Top States for Foreign Students in India

According to the Bureau of Immigration (BoI) statistics, there are around 40,431 foreign students in India in 2023 to pursue their higher studies. Several states attract international students in India, such as Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and more. According to the statistics, most foreign students in India come to puruse their undergraduate education. Karnataka is one of the best state to study in India for international students.

This Story also Contains

1. Foreign Students in India
2. 1. Karnataka
3. 2. Tamil Nadu
4. 3. Maharashtra
5. 5. Delhi
6. Cheapest Indian Universities for International Students

Most of the foreign students in India are enrolled in Science and Business Administration courses. The majority of the foreign students in India by country are from Nepal, followed by Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nigeria, Sudan, Tanzania, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Yemen, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Pakistan and Iran.

Some of the best universities in India for international students include Manipal University, Annamalai University, Symbiosis International University, Delhi University, and more. These universities provide foreign students studying in India with high quality education and research programmes, along with vibrant culture and attractive destinations in the country.

Foreign Students in India

India is slowly cementing its place as an emerging study destination for the international student community, attracting a majority of international students from the SAARC countries, which include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka, besides some students from African countries.

However, India still lags behind in comparison to countries that have stabilized themselves as an international higher education destination. This is reflected by the fact that out of 4.5 million international students, only about 0.6% head toward India. However, all’s not lost in India’s higher education scene. Slowly, the country is picking up the pace with a number of international students heading to its shore and states like Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu taking the lead. After the study period, foreign students in Indian can seek for job opportunities in India. Here, we bring you a list of top states attracting foreign students in India:

1. Karnataka

With over 12,000 international students, Karnataka leads the pack in the states that attract the most international students in India. Karnataka’s popularity among foreign students is reflected in the ever-growing numbers of students from Gulf and African countries who flock to the state, mainly to pursue Medicine and Engineering. In fact, Karnataka records the highest enrollments in medicine among foreign students in the country; the majority of whom are from Malaysia.

The driving force behind Karnataka’s rise to the most sought-after destination among foreign students is Bangalore and Manipal cities. According to an Association of Indian Universities report on the internationalization of higher education in India, Manipal University has one of the highest numbers of foreign students in India. “Manipal has witnessed an increase in the number of international students in the last couple of years,” says Diana Britto of Manipal University. “While we do have students across many nationalities, students from Malaysia, USA and UAE constitute the largest chunk in the university.”

Besides Bangalore and Manipal, Mysore is another city that has seen a spurt in the number of international students. With the numbers going above 1,000, the city gets students from 52 countries worldwide.

Top Courses and Universities in Karnataka

2. Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu has attracted quite a lot of attention from the international student community in the last few years, thanks to its focus on quality institutions. While the state is also famous for its medicine courses, it draws the highest number of international students to its commerce and science courses. With nearly 5,000 students, Tamil Nadu is the only state with the second-highest number of international students, after Karnataka.

A majority of foreign students head towards Tamil Nadu to increase their English proficiency, as many institutes in the state also provide English proficiency classes for students from non-native English countries for at least 6 months toward the beginning of their sessions.

Top Courses and Universities in Tamil Nadu

3. Maharashtra

When India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, called Pune the ‘Oxford of the East’, little did he know that the city would not only be popular among Indian students but would also attract students from across the world. While Maharashtra with over 4,000 foreign students ranks third among the states with the highest number of international students, Pune has proved itself to be the education hub, attracting the largest number of international students. One of the areas where Pune stands out among the other Indian states is that the city is home to a number of quality academic and research institutes, thus making it a student-friendly city. Interestingly, many students also opt for Pune because of the pleasant weather and liberal accommodation.

Mumbai is another city that is making its mark among foreign students, though it is still a far cry compared to Pune with few international students enrolled in Mumbai University. While the city does provide safe surroundings for foreign students, it loses out on high accommodation and living costs.

Top Courses and Universities in Maharashtra

4. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are two other states that are emerging as education destinations for foreign students. With over 3,500 foreign students studying in various universities, Andhra Pradesh, before the division, was not only the state that was sending the highest number of students abroad but was also attracting numerous international students in India Surprisingly, one of the top drawers is Osmania University-now in Telangana-which continues to enroll the largest number of foreign students in Indian universities.

Andhra Pradesh has also taken special care to ensure that foreign students keep coming there. For example, Andhra University has a state-of-the-art student hostel dedicated exclusively to international students.

Top Courses and Universities in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana

5. Delhi

India’s national capital, New Delhi, continues to be the most preferred destination for international students. Among the institutions, Delhi University with over 2,000 enrolments alone is the most popular among foreign students. In fact, the university also holds the record for admitting the highest number of foreign students in India. “Presently students from more than 70 countries are studying here at Delhi University,” says Dr. Amrit Kaur Basra, foreign students’ advisor at Delhi University.

Subjects like Science, Economics, English, History, Mathematics and Geography are very popular among foreign students in Delhi. Students, mainly from SAARC countries, also opt for professional courses. As Dr Basra puts it: “There is a huge demand for professional courses like B.ED. Arts and Nursing at the doctoral level. These courses witness fierce competition among foreign students every year, as seats are few and demand is high.”

Another university that has cemented Delhi’s position as an international student city is the South Asian University (SAU). SAU is an international university founded by the eight member states of SAARC. In its seventh batch this year, SAU has been witnessing a sharp increase in applications from students across the SAARC countries since its establishment in 2010.

Top Courses and Universities in Delhi

The higher education scene in India is highly competitive, and that is the reason it attracts so many bright minds from across the globe. Admission of foreign students in Indian universities can be applied online through the university website. So if you are willing to study in India, choose your university and proceed with admission process.

Cheapest Indian Universities for International Students

There are several affordable universities for foreign universities in India. Some of the universities with affordable tuition fees are IEC University, Osmania University, Nirma University, Bahra University, and Jamia Islamia University. A few of the cheapest universities for international students in India are mentioned below:

Affordable Universities for Foreign Students in India

Which Indian States Send Most Students Abroad?

The number of Indian students going abroad has significantly increased from past few years. According to the Bol, approximately 7.65 lakh Indian students went to study abroad. According to the statistics, candidates from Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra have the highest percentage of Indian students going abroad.

Students Going Abroad from India: State Wise