How to get a student visa for India?
India is a rapidly changing country in which inclusive, high-quality education is of utmost importance for its future prosperity. The country has the largest youth population in the world (consisting of 600 million young people the age of 25). projects that Delhi will become the largest city in the world with 37 million people by 2028. This demographic change could be a powerful engine of economic growth and development of this country. If India succeeds in modernizing and expanding its education system, raising its educational attainment levels, and providing skills to its youth, it could gain a significant competitive advantage over countries such as China, which is facing an aging population.
Cheap cost of education and lower cost of living compared to some Asian and European countries have made India a very popular study destination therefore a lot of international student want to get a student visa in India. In this article we will take a look at the education system in India.
Topics reviewed in this article:
Study in Indian schools
The school system in India has four levels:
- Lower primary level for (age 6 to 10)
- Upper primary level for (age 11 to 12)
- High secondary level for (age 13 to 15)
- Higher secondary level for (age 17 to 18)
Students have to learn a common curriculum by the end of high school. Students throughout the country must learn Hindi, English and their mother tongue. One subject (Social Studies, consisting of History, Geography and Civics) is always taught in Hindi, and other subjects in English, in these schools. In addition to public schools, there are a number of private schools in the country with follow different text books and follow different teaching schedules/ curricula. You should note that international students can enroll in public Indian schools if their parents are Indian citizens or residents of India. Other foreign students must study in this country’s international schools, which require higher tuition fees compared to public schools. The cost of studying in international schools varies depending on the type of school and on average its between 25,000 to 500,000 rupees per year.
Studying for a bachelor’s degree in India
India is known worldwide for the excellence of some of its universities and educational institutes, especially in the fields of technology, medicine and business. Although bachelor programs/courses last for 4 years in many countries, in some fields students in India can complete a bachelor’s degree in 3 years. Students who complete the three-year program can get a bachelor’s degree in some fields of study such as business, graphics and digital, biotechnology, technology, sociology, accounting, and more. Of course, the duration of studies is some fields such as; computers, electricity, mechanics, civil engineering and etc… are four years in India. Some of the very popular fields of study among international students to study in India are; a degree in social work, medical degree and computer science degree. Since the language of instruction at most Indian universities is English, you will need to present one of the IELTS or TOEFL language certificates to the university. In addition to that, students must have a 12-year diploma to be able to apply for a bachelor’s degree in India.
Studying for a master’s degree in India
India is known worldwide for the excellence of some of its universities and educational institutes, especially in the fields of technology, medicine and business. Although bachelor programs/courses last for 4 years in many countries, in some fields students in India can complete a bachelor’s degree in 3 years. Students who complete the three-year program can get a bachelor’s degree in some fields of study such as business, graphics and digital, biotechnology, technology, sociology, accounting, and more. Of course, the duration of studies is some fields such as; computers, electricity, mechanics, civil engineering and etc… are four years in India. Some of the very popular fields of study among international students to study in India are; a degree in social work, medical degree and computer science degree. Since the language of instruction at most Indian universities is English, you will need to present one of the IELTS or TOEFL language certificates to the university. In addition to that, students must have a 12-year diploma to be able to apply for a bachelor’s degree in India.
Studying for a PhD in India
The duration of a doctoral programs in India is about 3 to 5 years. There are about 868 universities in India offering doctoral programs. On average cost of a PhD in India will vary between $ 6,000 to $ 10,000. The Indian PhD is an advanced research qualification, designed for students who have successfully completed their undergraduate and graduate courses. As a doctoral student, you’ll set out to independently research an original topic with the support of at least one supervisor and at the end of your degree you’ll submit a thesis describing your research activities and results.
Having an IELTS or TOEFL language certificate with a high score and having a good academic CV are among other requirements for getting admitted to doctoral programs in India and therefore there is no difference between India and other countries in this regard.
Scholarships in India
With the rapidly increasing tuition costs, a number of capable students are unable to fulfill their aspirations of higher studies. For this reason, and in order to deal with this drop-out situation, several scholarships have been considered in India for eligible students. To continue your studies in India, you can get several scholarships, such as; means-based scholarships, merit-based scholarships, talent-based scholarships, scholarships for women, and more. Some of the most important scholarships in India are;
- PG Scholarship
- isb scholarship
- IccR Scholarship
- HsBC Scholarship
The cost of living and studying in India
In order to get a student visa in India, we need to take a close look at the cost of studying and living in this country. With more than 800 universities and 39,000 colleges, India has one of the largest higher education systems in the world. Given the large number of public and private institutions in India, it is not much of a surprise to know that tuition fees vary considerably, although Indian universities are still quite affordable and popular destinations compared to other similar institutions. On average, students pay the following fees to study in India:
- Between € 150 to € 5,000 per year for public universities
- € 10,000 or more per year for private universities
India is amazingly cheap to live in, even if you live in one of the cities of Mumbai or Delhi.
Working while studying in India
While India offers a wide range of education opportunities to international students, many students are looking for job opportunities both during and after their studies. The main question for many applicants is whether foreign students can work while studying in India or not. To answer this question, you should take a look at these points:
- Foreign passport holders are not allowed to work during their study period in India.
- International students are allowed to take up internships and training courses which are related to their field of study.
- In most cases, you don’t have to pay any fee for these internships and training courses which are taken up by international students in India.
Note that although India does not allow students to work while studying, but students can still get a work permit according to the required criteria demanded by the immigration office.
Family Reunification Visa, and bringing Your Family to India on a Student Visa
One of the most important questions of applicants who want to get a student visa in India is how to get a companion visa. Applicants want to know what to do to bring their family members to India with them.
After getting a student visa in India and enrolling in your desired university the main applicant can apply for a companion visa for his / her spouse and children under the age of 18. Therefore, it is not possible to get a companion visa at the same time as the main applicant. After arriving in India, the companion is allowed to work full time in India and the children will be allowed to study for free.
Top Indian universities
Indian universities have a long history and many of them follow the old English pattern. Obviously, every student applying for a student visa in India wants to get acquainted with top universities in this country and study at these universities. The table below lists some of India’s universities based on their rankings.
| University | World rankings |
| University of Delhi | 1 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Bombay | 2 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur | 3 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Madras | 4 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Delhi | 5 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur | 6 |
The required documents for getting a student visa in India
You need a student visa to study for a bachelor’s, master’s and PhD degrees in India. Usually this visa is valid for 5 years but it may also be issued for the duration of your study program. To get this visa you must present the university admission letter to the Indian embassy which confirms your admission and the duration of your study program. There are also some other documents that you need to submit to the embassy of India at the appointed time. The required documents are:
- Valid passport
- Passport photos
- The original degrees/qualifications and a copy of them
- University admission letter
- Visa application form
- Visa payment receipt
- Proof your financial ability
- Travel insurance
Working in India after graduation
Although students are not allowed to work part-time while studying in India, they have the opportunity to look for a job related to their field of study after graduating in this country. Students can extend their residence permits if they receive a job offer from an employer in India. The question is, is the working situation in India favorable? In other words, do students have a chance to find a job in India or not?! You can answer to this question after taking a look at the unemployment rate in India. The unemployment rate in India is 5% or less which indicates that the unemployment rate in this country is low.
Citizenship for international students in India
In this part of the article, we are going to answer the question that whether it is possible to obtain Indian citizenship by having a student visa or not. Please note that you will not be able to get a permanent residence permit just by having a student visa in India. By having a student visa in India the student and his/her family members can get a temporary residence permit for the duration of their studies. In order for students to get a permanent residence permit and obtain Indian citizenship, after completing their studies in India, students must find a job related to their field of study and convert their student visa into a work visas. After 5 years of working in India and paying the necessary taxes to the government, it will be possible for the applicants to apply for a permanent residence permit in this country.
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!