BENGALURU, 16 AUG

Over 5,000 students have already registered for the government's ambitious "study abroad" initiative through the Karnataka Vocational Training and Skill Development Corporation (KVTSDC), the Department of Skill Development said on Saturday.

Encouraging more participation, the department announced that students can still enrol by attending the day-long "Study Abroad Expo" at Hotel Lalit Ashok on 17 August.

Over 60 international universities offering attractive academic opportunities for State students have already camped at the venue, officials said.

To ease financial concerns, several public and private banks have set up stalls offering education loans at competitive interest rates, an official release said.

Public undertaking Karnataka Bank has assured the government of the most student-friendly financial packages.

"Studying abroad is no longer a privilege reserved for the wealthy. With our government's initiative, even students from economically weaker backgrounds can now pursue higher education overseas without financial burden. This is the first-of-its-kind initiative in India making global education accessible to all sections of society," said Minister for Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Sharanaprakash Patil.

Unlike private programmes that stop support once students leave India, the government-backed scheme guarantees continued assistance abroad-covering welfare, academic progress, and legal aid, the release said.

The expo also ensures transparency, offering free guidance from university selection to post-departure support, without agency fees, it added.

Students can register for the program at: http://studyabroad.ksdckarnataka.com