Andrew Soper, the minister counsellor (political and press), British High Commission, New Delhi, and (right) Sujata Sen, the director of east India British Council, in Patna on Wednesday. Picture by Ashok Sinha

Students keen to pursue higher education in UK will get an opportunity to interact with Indian alumni of universities there and an official in the British High Commission on Thursday.

British Council organised the Great UK Education Seminar at hotel Chanankya in Patna on Wednesday. Andrew Soper, the minister counsellor (political and press), British high commission, New Delhi, and Sujata Sen, the director of east India British Council, inaugurated the seminar.

The seminar aims at promoting two scholarship programmes that the council is providing to international students — Great Britain Scholarship and Chevening Scholarship. In the first one, the British Council is giving an opportunity to 750 Indian students to achieve scholarship worth around 1.51 million pounds (Rs 151 million). Under the Chevening Scholarship, the UK government will quadruple its funding for Indian students over the next two years.

In 2014, around 4,30,000 students from 75 countries studied in UK universities, of which 24,000 were from India.

Soper said: “The UK government’s global scholarship programmes aim to make India the largest recipients in the world over the next two years. We encourage and welcome all legitimate students to study in UK universities. Over 2,50,000 Indians have studied in the UK over the past 10 years. UK houses four of the world’s top six universities — University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, University College London and University of Oxford.”

He also spoke about the studying and living condition of the students and the working Indian employees in UK. “The students also get an opportunity to work full time and get paid in any organisation during holidays. After the completion of studies, they can also work for the company and get the three-year visa.”

A short documentary was also shown of the students studying in UK and entrepreneurs holding strong positions in companies there.

He added: “Our universities offer a vibrant and stimulating environment to international students. There is no limit on the number of Indian students who can come to study and stay on to work on a graduate-level job. I hope to see more bright students this year.”

Director of east India British Council Sen said: “If students spend more money to get degrees from UK, we try to ensure that they get higher pay. We also provide prestigious scholarships and training awards, including jubilee scholarships, commonwealth scholarship and fellowship plans and the Charles Wallace Indian Trust awards. We work with a wide range of partners in cities all over India enabling British and Indian experts to collaborate and nurture mutually beneficial relationships with the schools. We have received positive response from schools around Patna and the students are also interested in pursuing graduation from UK universities.”

Students who want to apply for graduation can also do job in companies and research field.

Sen said: “Around 57 institutions across England, Scotland, Wales and North Ireland are taking part in this programme and 401 scholarship awards worth Rs 151 million are on offer for courses ranging from engineering to law and art degrees. Scholarships are acceptable for September 2015 and January 2016 intakes.”