Indian students eye Germany, but US, UK, Canada remain top study choices

Indian students look beyond the US, UK, Canada and Australia as rising costs and visa curbs push families to explore affordable, policy-stable alternatives

Over the past decade, a growing number of Indian families have planned for their children’s overseas education with four destinations in mind: the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia. A degree from these countries brought prestige, exposure, and, often, a foot in the door to global careers.

 

Today, however, that picture is changing. Rising costs and tighter visa rules are prompting many to ask a different question: Where else can students study?

 

Data from India’s Bureau of Immigration (BoI) shows that more students are now picking countries outside the traditional Big Four. In 2024, nearly 35,000 Indian students declared Germany as their destination—almost double the 2019 figure. Russia saw a similar trend, with 31,400 Indian students heading there in 2024. And Uzbekistan, once a negligible option with just 300 Indian students in 2019, saw close to 10,000 declarations last year.

 

 

“The global race to attract Indian talent will intensify, and emerging destinations that align education with employability, affordability, and long-term opportunities will attract the best and brightest minds,” said Meti Basiri, co-founder and CEO, ApplyBoard.

 

Top 10 destinations for Indian students (BoI, 2019–2024)

 

Canada: 137,608

USA: 204,058

Australia: 68,572

UK: 98,890

Germany: 34,702

Russia: 31,444

Bangladesh: 29,232

Singapore: 14,547

Kyrgyz Republic: 11,875

Kazakhstan: 11,638

 

Shift students didn’t ask for

 

In the past year, major destination countries have announced policies that have made it harder or more expensive for Indian students.

 

• Canada has capped study permits

• The UK reduced dependant visas and is reviewing the Graduate visa

• The US has paused some student visa interviews

• Australia raised financial requirements and tightened post-study work rules

 

As a result, many Indian parents are now reconsidering long-held assumptions about overseas education. “The parents, who were once focused on how much they need to save, are now asking, ‘Where should we even send them?’” said Basiri.

 

Alternative destinations growing, but Big Four still dominate

 

An analysis by ApplyBoard confirms that Indian students are still heading to the US, UK, Canada and Australia in large numbers—but the numbers show clear signs of disruption.

 

Australia

 

In 2024, about 139,000 Indian students held Australian student visas—up 11% from 2023. This included students benefiting from favourable terms under the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA), such as longer post-study work visas.

 

However, new policies have made entry tougher:

 

• Directive 111 has limited student visas

• Applications from Indian students dropped 20% in 2023/24

• Higher visa fees and language requirements are in place

 

Canada

 

The total number of Indian study permit holders in Canada dipped by 8% to 393,000 in 2024. While approval rates for Indians were still about 30% higher than the global average, new permit caps and backlogs meant fewer fresh approvals.

 

As students who enrolled in 2021 start to graduate, overall permit holder numbers are expected to drop further over the next two years.

 

United Kingdom

 

Indian student numbers in the UK declined 4% in the 2023/24 academic year, according to figures based on students with an Indian permanent address.

 

Policy changes like the bar on dependants for non-research students may have contributed to the dip. But Q1 2025 figures show signs of a rebound:

 

• Global student visa applications rose 30% over Q1 2024

• Indian main applicant visa submissions rose 29%

 

Still, the UK’s new Immigration White Paper—proposing a shorter 18-month Graduate visa—could affect future plans for many.

 

United States

 

Indian student visa holders in the US rose 23% year-over-year in 2023/24 to nearly 332,000, driven in part by the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme for STEM graduates. India overtook China as the largest source of international students in the US.

 

Around 75% of Indian students were either pursuing STEM programmes or completing OPT.

 

However, 2025 has brought new hurdles:

 

• Pausing of the Fulbright scholarship programme

• Suspension of new visa interviews in late May

• Cutbacks at the federal Department of Education

 

These changes are expected to affect the next wave of applicants.

 

More Indians are declaring education as their reason for travel

 

In 2024, nearly 760,000 Indian nationals told BoI officials that education was the reason they were leaving the country. This marks a steady increase from previous years, although 2024’s numbers reflect a stabilisation after the post-pandemic spike of 2023.

 

“As more students plan to study abroad than ever before, affordability, safety, and return on investment have become key decision factors,” said Basiri.