Prospective Students in India Driven by Challenge of Standing Out

What makes prospective international students in India different to their peers elsewhere in the world? What are their key motivations for studying abroad, and what matters most to them when choosing a university?

These are some of the questions explored in a new report, published today, the second installation in a series analyzing the underlying forces driving international student mobility in different parts of the world.

The report, “What Matters to International Students? Focus on India” is based on a recent set of focus groups with prospective students in India, combined with the results of an international student survey.

The challenge of standing out

The greatest single driver for Indian students aspiring to study abroad, the report argues, is the challenge of differentiating themselves in one of the world’s largest and youngest populations. The difficulty of obtaining a place (and funding) to study at a prestigious university abroad contributes to the value of the experience, providing a key means by which to stand out from their peers. When choosing a program, this challenge is never far from the minds of Indian students, motivating them to seek out universities with a strong reputation, distinctive specializations, varied opportunities for extracurricular development, and excellent employment outcomes.

The quest for quality of education

As the Indian government continues to focus on raising standards in the country’s own higher education institutions, this new report shows that the desire for a higher quality of education remains a leading driver of outbound mobility from the country. When assessing educational quality, Indian students are typically seeking opportunities to gain practical experience, to develop independent learning skills, to learn from leading academics, and to specialize in areas not widely available in their own country.

A proactive approach to networking

Prospective students in India also stand out for their proactive approach to seeking personal advice and feedback when choosing a university abroad. As well as seeking advice from current teachers, family members and friends, they are also especially proactive in building new connections with students and alumni of institutions they’re considering applying to. Many will reach out through personal and online networks, to gain direct feedback on an institution before they commit to a decision.

This new report is part of the series “What Matters to International Students?”, which has also explored the experiences and motivations of prospective students in Latin America. Upcoming reports will focus on prospective students in the US, China and South East Asia. The series is based on around 60 focus groups held in locations worldwide, combined with the results of two international surveys of prospective students.