Higher Education in Australia for Indian Students

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Higher education in Australia for Indian students has seen a steep rise in the last few years. High quality education at affordable rates, professional degrees which are internationally recognized, less cost of living, high job opportunities, and a country with beautiful scenery all these have contributed to make higher education in Australia for Indian students a pleasurable experience.

Indian students going for higher education in Australia have increased significantly with 27,000 Indian students enrolling at Australian education institution in 2005. This when contrasted with 1990s when only 500 Indian students were enrolled and in 2001 when 10,000 Indian students were enrolled shows how much higher education in Australia for Indian students has increased.

In March, 2007 Australian Prime Minister Howard accounced a bilateral research programme with India worth A$ 25 million to promote higher education in Australia for Indian students. It has been observed that majority of Indian students going for higher education in Australia are going for post graduate degrees. The courses most preferred for higher education in Australia by Indian students are as followed:

  • information technology
  • management
  • engineering
  • applied science and hospitality
  • accounting
  • biotechnology
  • communication studies
  • art and design


The most popular course was management studies but other courses such as nursing and biotechnology are emerging as popular choices among higher education in Australia for Indian students. Surprisingly it has been observed that 54% of the Indian students going for higher education in Australia in 2007 choose educational institutes in Victoria state. Out of five approximately one international student studying in Melbourne and Victoria is from India.

In Victoria, 47% Indian students were pursing higher education- two third were pursing Masters and over 100 were pursing PhD programmes in 2007. Indian students are providing the main market in contributing to the overall rise in Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector. In Victoria's (VET) sector enrolments have trebled to 9,000 in 2007 from 3,059 in 2006 largely due to the Indian students going for higher education in Australia.

Around 1000 Indian students doing higher education in Australia are undertaking programmes in land and marine resources in 2007. The two year diploma in horticulture has also become popular among Indian students doing higher education in Australia.

Though higher education in Australia for Indian students has increased a lot room for improvement is still there. The governments of both the countries has to see to it that this progress does not stop but reaches its full potential.