Where to study abroad in 2026: the new map
Part 1 of The Crossing. For decades the answer was America. In 2026, with US student-visa refusals near record highs, the world's largest cohort of outbound students is redrawing its map.
The Education Desk
Education
The education-axis of diaspora life — pipeline, presence, return
F-1 refusals for Indian students hit ~61% as the study-abroad map redraws
US F-1 student-visa refusals for Indian applicants rose from 23% in 2015 to about 61% in 2025, even as European applicants faced roughly 9%. The gap is pushing Indian students toward Germany, Ireland and Canada's graduate routes.
Canada, two years after the cap — what happened to the Indian student dream
Indian study permits to Canada have collapsed from 188,715 in 2024 to 94,605 in 2025 — a 50 per cent drop in a single year. The approval rate for Indian applicants fell from 81 per cent to 28 per cent. Brampton's agent economy is folding; families in Punjab and Andhra are reassessing; the Canadian dream that Indian families spent two decades constructing is being quietly dismantled. This is what the data shows, and what it does not.
How OCI students apply to India's premier institutes — a guide for diaspora families
Four pathways into India's best universities for diaspora children — JEE Advanced for IIT, the DASA scheme for NITs, NEET for medicine, and direct application for the private liberal arts schools. Plus the ICCR scholarship overlay, the 4 March 2021 OCI cut-off that splits the rules, and the practical pitfalls.
New Zealand's 2026 student visa rules: 25-hour work limit and post-study pathways
New Zealand's revised 2026 student visa framework adds a 25-hour-per-week work limit, post-study work pathways, and new skilled-migrant entries — positioning the country as a quieter alternative to the harder-to-access US/UK routes.
Indian students in Ireland: from 700 to over 9,000 in a decade
The number of Indian students in Ireland has climbed from 700 to over 9,000 over the past decade. The 2026 GOI-IES scholarship cycle opened on 29 January.
Asmi Aderay Gains Spotlight with New Releases and Growing Global Reach
At 21, Asmi represents a new generation of musicians building careers across borders through digital platforms and formal training. Her music blends indie-pop and R&B, with song writing that focuses on personal experiences, relationships and emotional growth. With each release, she continues to expand her catalogue whi