Emerging Study Abroad Destinations for Indian Students As an Alternate to Canada

Over the years, Canada emerged as one of the top study abroad destinations among international students due to its immigration policy. However, due to the cap imposed on accommodations for international students, many students are looking for alternative study abroad destinations. For the 2024 academic year, the issuance of a Canada student visa will be restricted to 3,64,000.

Hence, many study abroad aspirants who were planning to apply in Canadian universities are looking for alternate study destinations. The listed 10 emerging study abroad destinations for Indian students are an alternative to Canada. Indian students may apply for admissions in one of the following countries to meet their study abroad dream.

1. New Zealand

New Zealand recently emerged as one of the favorite study abroad destinations among students seeking higher education abroad. New Zealand is well renowned for its high education standards and quality of life. The country is quite welcoming and currently ranks #2nd in the Global Peace Index. Not only this, the cost of study in New Zealand is highly affordable with tuition fees ranging from 23,376 to 46,752 NZD (11.85 lakhs to 23.71 lakhs INR). Top courses like MBA, M.Sc. in CS, M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering may charge higher fees.

2. Ireland

Ireland is currently the world’s most competitive economy and also listed among the top 20 countries for best education system. The number of international students going to study in Ireland is increasing every year. Currently, there are more than 35,000 international students pursuing higher education in Ireland. The annual cost to study at a university in Ireland ranges between 11,300 to 29,100 EUR (10.23 lakhs to 26.36 lakhs INR) for PG and 5,779 to 27,720 EUR (5.23 lakhs to 25.11 lakhs INR) for UG. Tuition for top streams may go beyond 30,000 EUR per year.

3. Germany

Cost of education in Germany is highly affordable compared to other study abroad destinations. Moreover, there is no tuition fee to study in public universities in Germany. However, a semester is required which typically ranges from 100 to 350 EUR (8,951 to 31,331 INR). The tuition fee to study at a private university in Germany may cost between 10,000 to 20,000 EUR (8.95 lakhs to 17.90 lakhs INR). Apart from affordability, Germany strives to provide extensive support to students through research opportunities, scholarships, and employment opportunities for graduates. Around 77% of graduates from a university in Germany secure employment within 6 months after graduation.

4. Italy

Italy is home to 92 universities in total, with 42 of those being ranked among the top universities globally in QS Rankings 2024. Meanwhile, 57 universities in Italy are listed in the global rankings of Times Higher Education 2024. Cost of study in Italy is even more affordable compared to New Zealand and Germany. Those planning to study in a public Italian university may expect a tuition fee between 900 to 4,000 EUR (80,567 to 3.58 lakhs INR) per annum for UG somewhere between 400 to 3,500 EUR (35,807 to 31.13 lakhs). The cost of study in private universities in Italy is comparatively higher than public universities.

5. Sweden

Sweden emerged as one of the top choices for international students post COVID-19 pandemic. International students may choose from more than 1000 courses across 39 universities in Sweden. Currently, more than 25,500 international students are studying in Sweden across various undergraduate and postgraduate programs. The annual cost to study in Sweden can be as low as 80,000 SEK (6.34 lakhs INR) or can go beyond 295,000 SEK (23.38 lakhs INR).

6. South Korea

South Korea attracts international students from all over the world due to its globally recognized research based courses and state-of-the-art facilities. The country houses nearly 400 public as well private universities. Universities in South Korea that admit international students conduct 30% of their courses in English. Some universities in South Korea may offer all courses in English, while others may only offer graduate courses in English language. The starting cost of study in Korea is 2,394,288 SKW (6.34 lakhs INR).

7. Spain

Spain ranks #6th among the best countries for studying abroad by U.S. News & World Report. Being regarded as one of the most popular tourist countries, Spain also houses numerous highly ranked universities in the world. Spain is home to 85 universities, with 56 of them listed in world rankings. Though majority universities offer courses in Spanish, there are some which also offer English taught courses. The annual tuition fee in Spain is seen to be around 750 to 2,500 EUR (67,080 to 2.23 lakhs INR) for UG and 1,000 to 3,500 EUR (89,441 to 3.13 lakhs INR) for PG.

8. Taiwan

Taiwan offers high quality education at an affordable tuition cost. There are more than 150 universities in Taiwan which include 2 year and 5 year junior colleges, as well as 4 year colleges & universities. A total of 26 universities in Taiwan are listed in QS World University Rankings 2024. Of those, 10 universities are ranked among 500 universities globally. The overall tuition fee may vary depending on the specializations, program level and university. However, international students may expect a tuition fee between 50,460 to 79,120 TWD (1.33 lakhs to 2.09 lakhs INR) per semester for bachelor’s degree and 51,280 to 230,000 (1.35 lakhs to 6.08 lakhs INR) per semester for master’s degree.

9. Malta

Malta is yet another ideal study abroad destination in Europe for students seeking higher education at low cost. Thousands of international students come to study abroad in Malta from 92 countries worldwide. Even being a small country, the degree from Malta is internationally recognized. The tuition fee in top universities in Malta cost somewhere between 7,500 to 24,000 EUR (6.7 lakhs to 21.46 lakhs INR) annually.

10. Hungary

There are nearly 14 listed universities in Hungary, of those 12 universities ranked globally. The cost of education in Hungary is among the lowest in Europe. Additionally, the cost of living is also very cheap compared to other European countries. International students may expect to pay a tuition around 2,500 to 3,000 EUR (2.23 lakhs to 2.68 lakhs INR) for most courses. Courses like medicine, engineering and business administration typically charge higher tuition fees which may go beyond 5,000 EUR (4.47 lakhs INR).

With an evolving education system globally, many of these countries are attracting international students from all over the world. Most of them offer high quality education and research facilities at affordable cost. Hence, international students seeking higher education abroad may consider going to any one of the following countries based on their preference.

Disclaimer: This article is a paid publication and does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of Hindustan Times. Hindustan Times does not endorse/subscribe to the content(s) of the article/advertisement and/or view(s) expressed herein. Hindustan Times shall not in any manner, be responsible and/or liable in any manner whatsoever for all that is stated in the article and/or also with regard to the view(s), opinion(s), announcement(s), declaration(s), affirmation(s) etc., stated/featured in the same.