Mauritius was discovered by the Europeans in the 16th century. It was visited by the Portuguese in the early 16th century and was subsequently ruled by the Dutch, the French and the British.
Cornelius Gooyer established the first permanent Dutch settlement with a garrison of 25 in 1638. Slaves from Madagascar were brought to Mauritius by the Dutch in the mid-17th century.
After the abolition of slavery during British rule, indentured laborers from India arrived in Mauritius during the 19th century via Aapravasi Ghat which is today recognized as a UNESCO world heritage site.
Situated near the tropic of Capricorn, Mauritius has a tropical climate. There are 2 seasons: a warm humid summer from November to April, with a mean temperature of 24.7° and a relatively cool dry winter from June to September with a mean temperature of 20.4°.
Mauritius ranked second in an air quality index released by the World Health Organization in 2011.
1. Established and high quality education system and standards
Mauritius’ higher education system is of international standards, closely monitored by the Tertiary Education Commission, which has the vision to turn Mauritius into a Center of Excellence for Higher Education in the Africa/Indian Ocean Region.
The Mauritian Qualifications Authority (MQA) under the Ministry of Higher Education is a quality assurance body responsible for monitoring and overseeing the quality assurance practices and accreditation of national higher education.
2. Ability to get foreign degree qualifications from countries like UK and Australia at a much lower cost
A major part of Mauritius’ state investment in higher education is its growing partnerships with universities in other countries. In Mauritius, international and local students are able to get foreign degree qualifications from universities based in Australia, UK, France, Malaysia, etc. through local institutions (Curtin University with Charles Telfair Institute for example) as well as foreign university campuses that are already setup in Mauritius such as Middlesex University.
#3. Quality of life
Mauritius is a newly industrialised country which has outpaced most of its developing counterparts. The infrastructure in Mauritius is one of the most developed in the African/Indian Ocean Region with state-of-the-art health care and medical facilities, advanced telecommunications infrastructure and world-class university campus and facilities.
4. Comparatively low expenditure of studying and living in Mauritius
The expenditure of studying and living in Mauritius is comparatively low to countries like Australia, US, UK, France, Canada, etc. as the Mauritian currency conversion is advantageous.
Comparisons of studying and living cost in Mauritius for a typical student suggest an expenditure level 3 to 5 times lower than in countries like the US, UK, Australia, Canada or France.
5. Easy and straightforward immigration procedures
International students benefit from the easy and trouble-free immigration procedures as compared to many other countries which have tighter student immigration procedures. For more information on immigration procedures to study in Mauritius, feel free to contact one of our counsellors.
6. Comfortable and safe living in Mauritius
Mauritius is one of the safest and most stable countries in the world with a relatively low crime rate and the country is free from most natural disasters which makes it an attractive country to live in. The weather in Mauritius is sunny all year round without extreme cold or hot weather conditions making the weather easily adaptable. In 2018, Mauritius was ranked 20th most peaceful country out of 163 countries just behind Australia and ahead of Spain, the UK or Italy.
High standard health care services are provided in public hospitals and health centres across the island at low cost. Alternatively there are also many private clinics of international quality.
7. Cosmopolitan nation with vast variety of cultures
Mauritius’ comfortable economic rankings in African indices and the cosmopolitanism of its society which seems to effortlessly blend African in with Asian and European, are some of its key selling points. International students benefit from the experience of studying in Mauritius through the exposure of the different cultures and traditions of a multi-racial country which is valuable and not easily available. With the many races and cultures living together in Mauritius, this country is a food heaven with a great variety of cuisines. Both Halal and non-Halal food are widely available in Mauritius.
#8. Need for skilled graduates
With several key industries on the rise and a growing economy, Mauritius is in need of skilled workers. The Service industry already makes up a significant part of the country’s GDP and there is a demand for graduates in accounting, computer science, education, management and the hospitality sectors.
9. Multi-language country allowing for ease of communication
A population bilingual in English and French has made Mauritius a very attractive destinations for international students eager to improve their language skills. The diversity of the Mauritian society has also put into place the wide use of many other languages such as Hindi, Tamil, Mandarin, Cantonese and the local language, Mauritian Creole (a French-based creole language spoken in Mauritius).
10. Great place for travel destinations
Mauritius is a friendly, beautiful and culturally rich country. Although it may sound like just another island country with its sandy beaches and clear waters, it is so much more than that. Whether you are into history, nature, adventure or food, the island will not disappoint and explain why so many international students have decided to come study their bachelor or master’s degree in Mauritius.
Mauritius also offers endless leisure opportunities and activities throughout the year.
English is Mauritius’ official language. Most Mauritians are multi-lingual and speak English, French, Creole and other ethnic languages.
Creole is the most widely spoken language on the island.