As the citizens of the United States of America welcome Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for registering a thumping victory at the 2020 US Presidential Elections, relief sweeps through the students in India, who are now reconsidering the US universities for pursuing their higher studies.
The Trump-led US government had recently proposed a change in the rule for student visas that involved fixed terms of up to four years for student visas.
The duration of status
Currently, student visas follow “duration of status,”, which allows the students to stay in the country till they are enrolled in any University. With the new rule, the student visa will be valid only for four years irrespective of the time taken by a student to complete the program. With the new democrat administration, the uncertainty factor among the aspiring Indian students caused by the proposed visa regulations is likely to change.
The USA has been a destination for about a million international students last academic year. Most policymakers recognise the importance of these international students, including learners from India, to America. International education is the fifth-largest US service sector export, contributing nearly $41 billion to the economy in 2019.
Over that time, international students also supported more than 458,000 jobs. In short, students from India and around the world are critical to America.
For decades, the country has been the first choice for Indian students for its high-quality teaching, diversity, and welcoming culture. In fact, through both Republican and Democrat administrations, one thing has always remained constant – America’s reputation as a leader in global Higher Education.
The statistics
According to the Times Higher Education Global University Rankings, 50% of the leading 50 world universities are from the US, with 8 of them positioned in the top 10. The strength of American Higher Education is evident with 62 current serving world leaders having studied in the US.
According to the Association of International Educators NAFSA, International education advances learning and scholarship, fosters understanding and respect among people of diverse backgrounds and perspectives, is essential for developing globally competent individuals. It is for these reasons, American universities are keen to make sure that their student bodies are drawn from talented people across the world, including India.
For the Indian students, studying in America begins with specialist support in English language training and study skills, which can allow them to thrive. Study Group, an organisation that has built a wealth of experience in teaching and welcoming international students for over 25 years, is supporting Indian students as they begin their studies overseas and offers them an all-round experience in collaboration with a broad network of university partners.
In fact, its US pathway programs, in which students can earn credits towards their degree, achieved an exceptional student satisfaction rate of 95%. A completion rate of 94% and 93% of students were eligible to progress to the second year of study at their chosen university.
Exceptional academic and student experience
This academic success rate and the cultural integration of Indian students indicate how much they enjoy studying at the study centers of the US universities that deliver an exceptional academic and student experience.
This results in sector-leading student progression rates in the International Study Centers, which is already seeing an increased demand for seats for the 2021-22 academic year, especially post the democratic win in the 2020 elections. This clearly explains why America is still a place for talented minds to pursue their dreams.
Credits: Article by Josh Rubin is the Vice President of Higher-Education in North America for Study Group & India Today.
