The Hindu Business Line : Applying pressure

Forget the course fee, even the process of applying to foreign universities is getting more and more expensive, what with increasing transcript charges, visa fees and the high cost of application forms, not to mention consultation charges.

From a timely TOEFL registration to an impressive statement of purpose, from GRE coaching to authentic transcripts: the rites of passage seem never-ending for those headed for higher education abroad. These procedures not only drive applicants into a tizzy, but also deplete bank accounts swiftly. For Aparna Ramachandran, a PhD student in Illinois, the application process was hardly a smooth sail. "The GRE exams are costly by Indian standards, especially for an Indian middle-class family."

She planned her application months in advance and spent Rs 3,000 to get all her transcripts (authentic documents) from Delhi University. She applied to a mix of top-ranked and tier-II universities, each of which cost her $70-75. To keep costs down, she did not approach consultancies or coaching institutes. But her budget kept ballooning and the visa charges added up to a few thousand rupees. "The entire application process does add to the student's financial burden," says Aparna.

Srinivas, who has pursued a master's programme in the US, recalls how many of his friends dropped out during the application process because of the expenses. He applied to eight universities through a consultancy at a cost of Rs 20,000. He also shelled out Rs 5,000 on GRE tuition and spent months getting his bank documents and statement of purpose ready.

Sidharth Kumar's financial woes worsened while he was getting his documents to apply to American universities. He was charged over Rs 2,400 for bank drafts. "I have spent more on applying than on coaching. All these miscellaneous expenses have troubled me a lot." Candidates worldwide incur a much higher expenditure while applying to US institutions. Following 9/11, the US administration is also levying a $100 SEVIS fee to keep tabs on foreign students. Also, American universities are facing a financial crunch and have increased application fees.

Transcript woes

Most universities in the US do not accept attested university mark-sheets from Indian applicants. Thus, students plan months ahead to get their transcripts processed. Some universities, unfortunately, have jacked up the processing fee. Sidharth Kumar struggled to get his transcripts from university officials in Jalandhar; he was charged Rs 300 for each of his eight transcripts. Delhi University has hiked transcript-processing charges from Rs 200 to Rs 400. The university addresses each transcript to an overseas university, and hence a student must decide much ahead which universities to apply to.

Ganesh faced several hurdles before getting his transcripts processed at Delhi University. One of his transcripts turned out erroneous and he says he spent Rs 4,000 to get it rectified. "I still have an extra transcript with me, which I will use to lodge a complaint after I obtain my degree," says the outraged man.

Rues Srinivas, "I hated going to the administrative office and waiting for the officials. I received my transcripts after 45 days."

Vikrant Bakhtani, proprietor of the Chennai-based overseas education agency, New Horizzons, agrees that procuring transcripts is an expensive and labourious process all over India. Some universities in Chennai charge Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 per attestation, he says.

Haven for agents?

The high fee for GRE, GMAT and TOEFL (ranging from $100 to $250) have not deterred candidates. S. Balasubramanian, Director of TIME (Triumphant Institute of Management Education), Chennai Centre, which coaches GRE and CAT applicants, points out that about 1.5-2 lakh candidates in India write the GRE every year and the number is only rising. "More engineering students are graduating in India and many are going for a master's programme in the US," he says.

In fact, even 10 years ago, post-graduate studies in the US were an option largely for the academic elite like IITians. But times are changing, and parents today are willing to fund their children's higher studies abroad. Even though several graduates are passing up overseas education for high-paying jobs in the IT and BPO sectors, overseas education consultants are still going strong.

Chennai-based Noble Consultancy, which guides students right from the admission stage to visa processing for a fee of Rs 2,500, has seen a 10-20 per cent rise in clientele. Many agencies funded by universities in the US, UK, Australia, Canada and Singapore are setting up shop in India. Such players usually offer free counselling services and the student has to spend only on university application forms.

New Horizzons, which officially represents 80 universities in the US, Canada, Singapore and Australia, has worked with over 1,000 students for the last 13 years. The agency not only counsels the applicant while he selects universities and drafts the statement of purpose, but has also tied up with the Bank of Punjab, State Bank of India and the Union Bank of India for education loans. Banks, meanwhile, have witnessed a spate of defaults in education loan repayment.

Citing a steady increase in demand for overseas education, Bakhtani says parents are more than willing to spend Rs 50,000 during the application process. The agency charges Rs 5,000 for its services. "While many consultants don't charge any fee, we levy a nominal fee so that students take the application procedure and visa processing seriously," he says.

India is also turning into a lucrative market for US-based consultants. For instance, Hari Krishna, an MBA aspirant, hired an online consultant from California to draft his application essays. This techie is paying $450 for each essay and has also spent $1,200 applying to eight universities. But for him "application costs of Rs 40,000 are more of an investment for my education."

Australia beckons

Down Under is a popular choice for students seeking `value-for-money' education abroad. IDP, a government-aided organisation promoting higher education in Australia, cites a 90 per cent growth in the number of Indian students enrolling in Australian universities in the past year. The application fee — A$55-100 — is relatively cheaper. IDP arranges for on-the-spot admissions, which lowers application costs for students.

Planet Education, an agency promoting higher education in Australia, has counselled 1,000 students across India in the past year. Its regional head for south India, Amudha Jayaprakash, says 75 per cent of the applicants take education loans. "We do not charge for our services until the student's admission is confirmed." The agency also organises on-the-spot admissions and the applicant spends around Rs 4,000 on visa processing and documentation.

Making an informed choice

In a bid to weed out unreliable agencies, the Australian government launched the Association of Australian Education Representatives in India (AAERI). Agents must meet certain parameters for AAERI accreditation. The Australian government has also passed the ESOS Act, which gives ethical guidelines for marketing higher education institutes overseas.

Racquel Shroff, Manager, IDP, stresses that students must thoroughly check the university programme contents before sending in applications. IDP, for its part, counsels the applicant and his family for free. The family's budget constraints and the student's interests are factored in before the applications are processed. While some agencies are well established, students should be wary of consultants who guarantee admissions, warns TIME's Balasubramanian. "For every admission, the agency might get a commission from the university. A student should select courses that suit his career aspirations, rather than approach an agency just to `outsource his headache'."

In extreme cases, agencies working for a limited range of overseas universities often mislead applicants, who later discover that the programme they've opted for does not match their career plans. Small-town students are easy targets, rues Shroff.

After taking up his GRE, Sidharth Kumar surveyed several consultancies and felt they were "money-minting institutes providing no quality work for students." Former applicants like Srinivas reckon that students applying to US universities the world over incur similar expenses on application forms and visa processing. "But students can save a lot if the consultancies charge nominal amounts."

On the brighter side, the Internet has made overseas admission more transparent. Shroff advises students to check the foreign university's credibility on higher education Web sites. New Horizzons' Bakhtani also points out that a candidate can apply to universities that match his/ her profile by checking out the various graduate programmes on the Internet.

Picture by H. Satish

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