Higher salaries, better employability top priorities for Indian students abroad: IDP study

NEW DELHI: With India’s growing youth population and intensifying competition, coupled with a dearth of quality jobs in the domestic market, Indian students are increasingly turning to higher education abroad to secure their futures. A study by IDP Education reveals that better employability and higher salary packages are among the top priorities for Indian students studying abroad.

The Emerging Futures Seven – Voice of the International Student research, which surveyed more than 6,000 students from 106 countries, including nearly 1,400 from India, found that 77% of Indian students pursue higher studies overseas for career advancement, better job prospects, and higher earnings.

The report also found that 70% of Indian students ranked access to work placements as a primary academic factor influencing their choice of institution. “This presents an opportunity for institutions seeking to attract and retain Indian talent to align their marketing strategies, program development, and student support services with this key academic priority,” the report stated.

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Australia top choice for Indian students

In a notable shift from traditional preferences, Australia has overtaken the United States to become the top destination for Indian students, followed by the United Kingdom. The report attributes this shift to Australia’s efforts to align post-study work rights with skills shortages, in addition to its relative affordability compared to other major study destinations.

Sunny Singh, a former international student from India who now works as an engineer in Australia, highlighted the real-world impact of global education.

“When Indian students come to countries like Australia, we’re not just here to study. When we embark on global study journeys, we are investing in building a future. We want to make a positive impact on our communities during the time that we spend studying and working in places like Australia,” Singh said.

“I’m incredibly proud of the career that I have built for myself. It hasn’t always been easy, but working in engineering and helping fill a critical skills gap is very rewarding.”

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Rising costs discourage study abroad dreams

The survey revealed that 'job outcomes from the institution' is the top non-academic factor for 69% of Indian international students — 9% higher than the global average.

“We know that international students choose their study destination based on factors that help them become job-ready, with access to post-study employment visas being a key influence. Students leaving India to embark on their global journeys are no different,” said Simon Emmett, Chief Partner Officer at IDP Education.

“Simultaneously, we observe that international students are increasingly addressing essential skill shortages in destination countries. This is especially true for Indian students, with nearly half (45%) of current students and 43% of prospective or applied students indicating they intend to work in their study destination after completing their education,” he added.

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International students strengthen workforce and diplomacy

The research also emphasized the need to welcome international students, noting, “This study serves as a timely reminder for governments and policymakers to embrace the international student cohort, who go on to fill vital skill gaps and foster long-lasting diplomatic ties between their home and host countries.”

Highlighting why studying at a foreign university remains a distant dream for many, the research revealed that high tuition fees and the rising cost of living are the top reasons Indian students abandon their aspirations to study abroad.

“Financial factors like tuition costs and savings requirements are top of mind for Indian students — and we’re beginning to see how that is powerfully shaping their decisions. More than half of Indian students say their choice of study destination would change based on the availability of scholarships (55%) and part-time work opportunities (54%),” said Piyush Kumar, Regional Director – South Asia, Canada, and Latin America (LATAM) at IDP Education.