The course preferences of Indian students headed abroad for the fall semester of 2024 convey that they are hedging their bets - some are diving head first into fields powered by artificial intelligence (AI), while others are pursuing careers that have little to do with algorithms, say study abroad experts.
From cutting-edge disciplines like AI ethics and machine learning to more unconventional fields such as kinesiology, which studies human body movement, or gerontology, which is the scientific study of old age, the diversity of student preferences reveals a new wave of academic curiosity.
This shift is mirrored in their choice of study destinations, from the tech-heavy campuses of the US to the sustainability-driven universities of Germany and the Netherlands.
Piyush Kumar, regional director for South Asia and Mauritius at IDP Education, said while business and management remain popular, students are increasingly opting for unique fields.
"We've seen students enrolling in programmes such as environmental law, gastronomy, fire engineering, forensic psychology, precision agriculture, speech pathology, gerontology and kinesiology," he said.
Vaibhav Gupta, co-founder of iSchoolConnect, said, "Undergraduates are choosing courses out of passion and sometimes even for workplace skills such as crisis mitigation, critical thinking and team management."
Countries such as Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and the UK are emerging as top choices for these non-traditional courses. "This change is particularly evident in evolving job trends and post-study work opportunities, accompanied by technological advancements and societal shifts," said Kumar of IDP.
Interest in creative disciplines
Manisha Zaveri, joint managing director at Career Mosaic, highlighted a similar trend in Europe.
“In Germany and the Netherlands, we are seeing rising interest in fields like renewable energy, the circular economy and environmental engineering, driven by these countries’ leadership in green technology,” she said.
Zaveri also mentioned rising interest in creative fields such as digital media, filmmaking and design thinking particularly in Spain. On the tech front, Gupta of iSchoolConnect underscored the popularity of AI courses, business analytics and data science.
Affordability factor
“The shift towards new courses among Indian students began gaining momentum around 2015 but has undergone a significant amplification around 2021-2022, primarily driven by the introduction of large language models and artificial intelligence,” he said, noting that affordability is also driving students to destinations like Germany, France, Italy and Dubai.
Institutions in these countries are gaining ground with their tailored, industry-aligned programmes. Meanwhile, Akshay Chaturvedi, founder of Leverage Edu, highlighted an uptick in demand for “new economy” courses like game design and visual communications and a comeback for event management and tourism.
“Germany has now become the third-largest destination by demand on our platform,” he said, pointing out that these neo-popular fields are gaining traction, especially as Germany strengthens its reputation in creative industries.
For students looking to combine tech and purpose, Adarsh Khandelwal, cofounder of Collegify, noted a growing interest in courses like sustainability and climate tech. “Indian students are flocking to programmes that focus on green technologies, renewable energy solutions and sustainable urban planning to address the urgent environmental crisis,” he said.
From cutting-edge disciplines like AI ethics and machine learning to more unconventional fields such as kinesiology, which studies human body movement, or gerontology, which is the scientific study of old age, the diversity of student preferences reveals a new wave of academic curiosity.
This shift is mirrored in their choice of study destinations, from the tech-heavy campuses of the US to the sustainability-driven universities of Germany and the Netherlands.
Piyush Kumar, regional director for South Asia and Mauritius at IDP Education, said while business and management remain popular, students are increasingly opting for unique fields.
"We've seen students enrolling in programmes such as environmental law, gastronomy, fire engineering, forensic psychology, precision agriculture, speech pathology, gerontology and kinesiology," he said.
Vaibhav Gupta, co-founder of iSchoolConnect, said, "Undergraduates are choosing courses out of passion and sometimes even for workplace skills such as crisis mitigation, critical thinking and team management."
Countries such as Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and the UK are emerging as top choices for these non-traditional courses. "This change is particularly evident in evolving job trends and post-study work opportunities, accompanied by technological advancements and societal shifts," said Kumar of IDP.
Interest in creative disciplines
Manisha Zaveri, joint managing director at Career Mosaic, highlighted a similar trend in Europe.
“In Germany and the Netherlands, we are seeing rising interest in fields like renewable energy, the circular economy and environmental engineering, driven by these countries’ leadership in green technology,” she said.
Zaveri also mentioned rising interest in creative fields such as digital media, filmmaking and design thinking particularly in Spain. On the tech front, Gupta of iSchoolConnect underscored the popularity of AI courses, business analytics and data science.
Affordability factor
“The shift towards new courses among Indian students began gaining momentum around 2015 but has undergone a significant amplification around 2021-2022, primarily driven by the introduction of large language models and artificial intelligence,” he said, noting that affordability is also driving students to destinations like Germany, France, Italy and Dubai.
Institutions in these countries are gaining ground with their tailored, industry-aligned programmes. Meanwhile, Akshay Chaturvedi, founder of Leverage Edu, highlighted an uptick in demand for “new economy” courses like game design and visual communications and a comeback for event management and tourism.
“Germany has now become the third-largest destination by demand on our platform,” he said, pointing out that these neo-popular fields are gaining traction, especially as Germany strengthens its reputation in creative industries.
For students looking to combine tech and purpose, Adarsh Khandelwal, cofounder of Collegify, noted a growing interest in courses like sustainability and climate tech. “Indian students are flocking to programmes that focus on green technologies, renewable energy solutions and sustainable urban planning to address the urgent environmental crisis,” he said.
