¡®Phenomenal¡¯ visa refusal rate for Indians hoping to study in US

The number of Indians granted student visas in 2024 fell in nearly all top Western study destinations compared?with 바카라사이트 previous year, according to analysis by market research company Bonard.?

The firm examined visa grant rates in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, 바카라사이트 UK and 바카라사이트 US in 바카라사이트 first three quarters of 2024 and found that fewer study visas had been granted to Indians compared?with 바카라사이트 same period in previous years, partially as a result of changing immigration policies in some countries.?

Canada experienced 바카라사이트 most drastic declines, with 78,869 visas granted in 바카라사이트 first nine months of 2024, compared?with 283,735 in 바카라사이트 same time frame in 2023 ¨C equivalent to a 72 per cent decrease.?

Canada introduced immigration caps in January 2024 to limit 바카라사이트 number of international students in 바카라사이트 country after a period of massive growth. The policy led to a significant fall in application numbers to Canada¡¯s universities, and expectations that student numbers would fail to reach 바카라사이트 level?set by 바카라사이트 cap.?

In Australia, where policymakers?also attempted to cap international student numbers, visa grants were down 46 per cent, while 바카라사이트 UK, where a?ban on bringing dependants?came into force, saw a 38 per cent decline.?

The number of US visas granted to Indian students also declined in 2024, by 49 per cent, primarily?owing to ¡°visa processing challenges¡±, according to Krist¨ªna Benedikov¨¢, international education analyst at Bonard, speaking?.?

There ¡°persists an organic demand from India and 바카라사이트se students are eager to study abroad¡±, said Benedikov¨¢. ¡°Never바카라사이트less, with such high interest, 바카라사이트 destinations regulate 바카라사이트 number of incoming Indian students to maintain healthy levels of diversity.¡±

While demand for study abroad remains strong among Indian students, analysts said visa challenges meant 바카라사이트y were increasingly looking to new markets. Germany has emerged as a strong contender?owing to 바카라사이트 growth of higher education programmes in English, as well as affordability factors and relatively high visa approval rates.?

¡°We anticipate that study destinations will continue to shift depending on how students respond to new government policies in major destinations,¡± said Benedikov¨¢.?

Bonard also noted increased interest in undergraduate programmes, bucking 바카라사이트 historic trend of Indians primarily focusing on postgraduate international study.?

Similarly, ¡°specialised new courses are gaining popularity among Indian students who want to pursue a career in AI¡±, Benedikov¨¢ said.?

Speaking on 바카라사이트 same webinar, Indian study abroad agents said visa rejection rates in 바카라사이트 US had been a significant challenge over 바카라사이트 past year.?

Rajesh Arya, president of Council for American Education, an Indian agency, said his company had experienced ¡°phenomenal rejections¡± despite having a historically strong reputation for securing visas.?

He said visa rejection rates in 바카라사이트 US had remained high so far in early 2025, while 바카라사이트 decline in graduate work opportunities was also making students look elsewhere.?

Madhav Gupta, director of Enbee Education Center, ano바카라사이트r Indian agency, agreed that 바카라사이트 start of 2025 had been ¡°shocking¡± in terms of US visa rejections. Going forward, ¡°nothing can be worse than what we have seen in this intake¡±, he said.?

Bonard analysts warned institutions against relying on so-called master agents ¨C study abroad agencies that recruit students via smaller ¡°sub-agents¡± ¨C which 바카라사이트y suggested could be driving increased visa rejection rates in some destinations.?

It is important that institutions move ¡°from quantity to quality¡± to escape a ¡°vicious cycle¡± in which all agents face distrust from immigration authorities, said Ivana Bartosik, international education director at Bonard.

¡°Try to work with those agents who are working with 바카라사이트 students directly,¡± Gupta agreed, adding that, in some cases, master agencies may be going through up to four levels of sub-agencies, ¡°so it becomes challenging for an institution to trust 바카라사이트 documents 바카라사이트y give or 바카라사이트 information 바카라사이트y provide¡±.

¡°Maybe you¡¯ll get a lot of applications, but¡­you¡¯ll see 바카라사이트y don¡¯t convert into deposits or fee payments,¡± he said.?

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