2024-07-03 05:55:02
Kerala University has reported a substantial increase in applications from international students for the 2024-25 academic year.
Compared to previous years, the university received 2,600 applications from 64 countries, marking a remarkable 63% surge in international interest. Last year, the university had received 1,600 applications from 60 countries.
Sabu Joseph, Director of the Centre for Global Academics at the University of Kerala, highlighted that this surge reflects Kerala University’s growing appeal as a global educational hub. Over the past four years, the university has consistently attracted the highest number of foreign students among all universities in Kerala.
In the 2021-22 academic year, 1,100 students from 35 countries applied, a number that increased to 1,400 in 2022-23, and further to 1,600 in 2023-24.
Prof. Dr. Sabu Joseph, Director of the Centre for Global Academics (CGA), which oversees international student affairs at the University of Kerala, noted that for the past four years, Kerala University has consistently attracted the highest number of foreign students among all universities in Kerala.
The latest wave of applications spans a diverse array of 64 countries, with a significant proportion having come from 39 African countries. Applications for admissions have also been received from Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Peru, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, Dr. Joseph said.
The majority of applications this year are focused on programmes in commerce and management, with substantial interest also seen in Economics, Sociology, Psychology, Political Science, English literature, as well as various scientific disciplines including Computer Science, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, and Statistics.
Currently, the University of Kerala hosts 150 foreign students from 43 countries, including recipients of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarship from nations such as the United States, Colombia, and South Africa. The university conducts comprehensive orientation programmes for new international students, alongside cultural events and an annual Graduation Ceremony dedicated to its international student community.
Last year, international students from the university actively participated in the international student summit organised as part of the government’s Nava Kerala programme. They engaged in an interactive session with the Chief Minister and showcased their cultural talents at the Kanakakkunnu Palace in Thiruvananthapuram.
