63 pc increase in Indian student visas for UK

Over 30,000 Indian students were granted Tier 4 study visas to the United Kingdom in the year ending September 2019, recording a 63 per cent hike as compared to the previous year, according to the latest UK immigration statistics published on Thursday.

The statistics further reveal that more than 512,000 Indian nationals were granted tourist visas to the UK, marking a nine per cent increase as compared to the previous year, the British High Commission in India said in a release.

Overall, it is estimated that more than 1 in 5 of all UK visas are granted to Indian nationals and 90 per cent of Indian applications are successful, which is above the global average.

The UK is home to three of the world's top 10 universities and more than 270,000 Indian students have benefitted from the country's quality education in the past decade.

Over 1,400 walk-ins had been recorded during the recent Study UK Fair in New Delhi, which gave students an opportunity to interact with representatives from over 50 UK universities.

Commenting on the recent statistics, British High Commissioner to India Dominic Asquith noted that this is the third consecutive year that the number of Indians having chosen to study in the UK has increased.

"It is important to us because these young leaders of tomorrow will reinforce the living bridge that connects India and the UK."

Barbara Wickham, Director India, British Council, said: "We are delighted to see, year on year, more Indian students choosing and trusting the UK education system. UK education institutions equally benefit from the diversity of talent and culture that Indian students bring to campuses."

"The positive growth in student visa statistics, along with the great collaboration between the Indian and UK higher education sectors, ensures that education continues to be key in the relationship between our two countries," she added.