ALTERNATIVE DESTINATIONS

Germany

The Netherlands

Ireland

France & Spain

Japan

Singapore & Hong Kong

New Zealand

“US F-1 visas for Indian students drop 69% in June-July 2025.” (IE, Mar 2026) “Australia moves India into highest risk category for student visas.” (TOI, Jan 2026) “Canada rejects 80% of Indian student visas in 2025.” (TOI, Sep 2025)The headlines continue unabated. Since 2023, such announcements by the ‘Big 4’ (United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia) have served as a deterrent for Indians aspiring to study in these dream destinations. Home to 56 of the top 100 universities globally, as per the QS World University Rankings 2026, the Big 4 have attracted hordes of Indian students over the years. “These remain the most sought-after destinations due to the recognition of their universities and the variety of programs aligned with industry demand,” says Piyush Kumar, Regional Director, South Asia, Canada and Latin America, IDP Education.“Management and MBA programs continue to lead student preferences, accounting for over 55% of course choices among Indians,” says Praneet Singh, AVP, University Partnerships, upGrad Study Abroad. These are followed by STEM-focused programs, which comprise nearly 39% of preferences, according to upGrad’s Study Abroad Transnational Education (TNE) Report 2024-25.Yet, the past couple of years have seen a drastic fall in the number of Indian students going to the Big 4 due to the tightening of visa requirements, restrictive government policies, truncated post-study work periods, shrinking job opportunities, rising tuition and visa fees, increased proof of funds limits, and a fall in the rupee.This has not only rendered these destinations unaffordable, but also lowered their return on investment (RoI) quotient due to job uncertainty. Add to it the ongoing West Asian crisis, and many Indians have either abandoned or delayed their foreign education plans. No surprise then that there was a 6.1% fall in the number of Indian students studying in foreign universities last year, from 13.3 lakh in 2024 to 12.5 lakh in 2025, as per the Ministry of External Affairs data.University of Amsterdam, THE NETHERLANDSBachelor’s program with finance (3 years):It would have cost me Rs.60 lakh in the US, and even with a scholarship, it would have amounted to nearly Rs.40 lakh.As Indians seek more affordable and better study opportunities abroad, the Big 4’s loss has become a gain for several European and Southeast Asian countries, includ ing Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and Ireland in Europe; Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong in Southeast Asia; as well as New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (until recently). Dubai (UAE) had picked up as a destination in the past 8-9 months, but due to the West Asian conflict, it is completely off the radar now. “These people have started looking at private Indian universities or foreign universities within India, such as Southampton and Liverpool,” says Delhi-based career coach and consultant Alok Bansal.“The Middle East is popular for ancillary fields and facility management services and may pick up again depending on how the situation pans out, but it is not an option for students looking for higher education because of the limited number of top-ranked global universities,” says Mandeep Singh Bachher, Co-founder, MindScan Education.“Students today are far more pragmatic in their decision-making and are prioritising destinations that offer affordability, policy clarity, and strong employment outcomes. Europe is gaining traction because it offers a strong balance between cost, opportunity and career outcomes,” says Singh.Germany, popular for STEM fields, has seen a sharp surge in the number of Indian students, rising from 28,905 in 2020 to 59,419 in 2024, according to DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service). This shift is also reflected in student mobility trends, with Germany’s share rising from around 13% in 2022 to over 32% in 2024-25, as per the TNE Report, making it one of the fastest- growing destinations for Indian students.“Germany has risen in prominence because its cost of education is significantly lower than in the US and other European countries. As the rupee continues to depreciate, this decision impacts not only the tuition fee but also the cost of living,” says Eela Dubey, Co-founder and CEO of EduFund. Since some of its public universities charge nil or negligible tuition fees, the overall cost of studying in Germany is low, ranging from Rs.20-40 lakh.It also offers ease of post-study work options and future prospects. “The demand for skilled workforce is supported by its strong industrial ecosystem, home to global employers such as SAP, Siemens, BMW, Volkswagen and Airbus, which actively recruit international talent,” says Singh from upGrad.It’s a favourite among Indians for courses in the STEM stream, business management and life sciences. Higher education in the Netherlands can cost around Rs.25 lakh a year, which is much lower than Rs.50-70 lakh a year in the US. The affordable tuition fee, moderate living cost, and strong post-study employment opportunities mean that the country offers a high return on investment.“My first choice was the US, but it would have cost me Rs.60 lakh a year, and Rs.40 lakh even with a scholarship. In Amsterdam, I’m paying Rs.11 lakh a year in tuition fee even though the cost of living is higher,” says Srishti Wadhwa from Delhi, who is pursuing a three-year undergraduate course in finance and also wants to do her post-graduation from Europe.The country has nearly 13 universities in the QS World Rankings 2026, offering high-quality research and teaching. Importantly, for Indians, it has a large number of English taught courses. The top undergraduate courses, according to Leap Scholar, are in computer science, international business, engineering, life sciences and psychology.Ireland is becoming increasingly popular for programs in technology, data science, pharmaceutical science and finance due to the presence of global technology and pharma giants. It’s home to the European headquarters of Google, Meta, Apple and Microsoft, has companies like Indeed, Stripe and Pfizer, as well as the top 50 global banks.It is also an attractive option due to the post-study work opportunities. “The fees for postgraduate programs vary from Rs.14-40 lakh annually, depending on the program and institution. Living costs may vary from Rs.30,000-60,000 monthly for campus accommodation, but can rise for off-campus stay,” says Kumar.Year-on-year fall in number of Indians studying abroad in 2025.Nagoya University of Commerce & Business, JAPANBusiness management (4 years)It’s affordable compared to the US or UK and has no racism. Besides, both my parents are in the EV industry and I can pick up a lot from there.France and Spain are popular among Indians seeking courses in management, fashion, design and hospitality, with the total cost of studying in France ranging from Rs.30-50 lakh a year. “I’m paying Rs.35 lakh in tuition fee for the 1.5-year course in luxury management and marketing from Emlyon Business School, Paris,” says Gayathry K. Menon, 24, who will complete her post- graduation in 2027, after studying in Milan and Australia too for a few months, as part of the program.Some of the top universities in France like the University of Paris and Sciences Po offer several English-taught programs, with the country also providing a post-study visa, which is a big attraction. “However, language can be a barrier, especially if you pick a smaller university where most of the students talk in local dialects,” says Bansal. Spain is relatively cheap, with lower tuition fees and living costs (Rs.85,000-1.5 lakh a month) compared to France’s Rs.1-1.8 lakh a month in living expenses.“Southeast Asia, especially Japan, is becoming popular after the opening up of its cross-border conversation with India,” says Dubey. Agrees Bachher. “There’s a concerted effort to popularise Japanese universities, and for India, the effort is spearheaded by the University of Tokyo. They’ve been taking principals and students on trips to assess the on-the-ground situation. However, language is a big barrier, with very few English-taught bachelor programs,” he says.The low expense is still a big attraction. “It can cost as little as Rs.5-6 lakh a year for economics or management programs,” says Bachher. This was one of the reasons that Jaipur-based Ranvir Chaudhary’s parents were keen on Japan. “I will pay Rs.8.5 lakh a year as tuition fee for my four-year under-graduate program in business management,” says the Class 12 student, who is set to start in September this year. “Overeall, it will cost Rs.14-15 lakh a year for both tuition and living expenses,” says Ranvir’s mother, Kshitija.While these destinations have always been popular, they have seen a rise in demand in the past 1-2 years. With top global universities such as the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in the QS World University Rankings 2026, the city-state offers high quality programs in business management, technology and engineering.The cost of studying in Singapore is slightly higher than the other Southeast Asian countries but is low relative to the US and UK. “It costs Rs.20 25 lakh a year, but a bigger advantage for Indians is the proximity to home, ease of language and food, and safety,” says Bachher. Hong Kong is cheaper compared to Singapore and costs Rs.12-15 lakh a year for engineering.With all eight of its public universities ranked in the QS World University Rankings 2026, the country offers high-quality education in business, IT, engineering, healthcare and hospitality. The Indian student numbers grew 48.9% from 2021 to 2024 due to its affordability, simplified visa processes, and post-study work opportunities, as per a University Living Report. The tuition fee is Rs.12-20 lakh annually for most programs, and higher for postgraduate programs. For living expenses, students should budget Rs.10 11 lakh annually, as per the IDP.