Europe trumps US in the higher studies game

Policy changes in the recent past have prompted students to ditch plans of studying in the United States
With the Donald Trump administration’s approach towards immigration and introduction of deep budget cuts in education and legislative protection for local students, US universities are increasing the tuition fees for international students to raise revenue. Back home, this move has dealt a big blow to education prospects of Indian students who are now looking at other options.
Sayali Marathe, who is going to Kings College in the United Kingdom to study BA in History or International Relations, says that considering the soaring fees, studying in the US was not an option. “Had I chosen to go to the US, the same course would have cost me $50000 (`34 lakh approx). In the UK I will complete the course in £17000 (`15,56738 approx). One has to think about affordability as well,” says Sayali.
Like Sayali, there are a lot of students who are considering to opt for universities in Europe or Canada, where scholarships and better job prospects are ample in number. Ankit Chopda who has received acceptances from TU9 universities in Germany, says, “The course fee in the US would be as high as `50-60lakh.Whereas in Germany, state run universities sponsor international students. Once the tuition fees get waived off, all you have to look after are your living expenses.” He further added that Germany is a hub of automobile companies and therefore a preferred destination among students in the field of manufacturing.
Coupled with the immigration issues, the stringent visa guidelines in the US are another reason why students are ditching their plans of studying in Trump-land. “While the world is moving ahead, the US is going the other way. Corporates too are moving their headquarters out of the States and countries like Ireland are making the most of the opportunity,” says Dhruv Patwa, who will be going to study MSc Finance at the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School in Dublin. He further added that many European countries are offering students better packages and job prospects making it a better choice for them.
Another important factor that students consider while opting for education abroad is safety. “When a country’s president advocates the use of guns for fighting shootings, how are people going to feel safe,” questions Bhavana Jalali, who is looking to pursue courses in architecture and interior designing from the University of Toronto, Canada. She feels that crimes are inevitable in any country. “However, it is the government’s response to crimes that matters. I don’t think the current situation in the US is favourable for international students looking to study there.”

The Culinary Institute of America is an extremely expensive college to study in. Moreover, the curriculum in George Brown University is much better as it offers a six-month internship in France as well. So, it’s a much better choice for me.
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While students who have completed three-year graduation courses qualify to apply for Masters in the UK, US requires students who have completed a four-year. So, the former option is a preferable one.
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Two to three people are put up in a single room in US varsity hostels. In the UK, for similar or lesser fees, you get a dedicated room and have your personal space. That’s a big draw for me.

By: Mayuri.Phadnis@timesgroup.com and Rachana Pathrikar