International students are having trouble finding housing in the locations where their colleges or institutions are located, even though nations like the US and the UK claim to have granted more visas to Indians this year. Students have begun taking flights out of the nation after the coronavirus pandemic hampered their intentions to study abroad due to a loosening of visa requirements and a decline in Covid-19 infections.
Some students claimed they had to either postpone their intentions to enroll during the current semester or struggle to locate housing in the nations they had chosen to study in.
Post-Covid effect
According to research by the international provider of student housing, University Living, the number of students who need lodging has increased by 60% from the previous year.
The same issue, according to Vibha Kagzi, founder and CEO of study abroad advisory ReachIvy.com, is also seen in off-campus housing.
Sara David Thottapalli, a student at the University of Tilburg pursuing an MSc in Communication and Information Sciences, pays €900 in rent each month to live in a shared independent home 11 kilometers from her school.
In contrast to overseas students, Thottapalli claimed that local students obtain housing more easily.
Such circumstances can be avoided, according to Radhika Deshpande, who earned a diploma from Germany, if one lives in a flat with local students.
Renowned nations, fewer homes
According to a recent study by the Swedish National Union of Students, 64% of international students need more than one semester to find housing, while only 24% do so within a month of starting their course.
The major cities of nations like Canada and the UK, which are the top choices for Indian students, are highlighting the housing issues.
The rise in housing concerns has been strongly correlated with the surge of students traveling to the UK for higher education. According to analysts, the issue in the UK got worse after the nation admitted its goal of 6 lakh overseas students almost ten years early.
Looking for a way out
Experts advised students to take preventative measures when asked what they could do to avoid the housing issue.
Additionally, some experts advise connecting with other Indian hopefuls and making appropriate plans. Most colleges also encourage international students from the same nation or city to get in touch with one another before beginning classes.
News Mania Desk
