Enter COVID-19, foreign Universities offer IELTS relaxation and fee-waivers and much more to attract Indian students

Vinod Kakumanu
June 1, 2020, 12:41 p.m.

Aligning themselves to the demand of the times, foreign universities are coming out with appealing offers and features including fee-waivers, IELTS relaxation etc.

Besides fee-waivers, there are online courses, virtual tours, provisional admissions, and an unprecedented option to join on-campus at a time that suits the candidate.

It is expected that foreign universities would attract Indian students in the times when the international scenario has changed indefinitely. The Indian nationals make the second-highest influx of international exchange, hence the zealous attempts at luring them for admissions.

A recent report by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) suggests that around 48 percent of Indian students with aspirations to study abroad have altered their plans in a significant way in the wake of the COVID -19 crisis. The major factors that are deterring these students include the expenses and the increasingly bleak job opportunities, thanks to the Corona crisis.

At least some of these students are considering the online admission for at least the initial part of their course. It is reported that a majority of the institutes are offering their conventional courses online and they have started the admission process. As far as the on-campus studies are concerned, they can only be expected to resume by 2021.

There is an array of exemptions and concessions that are being granted by the foreign universities to increase enrollments for the current session. There are fee-waivers, acceptance of a provisional degree and acceptance of English proficiency certificates besides IELTS and TOEFL.

Let’s look at different international education destinations one by one and assess what they are offering in the current scenario.

Australia remains a favored destination for students. The country is offering considerable fee-waivers.

Universities in Australia are offering online degrees, besides fee-waivers and even monetary support.

Deakin University, Australia is a case in point which is offering online degree options, and quite unconventionally, offering an easy exit option if the student opts to do so. The varsity offers refunds if the student opts out of the courses, provided they chose to enroll in another within a year from the date of deferment. The university is also offering monetary support for students considered to be the hardest hit by the CoVID crisis.

Another favored educational destination for Indian, the UK is also attempting to lure students. To that end, the universities in UK are offering provisional admissions.

The University of Portsmouth, a public institute in the UK, is a typical example signifying the changes occurring in the policies of the foreign universities. The University is offering different scholarships for Indian students to cover £1,600 and a £5,000 fee for the first year. One of the most sought after course ---MA International Relations is provisionally being offered online by the varsity.