Australia and US top targets for Asian students

While it is still the biggest global power on the block, the US is challenged by Australia to be the most popular destination for young students from Korea and India.

The trend is for Indian students to choose Australia as their study destination of choice. In the past five years, the number of Indians on the move to Australia and applying for student visas increased from 13,000 to 85,026. The number of Indian students studying in Australia increased by 52% in 2008 alone, compared to a rise of just 13% in the US, which has traditionally been the favourite place to study abroad among Indians.

Kelly Raj, the Australian high commission in New Delhi’s education counsellor, says diverse factors make Australia popular with Indian students: "The quality of education offered in Australia, along with the nation’s open, friendly, multicultural society, generous work rights, potential for migration, and exposure to research facilities have combined to boost the numbers."

Record numbers of Korean students gained US student visas in 2008, with 110,000 moving to the US to study, adding up to about 15.2% of all foreign students in the US.

While Indians form a significant percentage of Australia’s international student body, big numbers of Chinese, Sri Lankan and students from other Asian nations pursue tertiary education in Australia. In addition to the factors mentioned by Kelly Raj, the ability for graduates to pursue careers and permanent residency in Australia is also a factor in their choice of Australian education.