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#1
04-15-2007, 11:14 AM
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Reality check for studies UK, US
IS IT WORTHWHILE GOING TO THE US AND UK FOR HIGHER STUDIES? SOUMYADIPTA BANERJEE DOES A REALITY CHECK
The US and the UK have always been the most preferred destinations for Indian students. However, post 9/11, a lot has changed- the entry laws have become stricter, and getting a work visa to stay back in these countries is not as easy as it used to be. Yet,Indian students are unrelenting when it comes to pursuing their dollar and pound dreams.And most students who are now looking at these countries as their destination for higher studies harbour a few common queries in mind: Is it now worth going to the US or the UK to study? So let's do a reality check in the light of the latest facts and figures. MIGRATION MANUAL For students intending to study in the US, the application process has been made faster but the visa rules have been modified and made more detailed and stringent. ”We are seeing quicker processing of applications and faster issuance of I-20s so that students can apply sooner for their visas.The issuance rules for visas have been modified in recent times,” says Sudarshan Saha, Assistant Education Advisor, United States Education Foundation in India (USEFI), Kolkata. For students intending to study in the UK, the international student immigration rules are going through a transformation and the British government has proposed a new system, called Points Based System. This system will be in place soon. “The British government has proposed a way to make the student immigration rules more transparent and easier.The Points Based System will be introduced within the next couple of years. Student visa applicants will be awarded points across a range of criteria like existing qualifications,acceptance on a course,evidence of funding etc. Assuming the minimum points-threshold is met, the visa will be issued. And there will be no waste of time or money submitting applications that don’t qualify since this system will allow students online self-assessment against the points criteria. It will be a much better system for all involved,” says Kitty Tawakley, Deputy Head, Press and Communications, British High Commission, New Delhi. MONEY MATTERS Lets face the facts first. The cost of education in the US is still out of reach of the Indian middle-class,unless you have secured a scholarship. Also, one needs a bank guarantee to furnish evidence of funds. And for students who can’t manage either or both, it’s virtually impossible to gain admission. In case of the UK, if you convert the yearly payout towards studying in any UK university, it does seem like a lot of money. But the British Council has a different point of view.“It does seem that the UK is more expensive, especially if you look at the exchange rate.However, if you look a little deeper, the cost of studying in the UK is comparable to other countries,”says Ruchika Castelino, Head, Education UK,British Council India.This is because the courses are of shorter duration compared to other countries. Bachelor’s degree courses in the UK are only for three years (except Scotland, where it is of four years duration) and taught Master’s programmes are of one year duration. So, you save on study time, which in turn, saves your money. “Many scholarships are available for postgraduate study, and some even for undergraduate study. Students (pursuing courses of more than six-months duration) are covered for free or subsidised medical treatment under the National Health scheme (NHS) in the UK. So they don’t have to buy expensive medical insurance,” adds Ruchika. Besides, in the UK,students are offered discounts on travel and entertainment. PAYING IT BACK The US law permits all international students to work on campus for a maximum of 20 hours per week. Generally, there are a variety of jobs available on campus. “Most students need to work to supplement their income. It might not be a bad idea to work while studying, since it brings in valuable work experience that can be used later.Generally,the larger the school, the greater the availability of jobs. Students work in the library, cafeteria, various departments of the university, etc. Graduate students work as teaching assistants teaching under-graduate classes or as research assistants under a professor,” says Sunrit Mullick, Regional Officer and Educational Advisor, USEFI, Kolkata. Teaching and research assistantships for graduate students generally take care of the living costs. Internships are also available during the vacation months.“These jobs pay very well and add value to a student’s resume.The federal minimum wage rate is currently US$ 5.15 per hour. Many states enact higher minimum wages than that established by the Federal government.The hourly wage could be as high as US$ 9 per hour, depending upon the skill requirement of the job,” adds Mullick. In the UK too, a student can work up to 20 hours a week during term time and full time during vacations. Schemes such as ‘Fresh Talent’ in Scotland and the ‘Postgraduate Scheme’ allow students to gain work experience after their course.“No, it isn’t possible to fund the entire cost of studying and living in the UK through a part-time job. It should be considered as an extra income.However,it may not be feasible for the student to work up to 20 hours due to course work requirements.Even if they do manage to find the time to work, they may not earn enough to fund their tuition and living cost,” says Marina Gandhi, Head, Education UK, British Council, Kolkata. JOB HOPPING The US law permits international students to apply for jobs in the US and find a US employer.“It isn’t a bad idea to gain a few years of work experience and then return to India to plough back the benefits of an US education and work experience for the home country,” says Mullick. Even in the UK, it is possible to work. But like in the US,there is no guarantee of getting a job post completion of the course. “As with any country or institution, there is no guaranteed job.The demand in each sector changes constantly. Students should be in touch and take advice from the job centres at the UK institutions in order to find out about job opportunities in their chosen areas,”says Tim Gore,Director of Education at the British Council. However, here’s a word of caution from the Council regarding the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) visa — the pointbased immigration programme. Many students willing to work in the UK bank on the HSMP visa to live and work there.“Students in the UK should not bank on qualifying for an HSMP visa. They should be aware that completing a recognised degree-level course would allow them to switch into work permit employment at the end of their studies. This may be for as long as five years initially,and in some cases could lead to permanent residency status and work in the UK,” says Kitty. According to British Council, there is a special scheme for Scotland, called ‘Fresh Talent’, whereby students qualifying at Higher National Diploma level or better from a Scottish college or university are allowed to remain in Scotland after their studies for a period of two years. During this two year period they are allowed to work without needing a work permit or any other permission from the home office. 
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#2
04-15-2007, 11:16 AM
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Reality check for studies UK, US - FAQs
Are more students going to the US and UK for higher studies? In the US, the student count has actually declined and contrary to media reports, the number of Indian students going to the US has actually declined over the past year. In 2005-06, the number of Indian students enrolled in US universities was 76,503 reflecting a decline of 4.9 per cent over the previous year. During 2004-05, the student count was 80,466. UK has registered an increase of 18 per cent. About 9,221 student visas were issued for students between October 2005 and September 2006. , What are the most popular subjects? In the US, management, engineering, life sciences are the most popular subjects going by student preferences. According to Saha, students’ preferences in have remained the same over the years with most candidates opting for research and professional courses. In contrast, not many students have opted for subjects such as Humanities, Arts etc. In the UK, the MBA rules over other subjects as per students’ preference. “Indian students study a wide range of subjects in the UK. The most popular subjects are business and management — the MBA being the single most popular course. Science and technology which would include engineering, biosciences and IT, media and communications, art and design etc,” says Tim Gore. According to Gore, in the UK, the one-year taught Master’s programmes are most in demand. And contrary to popular belief, most students are not opting for technical and professional courses. It is only a part of the popular taught courses. “Since the UK is unique in offering a one-year Master’s programme many Indian students choose to go to the UK for this reason. They save on time and money and can go into employment earlier,” Gore adds.
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