Study Abroad Trend: Indian Students Flock to Foreign Universities, Top States Revealed

The number of Indian students pursuing higher education abroad continues to rise every year, with some countries emerging as the most preferred destinations.

According to a report by the NITI Aayog on the “Internationalization of Higher Education in India,” Canada, the USA, the UK, Australia, and Germany are among the top choices for Indian students seeking quality education, affordable tuition, post-study work opportunities, and pathways to permanent residency.

Top States Sending Students Abroad:

• Andhra Pradesh leads the list, followed by Punjab, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. Other states include Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Chandigarh, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh.

Student Flow to Key Countries:

• Canada has become the most popular destination, with the number of Indian students rising from 94,240 in 2016 to 4.27 lakh in 2024, a growth of 350%.
• USA follows with 3.37 lakh students in 2024, recovering from a dip during the COVID-19 period (1.67 lakh in 2020).
• Other popular destinations in 2024 include the UK (1.85 lakh), Australia (1.22 lakh), Germany (42,997), UAE (25,000), and Russia (24,940).

India remains the largest source of international students worldwide, with over 13.35 lakh Indian students studying abroad in 2024. In comparison, for every international student coming to India, 28 Indian students went abroad, highlighting a significant talent migration.

Emerging Trends:
While the USA still hosts the largest number of Indian students, geopolitical factors, visa policies, tuition costs, and post-study work prospects are prompting students to explore other countries. Increasingly, Australian and UK universities are seeing more Indian enrollments, and several foreign universities have started opening campuses in India, which may reduce outbound student numbers in the coming years.

Experts suggest that India should aim to host at least 1 lakh international students in central and state universities by 2030, strengthening its position in global higher education.

This trend underscores a growing aspiration among Indian students to pursue quality education abroad, shaping the country’s academic and professional landscape in the global context.