Indian women think studying abroad would help them achieve academic upgradation, give them better job opportunities, higher wages and career prospects. A survey revealed that women are the most willing students to study abroad in India. The survey further stated that the most preferred study destination for Indian women is the United States of America (USA), the United Kingdom (UK) and Canada. However, most women face financial hurdles as the most common challenge while moving out to pursue higher education abroad.
To understand the ground reality and uncover trends, MSM Unify conducted an elaborate survey with a sample size of more than 1256 students, and more than 250 education consultants. Among the students, around 65% of respondents were women, and the remaining 35% were men. The survey probed the education partners, 60% of education consultants answered that there has been a considerable rise in the number of women applying for study abroad programs from India. Today, women in India are realising the need to build a strong career pathway for themselves.
The Women’s Day special survey report disclosed that around 71% of the surveyed women respondents have considered study abroad opportunities in the top five domains of interest as Science at 21%, Management at 17%, Arts at 12%, Technology at 7% and Languages at 5%.
Better career prospects
The survey revealed that around 49% of the respondents stated better career prospects are the top reason for Indian women to consider education overseas. They believed that studying abroad would open their doors to better jobs as compared to that in India. Moreover, around 18% of the respondents voted by financial consideration, followed by 15% of respondents who believed that studying abroad would help them achieve academic upgradation.
The preference for global education for better employment opportunities depicts a strategic perspective to boost careers. When probed further, many stated that working abroad may lead to a pathway to gain permanent residency, making their decision to study abroad even more worthwhile.
Interestingly, Springer’s research suggests that female graduates who study abroad have a chance of earning 3% – 4% higher wages than those who choose not to study abroad, 1 and 5 years after graduating, respectively. When asked about shifts in Indian families’ views on women studying abroad, 76% of education consultants noted a change, while 24% saw no difference. The key driver for women studying abroad is greater awareness of global educational opportunities, say education consultants.
Hurdles in study abroad planning
Among the survey respondents, 67% of female respondents said that finances could come in the way of their study-abroad planning. This includes a lack of information about scholarships, grants access to various monetary benefits and more. Around 17% blamed the lengthy visa process and wait time as the second biggest challenge, as per the audience survey.
What is striking is that 11% of women respondents believed that personal safety can be a challenge while planning to study in another country. This concern stands out because, in 2024, when diversity and inclusion are a big agenda in most developed countries – personal safety concerns should ostensibly be lower. International education consultants must take comprehensive steps to assure both the prospective students and their parents are counselled about the safety prospects.