The French way

Over the last five years, initiatives such as the in crease in the number of courses taught in English, the reintroduction of the post study work (PSW) scheme, long-term visas of up to five years to Indian citizens who have studied in France at Master's or PhD levels, and various scholarships for Indian students, have put France at the forefront as a potential study destination among Indians. Subsequently, the number of Indians pursuing their higher studies in France, too, has jumped by 50%, according to Campus France, the French na tional agency for higher studies.In 2014, the number of Indian students pursuing their Bachelor's level and above is 2,700.
Popular courses
As with other countries, the most popular courses among Indian students heading to France are engineering and management. Informs Antoine Grassin, managing director, Campus France, “Around 70% of the Indian students in France are enrolled in either engineering or management schools. One reason for this is that engineering and management schools in France are similar to the Indian IITs and IIMs. So, students are familiar with them. Another important aspect is that the degrees offered by these schools have a high employability quotient which is what students are looking for.“ Other courses that attract Indian students to French universities are science subjects, including physics and chemistry. Adds Bikas Sanyal, director, Maison de l'Inde (Indian residence at the International University Campus in Paris CIUP), “Earlier, the typical Indian student would be a male student pursuing engineering, science or management at an institute here. However, the Indian student pool is becoming increasingly diverse as we now welcome a higher number of women wanting to pursue courses in fields such as humanities or fashion.“
Why this option?
Apart from the slew of initiatives undertaken by the French government, other major reasons for the spike in the number of Indian students going to France for higher studies is the realization that unlike the US and UK, a French education is not only inexpensive but also that the country has several highly ranked institutions across disciplines and gives access to the entire Schengen area.
Says Soumya Datta, an MSc in computer security graduate from Eurecom, currently employed at the institute, “The advantages of pursuing a Master's degree in France are abundant. Firstly, since the French government subsidizes higher education, at least in public institutions, the course fees here are considerably lower than in other countries like the US and UK. Furthermore, the mandatory six month internship, which is required by a number of degrees, allows students to get acquainted with industry. The strong ties that institutes have with local industry also ensure that students imbibe such skills that are in demand in the market. Lastly, students can expect assistance from the government for lodging (CAF benefits) and medical assistance at a nominal cost for the entire period of study.“