The British Council is set to offer the ‘single largest scholarship' programme to Indian students. Spread across 260 graduate and post graduate courses, it will amount to approximately Rs. 10 Crore. A total of 370 scholarships across 36 institutions in the UK will be offered to Indian students for semester admissions in September 2014 and January 2015.
The recent global economic downturn and the falling Indian Rupee may not affect the number of Indian students applying to the UK for higher education. According to Paul Sellers, Director of British Council Operations, South India, it is too early to judge the impact of the Indian economic condition on admissions to the UK. "Indian students prepare well. Increasingly in India, people do have the means," Sellers spoke to The Hindu, Bengaluru.
The Education UK exhibition, by the British Council, in November 2013 was to attract Indian students to avail a quality higher education and be part of a thriving community. Around 30,000 Indian students are part of the four lakh strong South Asian community living in the UK.
The British Council has gone to extensive lengths to help students, interested in applying to the UK. An example is a 10-minute film, to clarify visa procedures and regulations, for the perusal of students.
Ottolie Wekezer, Director, Services of International Education Marketing (South Asia), confirmed added incentive for students. Those who secure a graduate level job and earn more than £ 200,000 will be eligible for a three-year work visa in the UK.
In a fiercely competitive environment, where many countries are offering quality education to Indian students, the British Council is clear that it is not creating a stir. Their approach has been described as a non-reactive response which Paul Sellers summed up as, "business as usual."