University of Southampton to open campus in Gurgaon: What you must know

The University of Southampton, a top 100 global university and a member of the UK's prestigious Russell Group, is setting up a campus in India

Dream of studying at a top global university but worried about visa uncertainties and the high costs of going abroad? Now, that dream could be within your reach — right here in India.

The University of Southampton (UoS), a top 100 global university and a member of the UK's prestigious Russell Group, is setting up a campus in India. This is part of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, as announced by the Ministry of Education on Thursday.

What does this mean for you?

Union Minister S Jaishankar, during an event in New Delhi titled "Internationalisation of Education under NEP 2020: Setting up of Foreign University in India," handed over the Letter of Intent (LoI) to the university's representatives. This move aims to elevate India's educational standards to match the best in the world. "Such endeavours will make our youth world-ready and foster a spirit of global understanding and cooperation," Jaishankar said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

The new University of Southampton campus is expected to be located in Gurugram, within the National Capital Region (NCR). This campus promises to offer world-class teaching and learning opportunities across a range of top degree programmes, making it easier for you to get a quality education without leaving the country.

Courses

Starting in July 2025, the university will offer various undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. In the first three years, you'll have the option to study:

First year:

BSc in Computer Science

Business Management

Accounting and Finance

Economics

MSc in International Management and Finance

Second year:

Software Engineering, BSC Creative Computing, MSc Economics

Third year adds LLB Law and then B Eng (Mechanical Engineering).

Why is this important?

Visa restrictions, job uncertainties, and ever-changing immigration policies in countries like the UK, Canada, the US, Australia, and New Zealand have made it increasingly difficult for Indian students to pursue education abroad. But with top universities setting up campuses in India, your foreign education dreams are still very much alive.

"Foreign universities have been permitted to open campuses in GIFT City and the rest of India. Australian universities have been at the forefront of this initiative. Their presence on the ground will be a big boon for students, who can now access Australian education with ease, without having to worry about visa or immigration-related issues," says Aarushi Jain, Partner (Head - Media, Education & Gaming) at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas.

Moreover, the top universities promise to set up world-class, work-ready graduates.

"University of Southampton Delhi will develop world-class, work-ready graduates with specialist and transferable skills that will enhance India’s fast-growing knowledge economy," said Professor Andrew Atherton.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) had already announced regulations for setting up and operating foreign university campuses in India in 2023. UGC Chairman Jagadesh Kumar assured that "the degrees awarded by the India campus of the University of Southampton will be the same as in the host university. The programmes offered will adhere to the same academic and quality standards."

In addition to Southampton, two Australian universities—the University of Wollongong and Deakin University—have also established campuses in GIFT City, Gujarat. These campuses benefit from special economic zones, which offer tax exemptions and allow universities to repatriate profits.