Over 30,000 Indian students receive UK student visas — more than 270,000 benefited over the last decade

• Over 30,000 Indian students received UK student visa for the year 2019.
  
• This is a 63% increase from last year.
  
• In the last 10 years, more than 270,000 students have been a part of the UK's higher education programmes.

Over 30,000 Indian students received UK student visa in 2019 — growing by 63% from last year. For the year ending September 2018, almost 19,000 students were extended Tier 4 (study) visas, according to the UK Immigration Statistics.

“More Indians are choosing to study at the UK educational institutions. This is now the third consecutive year in which the numbers have increased. It is important to us, because these young leaders of tomorrow will reinforce the living bridge that connects India and the UK,” said Sir Dominic Asquith who is the High Commissioner to India.

In the last 10 years, more than 270,000 students have been a part of the UK's higher education programmes.

UK education institutions equally benefit from the diversity of talent and culture that Indian students bring to campuses, added Barbara Wickham, Director of British Council India.

According to the Times Higher Education (THE), the UK is home to three of the top 10 universities across the globe including the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge and Imperial College, London.

The increasing number of Indian students in the UK, have a lot to gain too. Over 56,000 Indians receiving skilled work visas in 2019.

The UK government recently announced a two-year post-study work visa for international students. This new scheme will apply to all international students having UK immigration status, who have completed an undergraduate or higher educational degree from any UK university.

It also aims to boost STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) sector in the country. In fact, almost half of all Indian students in the UK over the last decade chose a STEM subject as their field of study.

Meanwhile, the US has over 200,000 Indian students, as per the latest Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange. However, the US State department witnessed a 40% decrease in the number of student visas in 2018 — which stood at 42,694.

See also:
Good news for Indian students in the UK, as government will now grant them 2-year work visa

Indians seeking UK visa will now have to shell out a lot more

Indians studying in the UK have doubled in the last three years