Communication - Press
Indian Visa Applicants To France Increase By 180 Per Cent In Past 5 Years
France is the third most popular global study destination, with 4 lakh foreign students welcomed each year. It is a gateway to Europe for higher education and top-notch programmes in English and French.
Indian visa applications to France registered a +180% increase over the past five years, a sharp rise demonstrating that France is growing in popularity.
In 2018, the number of visa applications grew with more than 200 000 visas applications for the second consecutive year (+240 000 in 2018), and with a +43% increase in applications from South India (Consulate of Puducherry). France has become the top European destination for Indian tourists.
The notable upsurge in student visa applications echoes this general growth. In just a year, from 2017 to 2018, there was a hike of over 54.5% in the number of visas issued to Indian students headed for France.
In the field of higher education, over 8, 000 Indian students and scientists chose France in 2018.
During President Emmanuel Macron’s historic State visit to India in March 2018, the goal of reaching 10,000 Indian students leaving for France annually by 2020 was set. A month short of this one year anniversary, the figures reflect great eagerness for studying in France, surpassing the most optimistic expectations. Therefore, the 10,000 students 2020 target should be reached by late summer 2019.
Welcoming this trend, Ambassador Alexandre Ziegler stated,” In 2018 we registered 8000 student and research visas for talented young Indians. Though twice as much as a couple of years back, this is still too little. We want to reach 10,000 by 2020, but why not 20,000 in 2025? Our doors have always been open to Indian students, and our courses, many fully taught in English, are among the world’s best. France’s very high educational standards and the French government’s subsidies make studies much more affordable for Indian students than that in many other countries. Moreover, the agreement on the Mutual Recognition of Academic Qualifications between India and France, signed during President Emmanuel Macron’s India visit, will enhance the already close ties between our two nations”.
France is the third most popular global study destination, with 4 lakh foreign students welcomed each year. It is a gateway to Europe for higher education and top-notch programmes in English and French.
Apart from student mobility, France is strongly committed to fostering partnerships and exchange programmes with Indian higher education and research institutions. Be it in agronomy, space, smart cities, mathematics, design or architecture, the fields for cooperation are numerous and diverse.
India and France already possess a dedicated means to enhance their academic cooperation: the Knowledge Summit, held during the State visit of President Macron in March 2018. Following the success of the first edition, the second will take place in Lyon in July 2019. The 2019 Knowledge Summit will gather a wide range of higher education institutions, as well as top academics from both India and France and highlight the wide range of opportunities this partnership offers.
Besides this, the Choose France Tour, held twice a year, enables French institutions to present their courses to Indian students. This year the Choose France Tour 2019 took place in Chennai (31 January), Kochi (2 February), Hyderabad (4 and 5 February), and will soon come to Pune (7 February) and Delhi (9 February).
Source : The Economic Times
