Study in UK
Apply for upcoming intake & plan your journey
More than half a million Indian students choose a foreign college or university every year. Both Undergraduate and postgraduate students choose to study abroad, as foreign institutions are known for academic excellence and exceptional career prospects. However, Indian students often face challenges when they go unprepared. The new environment, crime rate, and cultural differences often leave students stuck in predicaments that require prior guidance to resolve them successfully. In this article, we explore all safety measures to conclude which country is safest for Indian students in 2026.
This Story also Contains
Even though a few countries are not known for their academic standards, they are still chosen for their affordable tuition fees. Due to this fact, many Indian students are compromising their safety by becoming vulnerable to crime. At this point, it is not only important to seek a safe environment but also to avoid unnecessary disputes overseas. These are the factors that affect the safety of students abroad:
Crime Rate: The functioning of society, the well-being of citizens and the strictness of laws are decided by the crime rate. The crime rate is one of the primary indicators of the state of society, and evaluates the populace's moral conduct.
Below is a table that shows the crime rates across the top chosen countries to study abroad:
Country | Overall Criminality Score | Resilience Score |
Italy | 6.37 | 6.38 |
China | 6.32 | 5.54 |
France | 5.92 | 7.04 |
United States | 5.87 | 6.96 |
United Kingdom | 5.87 | 7.63 |
Germany | 5.35 | 7.42 |
Ireland | 4.97 | 7.42 |
Sweden | 4.73 | 7.38 |
Japan | 4.25 | 7.50 |
Australia | 4.07 | 7.54 |
Norway | 3.83 | 7.92 |
Finland | 3.25 | 8.42 |
Iceland | 3.03 | 8.17 |
Indian students prefer joining colleges and universities in the countries mentioned above. As the table presents, the crime rate across these countries is minimal, and the resilience score is significantly higher, highlighting resilience and providing assurance to local citizens and incoming international students.
Moreover, countries such as Finland, Iceland and Norway are the safest countries for Indian students’ preferences. As the crime rates in these countries are much lower, they ensure safety and are better suited for Indian students without causing any conflicts.
Also read-
Cultural Differences
Shortlist best ranked universities & get expert guidance
Across countries, populations follow different cultures due to their ancestral backgrounds. As each culture varies in terms of values, traditions, and social norms, encountering another culture might be a culture shock for the other. Despite these differences, students also face various difficulties in coping with the locals. For this reason, Indian students studying abroad face many challenges that often cause them to isolate themselves. Although this isn’t a major concern among students, it gradually makes students homesick.
However, several European countries are extremely welcoming and support a student-friendly environment for Indian students. Nevertheless, it is a considerable aspect for international students.
Racial Discrimination
With growing hatred towards immigrants and xenophobic behaviour, countries such as the USA and France are restricting incoming international students. Although the countries might promote multiculturalism, the permanent residential status of international students is apparently unsettling for locals. Over recent years, it has grown into racial discrimination as people started shunning foreigners.
That said, only a few countries are known for such differences, as most of the countries in Europe and Asia are welcoming. Moreover, countries like Finland actively invite students as part of aggressive talent recruitment in order to boost the economy. For such reasons, some foreign countries are welcoming and express no racial discrimination.
Student-friendly Community
The environment in countries such as Germany, Singapore, New Zealand and Ireland is known to be student-friendly because of low crime and a close-knit, welcoming community. With strict rules and extensive surveillance, these countries prevent crime to safeguard students from crime and conflicts. These are the factors that set these countries apart in terms of safety and student-friendly culture:
Low crime rate: With low crimes and better resilience from the government and security forces across the country, a low crime rate would benefit students, leading to a safe and sound environment.
Geographical isolation: New Zealand is geographically isolated from all other countries, which further makes it distant from geopolitical tensions. For this reason, Indian students in this country would not face any complications due to their nationality or identity.
Strict Laws: As countries implement strict laws, there is less of a chance for crime and student conflicts. With security forces and officials monitoring student circles, any issues or conflicts will be resolved promptly without causing further escalation.
Also read-
Considering all the above-mentioned factors, Iceland and Finland are the safest countries for Indian students. However, if Indians prefer Germany or Ireland for their academic excellence and career opportunities, those two countries can be a good option, as they offer better outcomes for Indian students.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Iceland and Finland are the safest countries for Indian students
Germany is the best country in terms of educational standards and safety measures, although it is positioned slightly below Iceland and Finland.
Germany, Iceland and Finland are the best countries to study abroad for Indians in 2026 as they offer free and world-class education.
Although the crime rate may not affect Indian students directly, they can be prone to criminal activities as they eventually reside in society.
Study at a world-renowned UK university in India | Admissions open for UG & PG programs.
Admissions open for UG & PG programs at Illinois Tech Mumbai
UG & PG Admissions open for CS/AI/Business/Economics & other programmes.
Want to study in Ireland? Explore Universities & Courses
Apply for UG & PG programmes from Victoria University, Delhi NCR Campus
Bristol's expertise meets Mumbai's innovation. Admissions open for UG & PG programmes