Another popular destination among students is Australia, which offers “high-quality teaching and support systems”. As of June 2014 there were almost 42,000 Indian student enrollments across Australia’s education and training providers. The most popular courses for Indian students are in the field of management and commerce; food, hospitality and personal services; engineering and related technologies; and information technology.

“It is also a significant international education destination for emerging careers in technology, digital, robotics, media and entertainment, scientific research and health,” an Australian High Commission spokesperson said. Highlighting the benefits of studying in Australia, the spokesperson said Australian education focused on meeting the needs of industry, providing quality training and connecting skills with job outcomes.

Students keen on pursuing biotechnology, business and finance, ICT, and medtech related courses also opt for Ireland, which Damien English, Ireland’s minister of state at the departments of education and skills and jobs, enterprise, innovation, describes as “dynamic, lively and modern with a young population and a successful, technologically orientated economy”. He said that most programmes cost in the range of Rs 8 to 12 lakh with the cost of living per annum being a similar amount, adding that from a base of 850 Indian students choosing to study in Ireland in 2012, it has doubled to over 3,000 in the next three years.