upGrad eyes more university tie-ups in Asia as US campuses lose appeal

Indian edtech startup upGrad is exploring more university tie-ups in the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific as fewer students are opting to study in the U.S. and the UK due to visa restrictions and cost hurdles, a top executive said.

The company, founded by film producer Ronnie Screwvalaa and backed by Singapore's Temasek, partners with about 80 universities across 10 countries to offer online MBAs and executive education.

UpGrad earns revenue by enrolling students in online programs and helping them transition to overseas campuses to complete their degrees.

"Some of the top schools in the U.S. and UK have opened campuses in Dubai, Malaysia and Singapore. We have started going that way as well because geopolitical factors restrict enrollment in U.S. and U.K. schools," Praneet Singh, associate vice president for upGrad's Study Abroad business, told Reuters.

"We are fiercely expanding to the Middle East and APAC, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia," Singh said, without giving more details about the related investment.

The strategy shift comes amid a dip in applications to universities in the United States following the Trump administration's policy pivot, which includes tightening students' social media presence and duration of visas.

UpGrad is looking at universities such as Johns Hopkins, Carnegie Mellon, Birmingham, and Middlesex with campuses in Dubai or Doha as well as others in Vietnam, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka for tie-ups, Singh said.

The U.S. has long been the top choice for Indian students, lured by research opportunities, strong job prospects and higher salaries than at home. That is changing due to rising visa hurdles and weaker job prospects, Singh said.

The share of Indian students heading to the U.S. slipped to 47% in the fiscal 2025 from 60% in the year-ago period amid geopolitical tensions and higher demand for more affordable educational destinations, according to an upGrad survey.

That trend has continued this year, Singh said.