Many Indian students are going abroad to further their studies. Based on official data, the number of Indian students studying overseas rose from 907,000 in 2022 to 1.33 million in 2024. As global educational possibilities become more popular, students are enrolling in international education programs to pursue both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Forecasts indicate that Indian students will remain one of the largest groups of foreign students worldwide.
According to recent industry research, Indian students are more likely to choose recently developed programs than more established ones. While STEM courses remain popular, careers that rely on technology and data are also growing rapidly. Strong employment possibilities have made courses in computer science, artificial intelligence, data science, and related fields very popular. For instance, more Indian students are pursuing math and computer science in the US than conventional engineering, suggesting that academic decisions are being influenced by job concerns. Students are actively seeking programs that provide state-of-the-art skills and a strong return on investment in 2025.
Indian students used to choose the US and Australia, but more and more are now searching outside of these major cities. With more than 427,000 Indian students, Canada is now in the lead, while the US only has roughly 337,000. Another popular destination is the UK, which welcomed 173,190 Indian students in 2022–2023 (a 39% increase from the previous year) after restoring post-study work permits.
Indian students are becoming more interested in studying abroad in places like Europe, Germany, and Ireland. Between 2022 and 2024, India became the leading source country for foreign students in Ireland, while Germany experienced a 68% increase in Indian student enrollments and Ireland a 50% increase. This increase in the number of possible destinations shows that Indian students are open to visiting many countries that provide excellent educational systems, affordable prices, and potential career prospects.
Student choices are impacted by the destination nations’ evolving policies. The Graduate Route, a two-year work visa for foreign graduates, has contributed to its increased attractiveness; nevertheless, the limits placed on dependents for one-year master’s programs have caused some candidates to be hesitant.
Canada was a popular choice for students because to its welcoming employment and immigration policies until some of the regulations governing student visas and intake limits were changed. In contrast, Australia has expanded post-study work authorization for STEM degree holders and is also thinking about lowering the number of overseas students admitted in order to increase capacity.
Changes to such policies have an immediate effect. Following a peak in 2022, the number of Indian students studying overseas fell by almost 15% in comparison to 2023. These days, international students base their educational decisions on the stability of their visas, their prospects of obtaining residence, and their capacity to find employment after graduation. In 2025, locations that are seen to provide more stability and opportunity will have an edge.
Return on investment and affordability are two more important lessons to learn. Due to the high cost of international education for Indian families and the impact of a declining rupee on overseas expenses, students are increasingly thinking more carefully about the value of their education. The significance of university rankings is outweighed by anticipated earnings and employment results. Then there’s the scholarship competition. Students are making a special effort to seek out the seed money provided by different governments and universities in an effort to draw in talent from India. Cost considerations are forcing individuals to seek out regions with reduced tuition costs or generous funding, such as Germany’s public institutions, which charge almost no tuition.
Technology is changing how Indian students interact with people across the world. Students may now complete part of their schoolwork from India to save money thanks to the growing popularity of hybrid learning, which combines online and on-campus instruction. Additionally, universities are providing virtual study abroad programs that allow students to interact in real time with professors and classmates from other countries.
These technologically enabled substitutes enhance campus life and make international education accessible. The majority of students still choose to live and study abroad, but hybrid and online models provide additional benefits for their study abroad experience.
Future Indian students are portrayed as goal-oriented and deliberately strategic learners in the “What Indian Students Want in 2025” study. In addition to choosing disciplines with promising development potential and making cost-effective financial plans, students are deliberately choosing their educational courses by choosing locations for the best post-study chances.
