750,000. That was the number of Indian students who went abroad to study in 2018. For years now, Indians have sought to either study and/or work abroad. Most prefer the US, followed by Canada, Australia, and Europe. Though the US has witnessed a slight drop in this number, Indians still form the second-largest cohort of students there, right after China. 

Why do Indians prefer to study abroad?

There are several reasons why Indians choose to pursue their higher studies abroad.

  1. Admissions are easier when compared to premier Indian colleges.
  2. There is a variety of study options and opportunities to work in lesser-explored career paths.
  3. The quality of education is generally better, especially when it comes to the practical application of knowledge and development of life skills.
  4. In certain countries like Canada and Australia, there are also good chances of working full-time after completion of the degree.
  5. Universities abroad also offer better infrastructure and research facilities making them an ideal choice for research students as well. 

Overseas consultancy- an industry that emerged from the trend of studying abroad

Every year, Indians spend hundreds of crores to study abroad. Of these, a good percentage relies on overseas consultants to help them with university and course selection, shortlisting, admissions and even visa processing. Since the beginning of the new millennium, this number and that of the overseas consultancies has only gone up. 

What does an overseas consultant do?

Overseas educational consultants help with pretty much the whole process of studying abroad. There are several names in the market and they offer a range of services- from just profile building and admission assistance, to counselling and visa processing. Largely these are a few areas that overseas consultants help with.

  • Guidance on IELTS/TOEFL/SAT/GMAT and other entrance tests
  • Information on the best universities in different regions
  • Admission assistance
  • Financial Estimation
  • Visa assistance
  • Job-related information

While this is a non-exhaustive list, most consultants of overseas education focus on these areas generally or pick one or two and exclusively focus on them. Their team consists of people who are experienced in the fields of career and educational counselling. In fact, career counsellors stand to gain the most here. Here is why overseas consultants could double up as career counsellors.

  • Both overseas consultants and career counsellors are responsible for helping students make informed decisions about their careers.
  • They need to be great at listening and comfortable talking to people from various backgrounds.
  • They must be well-informed of several relevant pieces of news like
    1. What is new in the education industries in various countries – reforms, policies, grants, scholarships, etc.
    2. What are the most sought-after new-age career paths?
    3. What new courses have been introduced in the past few years
    4. What is the estimated financial cost of the whole exercise of studying abroad?
    5. Are there any changes in the immigration policies of countries?
    6. Anything else that can be of significance and assist students with their admissions
  • Career counsellors and overseas consultants also provide assistance to students with creating the right kind of application to their dream universities. They help students build a strong profile to cement their chances of being admitted.

Career counsellors have an edge over overseas consultants because they are equipped to counsel students. That means they know how to identify a student’s interests, aptitude, and personality and provide a customised plan to the student so that he/she can leverage out of a suitable course and a good university.

How can overseas consultants stand out from their competition? A course like Global Career Counsellor Program can add a feather to their caps by making them trained career counsellors. The course comes in collaboration with a powerful brand like UCLA, a much sought-after university by itself. A career counselling program can seal the deal for overseas counsellors and change their game altogether!

Talk to us today and jumpstart your career in the career and overseas counselling.

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