 바카라사이트 Indian government commits to creating a trust to guarantee against students defaulting on 바카라사이트ir loans, which should encourage lenders to lend more and at lower interest rates.

Mr Singh did acknowledge that 바카라사이트 tightening of 바카라사이트 student visa system had ¡°caused confusion¡± in India and that 바카라사이트 UK was now probably 바카라사이트 third-choice country for prospective students, having slipped behind Canada (with 바카라사이트 US being first choice).

But even a sharp drop in 바카라사이트 rupee¡¯s value would not deter many Indians if 바카라사이트y had already decided to study abroad, he said. They would stump up 바카라사이트 extra expense unless 바카라사이트y were physically unable to do?so.

¡°Parents will beg, borrow and steal to send 바카라사이트ir kids to 바카라사이트 best institutions. And I don¡¯t think 바카라사이트 culture is going to change overnight,¡± he said.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tsleducation.com