There will a four-fold increase in funding for Chevening scholarships for Indian students over the next two years making India the largest recipient in the world, said Andrew Soper, Minister Counsellor (Political and Press), British High Commission.
Addressing mediapersons here on Tuesday on the eve of inauguration of the Great U.K. education seminars, Mr. Soper said the British Council was giving an opportunity to 750 Indian students to achieve scholarship worth around 1.51 million pounds (approximately Rs. 151 million).
The U.K. attracts over 400,000 overseas students to its institutions annually, of which almost 30,000 are from India, he said.
India, which has the second largest Chevening programme after China, will see an increase from 0.6 million pounds to 2.4 million pounds funding for the 2014-2015 and 2015-16.
Mr. Soper said the U.K. government’s global scholarship programmes aims to make India the largest recipient in the world over the next two years.
“We encourage and welcome all legitimate students to study in the U.K. universities. Over 2,50,000 Indians have studied in the U.K. over the past 10 years. The fact that 84 per cent of Indian student visa applicants in 2013 were successful shows we welcome Indian students in our universities. There is no limit on the number of Indians who can go to study in the U.K. and stay on to work in a graduate-level job after their studies,” he said.
The value of joint funded research between the U.K. and India has grown from 1 million to 150 million pounds over the last three years. The Great UK Education seminar hosted by the British Council in Puducherry for the first time will cover various aspects of studying and living in the U.K.
It will also provide information on the GREAT scholarships and other scholarships with an opportunity to interact with alumni who share their experiences of studying in the U.K., he added.
Mei-Kwei Barker, Director, South India, British Council, said that Indian students formed an important segment of international students studying in the U.K.
It is keeping this in mind that the U.K. government aims to make India the largest recipient in the world of its global scholarship programme in a couple of years. “We are keen to encourage greater student mobility and exchange between India and the U.K. and to build a deeper relationship,” she added.
