In 1883, Anandibai Gopalrao Joshi, a resident of Maharashtra, becameone of the first Indian woman to pursue her education overseas. She took up medicine at Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania, presently known as Drexel University College of Medicine. Today, exactly 141 years later, 49 per cent of Indian students who study abroad constitute women.
MSM Unify, a study- abroad platform, conducted a survey which disclosed that 49 per cent of participants cited better employment possibilities as the main criteria to consider studying abroad. They claimed that studying overseas would enable them to access better employment opportunities, as opposed to obtaining a comparable education in India. Study abroad prospects were on the minds of 71 per cent of the women who responded to the survey, with the top five areas of interest being Science (21 per cent), Management (17 per cent), Arts (12 per cent), Technology (7 per cent), and Languages (5 per cent).
MSM Unify carried out this survey with 1,256 students and more than 250 education consultants, of which 65 per cent of the participants were women and 35 per cent were men. 65 per cent of the participants were already looking into studying overseas. This survey report outlines the primary drivers of women’s interest in global education, as well as their goals and urgent challenges.
67 per cent of the female survey respondents stated that their ability to plan for study abroad could be hampered by their financial situation. This includes a lack of knowledge on grants, scholarships, and other financial incentives. According to the survey, the second top concern was the protracted visa application process and wait time (17 per cent).
18 per cent of respondents ranked financial concern as their top priority, and 15 per cent said studying abroad would help them advance academically. The desire for international education in order to improve work prospects is indicative of a strategic viewpoint to advance one’s career. When questioned further, a lot of them said that working overseas could open doors to permanent residence, which would make their choice to study abroad even more beneficial!
The startling finding is that 11 per cent of female respondents thought that preparing to study abroad might present challenges for personal safety. This fear is worth noting, especially since one would think that concerns about personal safety would ideally be lesser in 2024—a year when most developed nations place a high priority on diversity and inclusion. International education consultants should take proactive measures to ensure that prospective students and their parents receive safety-related counselling.
According to 60 per cent of education experts surveyed by MSM Unify, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of Indian women applying for study abroad programmes. Indian women are beginning to understand how important it is to forge a solid career path for themselves. Remarkably, female graduates who study abroad are more likely to earn three to four per cent higher than those who did not choose to study abroad. 76 per cent of education consultants observed a change in the attitudes of Indian families towards women studying abroad, whereas 24 per cent noticed no change at all.
As per education consultants, the key driver for women studying abroad has been greater awareness of global educational opportunities. The United States emerged as the favoured destination among Indian women, followed by the United Kingdom and Canada, highlighting diverse educational aspirations.
Image source: NBC News, Daily Excelsior