5 Major Roadblocks for Indian Students Studying in Australia

December 23, 2022December 23, 2022 Zubair Rashid 0 Comments

India is one of the top countries after China to have the most international students. However, researchers recently found that Indian students’ numbers for studying in Australia decreased in 2021.

Researchers Anna Boucher and Elisa Choy used AI-powered strategic market research techniques to analyse public opinion towards Australia as a study destination for Indian international students. During the research, it was found that issues such as labour markets at low pay, quality of education and Australian politics affect the arrival of Indian nationals and substantial decline.

According to the Australian Strategy for International Education 2021-2030 report, Indian students currently account for 21% of the number of international students.

Indian students in Australia: why the country is perceived as unwelcoming

Its latest study of Indian attitudes towards education shows that Australia has emerged as an attractive future option for education since its last review on the subject in November 2020 and questions the likelihood of India emerging as a source of a viable student alternative. .

Their data also shows that Indian interest in Australia as an educational destination has declined significantly since November 2020 due to perceptions that the country is pushing Indian students away to Australia.

“In the nine months to August 2021, this sentiment has clearly morphed into a dominant and highly negative sentiment, including emotions of strong disgust and anger and diminished expectations of Australia as an educational destination,” The Interpreter researchers said at the Lowy Institute.

This ties in with the Australian travel ban on India from late April 2021 which would force anyone, including Australians, who has been to India in the previous two weeks and attempted to return to Australia, even via a third country such as New Zealand. Students doing that might face jail time and heavy fines of up to AUD 66,000.

“That stance has not been taken with respect to arrivals from the UK or the US as they faced a similar number of COVID-19 emergencies in early 2021,” the researchers said. Many people of Indian descent or residents of India who wished to enter Australia were also denied entry.

A second issue that has fueled Australia’s declining reputation as a higher education destination in India is concern about the general decline in Australian academic achievement.

Their analysis also shows that Indians are concerned about wage theft by Indians working in Australia and believe it has gotten worse since the pandemic. Indian students in Australia have higher participation rates than Chinese students and are more likely to be affected by low wages and deteriorating labour market conditions.

Earlier, Andrew Wharton, director of clients at IDP Connect, told Study International that analysis of data over the past two years shows “a steady decline in interest in Australia,” adding that all target markets have declined due to the avalanche of COVID-19.

In some markets, including India, interest in studying in Australia has declined. Two years ago, Australia captured 20% of the demand in this market. As of this writing, that number was down to 9%.

Wharton said migration and face-to-face learning opportunities are a big motivator in Indian students’ decision to study abroad. Its Crossroads surveys, which examined the attitudes and intentions of international university applicants, show that Indian students are struggling to learn online.

“I think it was mostly because they didn’t have the hardware or internet connection to have a comfortable and satisfying online learning experience. They were doing their classes on cell phones and with poor internet connections. So that’s what we’re doing successfully,” he explained.

The Sydney Morning Herald previously reported that India’s student market was worth A$6.6 billion to the country’s economy in the 2019-20 fiscal year, second only to China as the top source country for overseas students.

5 Major Roadblocks for Indian Students in Australia

After reading the overall reasons for low student participation over the years in Australia, it is important to know what are the major roadblocks a student might face. Hence, five reasons why Indian students can face problem while studying in Australia are mentioned below.

Language Barrier

Australia is an English speaking nation. Indian students from a non-English speaking country can face many problems. Daily activities such as interaction, shopping, etc. it can be very difficult for students.

how to deal-

There are many language support programs in universities. Students can take full advantage of it. Additionally, interacting with locals can also help you improve your conversation skills.

Making new friends

Coming from another country can be even more intimidating because not only the university but also the city and its people are new to you. So it’s perfectly normal to be nervous.

how to deal-

Talking to the person sitting next to you can be a great way to make friends and feel less uncomfortable. Joining student organisations or clubs can also be beneficial.

Adaptation to New Cultures

Coming from different cultural backgrounds can make your first days in the country difficult and you need to make some important adjustments. Slang in Australia differs from the usual ones such as “ta” (thank you) and “slang” (language or terminology). These can confuse newcomers.

how to deal-

An internet search can give you a rough idea of social norms. You can also try talking to the locals.

Diseases at Home

Whether you are moving to another city in your country or to another country, homesickness is natural. You may need to make a lot of adjustments when you get out of your comfort zone.

how to deal-

Embracing culture can become easy when you join different groups of students. There are many country-specific groups in universities.