British Council launches scholarship programme in UP

Total scholarships would be worth over Rs 15 crore; largest ever programme offered to Indian students

British Council today launched the 'Great Britain Scholarships - India 2015' in Lucknow as part of its ongoing 'Great Britain' campaign.

The campaign showcases educational opportunities for Indian students in some leading British universities and colleges. Such programmes are held in select Indian towns every year.

The total scholarships would be worth over Rs 15 crore. With 401 scholarships this year coupled with 750 in the last two years, this would be the largest ever scholarships programme offered to Indian students.

"British universities and colleges continue to be the first choice among Indian students deciding to pursue higher studies abroad," British High Commission (New Delhi) minister counselor (political & press) Andrew Soper said here.

He said the UK enjoyed a global reputation for excellence in the field of education and skills.

"The fact that 84% of Indian student visa applicants in 2013 were successful clearly shows we welcome Indian students in our universities," he noted.

However, Soper said the number of Indian students studying in the UK had fallen to 24,000 last year from the highs of 2010, when it stood at 40,000.

"There could be several reasons behind the phenomenon. One major reason could be that the British government has cracked down upon bogus admissions, as we only want genuine foreign students to apply and study in the UK," he underlined.

Four of the world's top six universities are in the UK. Over 90% of postgraduate students in the UK had rated the quality of teaching positively and the satisfaction rate had hit 10-year high at 86%, as per the National Student Survey (NSS), British Council director (operations) Gill Caldicott informed.

Meanwhile, 20 British universities and colleges participated in the Great Britain campaign. The UK, together with USA, Australia and Singapore, are leading offshore educational destinations for Indian students.