For thousands of Indian students, studying abroad represents a chance to build a successful career and experience a better quality of life.
However, an Indian man living in Europe has shared a different side of that journey, claiming that many students end up facing financial stress, long working hours and constant pressure just to stay afloat.
His Instagram video has now gone viral, prompting many social media users to agree with his views.
Studying In Europe Comes At A Cost
Rahul Mahajan, who is based in Europe, said many Indian students spend large sums of money to pursue higher education overseas but soon realise that managing life there is far more difficult than expected.
"The condition of Indian students is the worst here in foreign countries and in Europe. They spend so much money to come here, and all day long in foreign countries, they have to work, which they would never have to do in India. Okay?" he said.
Mahajan added that many students end up taking up jobs they would not have imagined doing while living in India because they have few other options.
Limited Work, Rising Expenses
Explaining why many students continue to struggle financially, Mahajan pointed to restrictions on working hours for international students. He said that despite working wherever they can, the income is often not enough to comfortably manage expenses.
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"And no matter how small the job is, such money can never be made because you only get to work 20 hours a month... 20 hours a week, and even then, you have to do all kinds of work," he said.
Along with balancing classes and work schedules, students must also cover rent, food and other day-to-day costs.
Financial And Family Pressure
Mahajan said that education loans, family expectations and the citizenship process further increase students' stress. "Some money cannot be completed; loans are taken from there, and there is pressure to pay off that loan. From every side, people's taunts about when they are going to return—that NRI status is on their heads—they live under that pressure too. On top of that, they have to complete their studies and go through the citizenship process," he added.
The video sparked discussion on social media, where many users supported Mahajan's views on the challenges of studying abroad.
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