Many students aspire to study abroad at a top university and experience the local culture, explore the geography and gain exposure to new ideologies. They also make an attempt to expand their horizons, improve their skills, and safeguard their future in a globalised market. However, choosing the perfect country and institution may be challenging with hundreds of universities to pick from across the globe. With expectations of a great learning experience, promising return on investment, and a path to multiple opportunities it becomes even more of a challenge. This is where the UK really stands out for learners from across the globe and especially India.

The UK is not only home to some of the most famous and well-known universities, but it is also prized by Indian students due to its rich educational history and culture that fosters a global perspective. Over the past few years, the UK has become one of the most coveted destinations to acquire higher education among Indian students.

The two countries have collaborated throughout the years to provide opportunities for employment, research and education that have encouraged more Indian students to pursue higher education in the UK. As per recent data released, 160,970 student visas were issued to Indians for the UK in the year ending September 2022 alone, marking a jump of 78% as compared to the previous year when the total visas issued was 90,669.

By focusing on research and learners’ experience backed by a strong academic curriculum and varied offering across UG and PG levels, UK has left its imprint at the world stage. For students pursuing postgraduate education, the UK becomes a great proposition due to multiple reasons. In fact, as per the latest Higher Education Statistics Agency data, just over 99,000 Indian students pursued a Masters degree in the UK in 2021-22.

Following are some of the reasons that make UK an ideal destination for post graduate education:

Great opportunity cost
In the UK, a typical masters degree delivers extensive transformational instruction over a period of 12 months through a combination of classes, projects, study and papers. This considerably reduces the learning curve as compared to the nations where PG programmes last two years because it gives students the chance to start working earlier by almost a year and earn a competitive advantage. Hence, it turns out to be more cost-effective for the students.

Career opportunities
Post the completion of the UG or PG programme, Indian students can launch their careers with the Graduate Route (GR). This was launched in July 2021 which enables Indian nationals to work or look for a job right after the completion of the course from a compliant educational institute. The upper limit to find employment is two years with an exception given to doctorate (PhD) graduates who get an additional year.

Global hub for education
The UK is home to four such universities that have featured in the list of top 10 in the world, while 28 institutes are named in the top 200, as per the Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2023. When it comes to learning, graduates from the UK get access to the best-in-class industry professionals, research facilities and infrastructure to impart practical skills. The students are able to extract benefits from the strong industry-academia link the universities have, as it enables them to gain hands-on problem-solving experience on real work issues and challenges. Also, the networking ecosystem at UK universities offers a valued network of friends and mentors, all of whom are an integral part of the learning process.

Value of credentials
The credibility of an academic degree from the UK self-testifies since it is widely recognised by employers and is historically renowned for excellence in education. Notably, graduates from UK are most employable, as per the data given by QS Graduate Employability Rankings. Also, as per another statistic from the Universities UK International (UUki), 83% of international graduates acclaim that their UK degree helped them get a job.

Availability of scholarships
The UK offers numerous scholarships and bursaries worth millions of pounds, including the Commonwealth Scholarships, Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships, and many others to give Indian students more opportunities and financial support so they can enrol in some of the best academic programmes in the world. Additionally, universities and colleges in the UK provide students with a wide range of scholarships. Every year, British Council also provides young brilliant Indians with exceptional scholarship alternatives that open up more chances for them like the British Council Women in STEM Scholarships and GREAT Scholarships.

A UK education moulds young students of today to be the leaders of tomorrow, researchers who address global challenges, entrepreneurs and policy leaders of the future. Indian students contemplating their postgraduate education abroad must consider the UK for the innumerable benefits for their future professional careers.

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