upGrad makes studying in the US affordable and easy; Builds a unique pathway for Chandigarh University Learners to study at Northern Arizona University

Mumbai : With signs of international borders opening up soon and with the State Government speeding up the special vaccine drive for students who wish to fly abroad for future studies, upGrad, South Asia’s largest higher edtech, is moving strong with its Study Abroad vertical, upGradAbroad.com and has added Northern Arizona University to its global university network for a Degree program. This will not only fulfil the learner’s aspiration to pursue international education at a fraction of an offline cost but also open doors to global opportunities and a successful career.

Northern Arizona University is one of the oldest public universities in the US to join upGrad’s Study Abroad program and this move comes soon after the recent partnerships with James Cook University, Brisbane Campus, Australia, and International University of Applied Sciences, Germany.

Stretched over a period of four years, under this program, any learner who is enrolled in the Bachelor of Computer Application (BCA) course with Chandigarh University during the first two years, can be transferred to Northern Arizona University for the remaining two years after meeting academic requirements. This pathway will assist in saving close to INR 50 Lakhs in tuition fees along with the living expenses incurred by learners, who wish to pursue their Bachelor’s from the US, thus offering dual benefits of being cost-effective, with an added advantage of mobility. Learners under this arrangement, have a chance to study abroad and explore job opportunities in the US at a cost significantly lesser than what they would have to pay for a fully on-campus foreign course.

According to the data released by CRIF High[1], a credit bureau, education loan companies including banks and non-bank lenders have dispersed a record 11,000 crore loans till September, last year. The report further stated that an additional 3 lakh new borrowers signed up, especially during the pandemic period which indicates the willingness of students to pursue/complete higher education. Also, in a most recent development, the United States – U.S. Embassy[2] has now resumed the VISA Applications process for students who are willing to travel to the country for their higher education. This shall further accelerate the demand for study abroad in India.

Talking about the same, Ankur Dhawan, President – Study Abroad, upGrad, said, “The Study Abroad program is surely a game-changer which has been specially designed to bridge the financial gap that refrains learners from building their career outside of India. This blended learning approach will not only help them save money but will also offer global exposure. Also, with many more top global universities joining our network for this program, we aim to become the largest transnational higher education leader, empowering learners across geographies. We look at closing 10 university partnerships in the US within a year.”

According to Ragh Singh, Program Manager, Strategic Global Initiatives, Center for International Education, Northern Arizona University, “International partnerships like the one we have developed with upGrad in India are going to be an essential element of internationalization of higher education, particularly in a post-pandemic world. Northern Arizona University recognizes the importance of developing such partnerships in India and many other parts of the world, which not only provides the opportunity to pursue higher education from the United States but also allows to complete part of your academic degree from your home country and thus lowering the cost of education in terms of earning a US higher education degree.”

The program is in-built with personalised mentorship from upGrad to offer continuous handholding throughout the program modules and includes end-to-end counselling/visa support to make the entire process and learning experience hassle-free for its learners. On the successful completion of the on-campus program in the fourth year, learners can also apply for a Post-Study-Work visa in the US, stay back for up to 3 years, and build a career there.