Are universities in the US, UK and Canada losing their appeal? How Indian Students’ Attitudes Are Changing – ‘Brand Equity’ vs ROI | Today’s news
As studies and government data suggest a decline in Indian student enrollments at universities in the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK), attention is turning to a broader question: Are traditional and popular study abroad destinations such as the US, UK, Canada and Australia losing appeal among Indian students? Are their priorities changing?
Leading experts said the US, UK, Canada and Australia remain highly “relevant and aspirational”, given their established academic ecosystems, global recognition and strong career paths.
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IDP Education, a leader in global education services, said that despite concerns about the availability of US visas and post-study work (PSW) visas in the UK, this is not deterring students. “Instead, we have observed that students are now better prepared and applying early,” an IDP spokesperson told Mint.
Brand versus ROI
Karan Lalit, Managing Director – South Asia, TOEFL & GRE, ETS (Educational Testing Service), believed that Indian students’ approach to choosing universities abroad is steadily shifting from “brand-led aspiration to a more informed, results-driven decision-making process”.
Experts said students today are taking a more informed approach, evaluating factors such as return on investment (ROI), employability, affordability and long-term career outcomes before making a decision.
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“…students are increasingly viewed through a comparative and more selective lens rather than an automatic choice, with students evaluating multiple options before finalizing their destination,” said Karan Lalit of ETS.
Meanwhile, an IDP spokesperson said: “In addition, we are seeing students and families making decisions that are more strategic in nature. Students are increasingly inclined to enroll in subjects that are relevant to future workplace demands in areas such as STEM, artificial intelligence, healthcare, business analytics and sustainability.”
Indian students ‘diversify’ their preferences. Here’s why
While the US, UK, Australia and Canada remain popular, students are diversifying their higher education preferences, considering factors such as return on investment, total cost of education, job opportunities after graduation, visa stability and long-term career outcomes.
“Decision-making has become more pragmatic…this has led to greater diversification of preferences, with increasing interest in destinations such as Germany, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates and other parts of Europe,” said Lalit of ETS.
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Meanwhile, an IDP spokesperson explained that Indian students are showing interest in emerging destinations such as Ireland, New Zealand, Germany and France due to multiple factors.
“It is controlled by a a combination of affordability, strong academic offerings, industry links and favorable post-graduation opportunities,” it added.
“For example, relatively affordable tuition fees in Germany, an expanding range of programs taught in English, etc. are desirable for Indian students. New Zealand attracts students due to its world-class education system, student-friendly study environment and good job opportunities after graduation. Ireland has a booming technology and pharmaceutical sector in the country, a multinational presence and better job opportunities after graduation,” explained IDP Education.
He added that middle-class families are increasingly choosing the countries they offer quality education at a reasonable cost along with international exposure that matches well with job opportunities in the job market.
“This diversification reflects a more informed and pragmatic approach to international education, where students are looking for what best suits their academic and career aspirations in the long term,” an IDP spokesperson said.
Has the rush of Indian students to US and UK universities slowed?
While experts say tighter visa compliance and immigration rules have “dissuaded” students from applying to US and UK universities, and that top destinations continue to “remain highly relevant”, the data tells a different story.
In the United Kingdom, 76 percent of universities reported a decline in enrollments from India by January 2026, while in the United States enrollments fell by almost 7 percent between February 2025 and February 2026.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs cited the figures in the Rajya Sabha in April this year to indicate “a decline of approximately 6.9% in the total number of students enrolled in US academic institutions”. The department confirmed that visa “breach of rules”, increased scrutiny and compliance requirements had an impact on the number of US student visas issued to Indian nationals.
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Meanwhile, a British Universities International Liaison Association (BUILA) survey published in April said 70 per cent of UK universities reported a fall in the number of international students starting postgraduate studies in January 2026.
“The findings suggest that the decline is partly due to universities making proactive recruitment decisions ahead of stricter visa compliance measures, but there are also concerns that the Home Office is refusing visas for reasons beyond the higher education institution’s control,” the study said.
Lalit cited the QS Global Student Flows: India 2026 report, which claims that outbound mobility from India “remains strong”, with nearly 8,00,000 students currently studying overseas. This number is expected to grow by about 4 percent annually.
