The prospect of studying overseas is exciting for some students. For others, it creates a potent mix of fear and apprehension. The younger the student, the more his or her parent is likely to worry. Finally, there is the question of the finances: What will be the return on investment? These days, it’s fair to ask if there will be any, given the increasing hostility faced by international students from India, regardless of their personal conduct.
I would encourage you to closely consider the following five factors before you make your decision. Why should you listen to me? Because I was once where you are today and have 12 years of experience as an Indian citizen living overseas. Like many others, I once rode the wild rollercoaster of overseas education as a fairly naïve international student.
Consider the weather before you choose
This may seem like a small thing, but it has a significant impact on your mental health. I studied in Toronto, Canada, where the weather is frigid, after spending the preceding 18 years in Mumbai. So, adapting to the weather was my first great challenge.
In retrospect, the seasonal affective disorder (SAD) I suffered during the height of winter during the first two years of my BA had a major impact on my productivity. I was unaccustomed to such extreme weather, and my mood dipped. I slipped on black ice despite buying a sturdy pair of Sorel snowshoes. Obviously, this affected my academic productivity and, for a short period in my second year, hurt my GPA.
Therefore, I recommend carefully reviewing the climate of the town or city your prospective college is in. Opting for a sunnier region may just be what the doctor ordered (or would do!) for you.
Accurately assess your finances
You must have an honest conversation about your financial capacity with yourself and those dearest to you. Having heard far too many sad stories of recent Indian international students who have taken loans to fund their studies, I would be a bare-faced liar if I told you to take a loan to go abroad. Do not do this because the chances of you repaying the same by working overseas are nearly non-existent.
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There are a few reasons for this. The most obvious ones are the contracting economies in countries like Canada, the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, and perhaps even Australia. Secondly, politicians and companies are actively focused on encouraging and hiring locals, given the loud pushback against lower-paid, often hugely overworked, “unskilled” immigrant workers from countries like ours. The companies may say that they don’t discriminate based on nationality or any other factor, but they wouldn’t admit it even if they did. So, kill that flight of fancy while you’re home!
The third reason why you must be honest about money is the duty of care you owe to yourself. Countries like Canada and Australia are extremely expensive to live in presently, even for locals.
For example, Canada ranks first in the list of G7 countries with extremely high inflation. You do not want to be like the thousands of Indian international students I regularly see doing dangerous deliveries for companies like DoorDash and Instacart amidst banks of snow.
They do this because they did not accurately assess the cost of pursuing a Canadian degree, or perhaps they were misled. Regardless of the causes, the tragic, repetitive outcome is that these students struggle to balance a heavy academic load alongside demanding, high-stress work.
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Those who don’t work for gig-economy companies often moonlight as security guards or cashiers at grocery chains. I am not sure how many of them are able to make enough money in the 24 hours that international students are currently allowed to work in Canada.
The ‘cash cow’ phenomenon is real
The reality is that international students from countries like India, Vietnam, China, Mexico, Nigeria, and Ghana are seen and treated as cash cows by cash-deprived, hungry colleges and universities in the West. For example, international students in Canada contributed 37.3 billion dollars in the year 2022 alone.
Perhaps this has been the case for more than a decade, but it has certainly taken on a new life in Canada over the last four to five years. I am certain that several reputed and disreputable Canadian educational institutions have benefited tremendously from the massive international student windfall.
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So, buyer, please beware and do not go overseas just for the sake of it. Do identify a clear academic goal for yourself and ensure that you extract every benefit from your academic program.
Do not underestimate the academic difficulty
The best way to do this is to handle each academic challenge head-on, as it comes. A growing, troubling phenomenon I have noticed is the arrival of the inexplicably arrogant Indian international student. I came across a few such students when visiting the University of Toronto campus, and have noticed this on other major university campuses.
I don’t mean to imply that all Indian students are like this, but it is certainly a growing trend. I am uncertain why this attitude has developed, but it reflects poorly on the students.
It’s essential for any student, at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, not underestimate the difficulty of academic programmes at Western universities. They must not assume that the quality of instruction or the academic challenges will be less than those in an Indian school. This is especially applicable to top universities in these countries, where some programmes are often harder than their Indian counterparts.
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Do yourself a favour and do not underestimate your prospective studies. It doesn’t matter if you have had a high-quality education in India, regardless of the type of the education board (IB, HSC, ISC). The academic challenge you have chosen to accept is quite unique and will offer its own rewards and “punishments.”
Pursue an education, not migration
This last piece of advice is perhaps the hardest I have to offer. Although countries like Canada actively court international students from across the globe, it is extremely unwise for prospective students to think of future permanent residence or citizenship as a “done deal.” The strong pushback against international students from India protesting new, abrupt changes to immigration requirements in Prince Edward Island in 2024 indicated how locals resent this.
Some locals in Toronto reacted similarly to the protests by Ontario International Nomination Program (OINP) candidates who were protesting what they alleged were unfair rejections. They argued that they had not misrepresented themselves as was claimed by the province. These skilled workers did not receive much public support despite their peaceful, valid protests.
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The fact remains that the often-repeated claim across Canadian social media that ‘PR is a privilege, not a right’ is true. Therefore, prospective migrants should recognise that any foreign country always reserves the right to offer permanent residence or reject immigrants from another country, regardless of their country of origin.
You should identify a degree that you really want to pursue, or that will tangibly improve your earning potential. Do not go abroad otherwise and find a better use for your time. If successful immigration is the end-goal, then — at least today — you are only setting yourself up for expensive disappointment.
