A third-year engineering student in Bengaluru has sparked a detailed discussion on social media after sharing the unique challenges of being an engineering student. American Citizens who live and study entirely in India. Despite holding a U.S. passport, the computer science major said he felt “stuck” as he navigated the global job market. The post was shared on Reddit’s NRI forum.
“U.S. Citizen, Studying Completely in India – Don’t Know How to Get a Job Abroad,” Reddit the user wrote.
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The student explained, “I am a US citizen but I have lived in India my whole life. I am currently pursuing my 3rd year in Engineering (computer science background) in Bangalore. I have been trying to figure out my options after graduation. I am a bit confused because: 1) Most of my education was done in India. 2) In my opinion, documentation/recruitment preferences sometimes feel like a barrier (uncertain).”
The person continued, “For NRIs or Americans studying outside the US, how do you apply for jobs abroad (US/EU/elsewhere)? Do you apply directly from India or through an internship? Any advice would be helpful.”
What is social media saying?
One person said: “First of all, there is no concept of a separate employment portal or situation for US citizens. American companies will not hire interns from India because from a logistical and cost perspective, they have to pay for relocation and other expenses. You need to apply like any other job application, and you have the advantage that no sponsorship is required. A smart plan would be to move to the United States to pursue a master’s degree and solve this problem. ” OP responded: “That’s what I thought too. Thank you for your information! “
Another commented: “Learn some skills and get a job in India. A year or two after starting this job, use the experience you gained in your first job to apply for jobs in the US.” Entry-level jobs are drying up in the U.S. due to the impact of artificial intelligence tools, so take advantage by not getting into an entry-level job by getting your first job.” A third person said, “It looks like you are studying B.Tech in India. After completing your bachelor’s degree in India, apply immediately and pursue your master’s degree in the United States. Once you finish school, work will follow. “
A fourth wrote, “I think you should pursue a master’s degree at a decent but cheap university in the US. This will ease you into US life while getting the US education you need to apply for jobs. Another option is to get into Infy etc and eventually require an internship in the US. You might get preferential treatment considering you have US citizenship.” OP replied: “My mindset is that a master’s will set me back with student loans and I’m not sure I want that. Hence why I’m looking for a job directly, I’ll look into it. Thanks!”
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content on social media. HT.com has not independently verified these claims and does not endorse them.)
