US's Loss Spells Good News For Other Countries As Many Start To Lay Red Carpet For Indian Students

A Growing Trend

“About 4.5 lakh Indian students spent over $13 billion (₹96,500 crore) per annum on higher education abroad, as of 2020,” a NITI Aayog document quoting industry body ASSOCHAM stated. This figure will only rise. 

Meanwhile, a NITI Aayog document quoting The Indian Student Mobility Report stated that “Indian students collectively spent close to $37 billion (₹2.6 lakh crore) on overseas education in 2019, and this rose to approximately $47 billion (₹3.8 lakh crore) in 2022". 

This clearly reflects the growing trend among Indian students to pursue higher education in foreign universities. However, their overseas higher education prospects were hindered in 2025 following the Trump administration's visa curbs drive. The visa curbs, coupled with the US's proposal to cap international undergraduate students at 15% per campus, pushed Indian students to explore higher education options beyond the US. Amid the turmoil, the bid by other countries such as Japan to diversify their international student base came as a relief for Indian students. 

Japan's Bid To Woo Indian Students

Recently, officials and representatives from Japan have highlighted that the country would be a credible option for Indians to pursue higher education. At the recently concluded India-Japan Higher Education Conclave in Ahmedabad, Kaori Hayashi, executive vice-president (Diversity and Global Affairs) at The University of Tokyo, said, "We have been depending on China for students. We want to diversify this. Globalisation is not just between two countries. In a way, India can also offset the heavy dependency on China. It does not mean that we do not want Chinese students. We want students from many countries, and India is one of them, especially considering that only 1,600-odd Indian students, currently, pursue education in Japanese universities."

Mukesh Patel, Honorary Consul of Japan in India, said, "Japanese universities can be a very positive option. There is a huge scope for our students to take opportunities in Japan."

Echoing the views, C. Rajkumar, Vice-Chancellor, O.P. Jindal University, said, "There is no discrimination of foreign students with respect to fee or other academic aspects."

Viable Higher Education Options

The recent visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India also signalled the diversification of education and employment opportunities for Indians, as Russia, which has been facing demographic shifts, has been seeking a skilled workforce for its various sectors and industries. The new visa framework for Indian professionals in Russia allows them to apply for temporary residency of up to three years, or directly seek permanent residency, without being subject to immigration quota limits. 

France and Germany, too, have emerged as viable alternatives for higher education, with France setting an ambitious target of wooing 30,000 students from India. It has even signed agreements with several Indian universities and launched an exclusive one-year foundation course for Indian students. In a bid to provide support to Indians seeking employment, France has also offered a two-year stay option for students following the completion of their courses.  

Top Host Countries For Indian Students:

USA:             11,26,690
Canada:        8,42,760
UK:                7,58,855
Australia:       4,37,485
France:          4,12,100

Source: NITI Aayog Working Paper: International Student Mobility: A Global and Indian Temporal View

India's Diverse Talent Pool

Meanwhile, during the visit of German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul to India, both nations agreed to waive visa fees for short-term student visits to schools and colleges. According to reports, the total number of Indian students in Germany stood at 49,483 during the winter semester of 2023/24, marking a 15.1% increase from the previous year.

These promising figures and enhanced collaboration efforts point to the growing global recognition of India as a source of talent in fields such as engineering, STEM, and advanced technologies, among others.