Attacks in Oz keep Surti students tense

The constant racial attacks upon Indian students of late in Australia have made students, looking towards the country for their higher studies, very tense. They have started looking for towards other countries for their further studies and at present, the UK and USA are among the hot favorites. In Surat alone, more than 30% students have cancelled their Australia options and are opting for other countries.

At a time when racial attacks upon Indians in Australia has shocked everybody, it is the students who were looking to pursuing further studies in that country, who are the most concerned. These incidents have shaken the morale of these students and now, many of them are looking out for other options. According to immigration consultants in Surat, more than 30% students have dropped Australian Universities now and are eyeing UK and USA for their higher studies.

After the board results many students plan to study abroad and Australia is preferred more due to its wide range of universities. From Surat and South Gujarat alone, more than 3,000 students go abroad each year and majority of them opt for the kangaroo country. But this year, the attacks have changed the scene.
“In last 15 days, 40 of my students, who had selected Australia for their future studies, have changed their plan owing to the indiscriminate attacks,” said Dharmesh Patel, CEO of immigration consultant, EdWorld. They are now looking to UK, USA and Singapore for further studies. The reason is not only them but also parents of these children who feel that their kids may have to return back half done due to unstable situation in Oz, he said.

Patel also said that USA and UK offer courses in lesser fees than in Australia, which has also increased the flow. If the attacks continue unabated, students might delete Aus from their list altogether, he said.

Immigration consultants said that other countries have declared special programmes in the wake of Australian crisis to woo Indian students. “Canada and New Zealand have already declared special courses and programmes in their universities and this is really impressing the Indian students. However those who want to study in Australia are still firm on going there, but a large section of students are getting diverted. Australian universities are definitely a loser from the crisis and the loss may go deeper if not resolved in time,” said Jitesh Maratha, student counselor of Dalimit Associates.