Women make up more than a third of all Indians studying abroad
According to a report by Leap Scholar, female students constitute a significant portion of outbound students, which indicates that they are breaking stereotypes in India.
“This points towards inclusion of a broader and more diverse demographic, with aspirations for international study traveling beyond conventional backgrounds and ethnicities,” said a statement by the company.
“Furthermore, with females constituting a significant portion of this trend (34%), it highlights how women in India are breaking stereotypes and leading the way on global education.”
As per a report by the Economic Times, there has been an uptick in the number of women accessing education loans to study abroad.
Consultants are now seeing a major jump in the number of female students applying for education loans, from 30% in FY21 to 45% in FY24.
Moreover, female students from India are increasingly choosing the US, especially for STEM courses, but they are still comparatively rarer than male students, as previously reported by The PIE News.
The survey also highlighted that 57% of the students choosing to study abroad gained their pre-university education from schools run by state boards.
State boards are run by respective regional governments in India, which determine the standard of education and examinations for schools in their state.
The rise in ambition among state board students to study overseas can be credited to the rapid expansion of digital access across India, along with increased resource availability and growing awareness of international study opportunities.
The data also contradicts the long-held notion that students from the government-run Central Board of Secondary Education, the private-run Indian Certificate of Secondary Education, and the International Baccalaureate are more likely to study abroad.
“We feel inspired by the growing aspirations of Indian students, particularly those from state boards, who are now considering and embracing studying abroad like never before,” Arnav Kumar, co-founder, Leap, told The PIE.
“We also feel very good to see female students leading the charge. This shift not only reflects the increasing accessibility of studying abroad but also the changing mindset of Indian students, who are now more open to exploring unconventional ways of learning.”
This shift not only reflects the increasing accessibility of studying abroad but also the changing mindset of Indian students, who are now more open to exploring unconventional ways of learning
Arnav Kumar, Leap
The survey also revealed a shift in both destination preferences and areas of study.
While Canada, the UK, and the US continue to be the most popular choices, Indian students are increasingly exploring “emerging exciting new options” like Japan and the Netherlands.
In addition to the continued popularity of STEM disciplines, students are broadening their academic interests, with growing numbers pursuing Psychology, Law, Sport Sciences, Architecture, Performing Arts, and Social Sciences.
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