Indian students to gain wider access to education in UK in coming years

With visa curbs in the US, British Council Country Director says students could get dual, joint degrees and credit transfer pathways to improve access

Indian students will have more ways to access education in the UK as part of the India-UK Vision 2035, which includes joint and dual-degree programmes, credit transfer pathways, and scholarships, Alison Barrett MBE, country director India at the British Council, told Business Standard in an email.

 

The UK is also aiming to improve mobility and collaboration for Indian students through an agreement on the Mutual Recognition of Academic Qualifications, ensuring that academic credentials are recognised in both countries.

 

“This paves the way for joint and dual degrees, smoother credit transfers, and expanded opportunities for collaborative research. Initiatives such as the Young Professionals Scheme also offer young graduates the chance to live and work in the UK after gaining experience,” she said.

 

The shift comes as countries such as the UK, Canada, Germany, and New Zealand become more attractive options for students following study and work visa restrictions in the US, including proposals to eliminate the optional practical training programme, which currently allows F-1 visa students to work for 12 months, with possible extensions.

 

Each year, thousands of Indian students choose the UK for higher education. “In 2023-24, more than 166,000 Indian students were enrolled in UK universities, making India one of the largest sources of international students in the UK,” Barrett said.

 

The UK government expects these numbers to continue growing, not only through students travelling there but also via expanded access to UK qualifications in India.

 

“With the establishment of branch campuses and new transnational education partnerships, more students will be able to benefit from a British education without leaving home,” she said.

 

Several British universities, including the Universities of Southampton, Liverpool, Coventry, York, and Aberdeen, have either set up campuses in India or received letters of intent from the education ministry to do so.

 

These universities will offer courses in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), as well as economics, on their Indian campuses.

 

According to reports, programmes will include undergraduate and postgraduate courses in computing and data science, business management, accounting and finance, artificial intelligence, and more. “Over the next few years, we expect several UK universities to explore establishing campuses in India under University Grants Commission and Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) regulations,” Barrett said.

 

A key consideration, howev­er, remains keeping tuition rat­es affordable for Indian st­u­dents choosing to study in the UK.

 

To address this, Barrett said Indian students have access to a wide variety of scholarships as part of India-UK Vision 2035. These include well-established awards such as Commonwealth, Chevening, Women in STEM, and GREAT (Global Research and Education in Advanced Technologies) scholarships, along with subject-specific opportunities.

 

“In addition, bursaries are offered through the UK’s Department for Education and directly by individual universities. Together, these programmes provide major financial support and open doors for more Indian students to experience world-class education in the UK,” Barrett said.