- Parents and students increasingly choosing destinations that offer quality education at half the cost
- Spain, Germany, Singapore and UAE emerge as fast-growing study hubs for Indian youth
- Lower tuition fees, faster job pathways and safer visa policies driving new study-abroad choices
- Experts urge families to evaluate ROI, employability and course relevance before selecting universities
NE EDUCATION BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, MAR 12
Indian students planning overseas education are no longer chasing only “brand destinations.” Instead, a growing number of students and parents are evaluating return on investment (ROI), employability prospects and affordability before choosing where to study abroad.
Emerging global education destinations such as Spain, Germany, France, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, New Zealand and South Korea are witnessing a steady rise in Indian enrolments.
While traditional English-speaking destinations like the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia continue to remain attractive — particularly the US for STEM programmes — students are increasingly broadening their options.
Experts say this shift reflects a more informed, research-driven approach among Indian families, where decisions are influenced by tuition fees, living expenses, visa norms, internship opportunities and long-term career prospects.
Why students are choosing emerging destinations
According to education financing experts, emerging destinations often provide high-quality postgraduate programmes at significantly lower cost, while offering strong industry exposure and faster employment pathways.
Shweta Guru, CBO – Overseas Loan, Auxilo Finserve, explained the changing mindset among Indian students: “Indian students today are far more pragmatic and ROI-driven in their approach to overseas education. Destinations like Spain, Germany and New Zealand are witnessing strong demand as they offer high-quality education, affordability, clearer visa pathways and better alignment between education and employment outcomes, especially for postgraduate and STEM programmes.”
She added that emerging destinations are no longer considered fallback options.
“Emerging destinations increasingly offer comparable postgraduate and STEM outcomes at nearly half the cost of legacy markets, with lower visa risk and faster return on investment.”
Cost comparison: emerging vs traditional study destinations
Families evaluating overseas education are increasingly comparing costs before making decisions.
Emerging destinations
• Tuition fee: ₹6–15 lakh per year
• Living expenses: ₹6–10 lakh annually
• Total course cost: ₹18–40 lakh
• Course duration: 12–24 months
• Faster job outcomes: 6–9 months
Legacy destinations
• Tuition fee: ₹15–50 lakh per year
• Living expenses: ₹12–20 lakh annually
• Total course cost: ₹60–90 lakh
• Course duration: 18–36 months
• Time to employment: 9–15 months
(Estimated costs; actual expenses may vary depending on course and institution.)
The shorter course duration and lower overall cost often result in lower education loan stress and faster repayment for students.
Countries seeing rapid growth in Indian enrolments
Several destinations have recorded consistent growth in Indian student enrolments between 2023 and 2025:
Spain
Student numbers increased from 865 in 2023 to 1,192 in 2025, driven by demand for postgraduate courses in business, data analytics, engineering and public policy.
Portugal and Lithuania
Student enrolments rose sharply as universities attracted Indian students for technology, life sciences and applied engineering programmes.
Italy and the Netherlands
Italy recorded strong demand for design, architecture, engineering and management, while the Netherlands saw growth in AI, fintech, sustainability and STEM programmes.
Germany
Germany continues to be a top destination for Indian postgraduate students due to low or no tuition fees at public universities, strong research ecosystems and industry partnerships in engineering, robotics and automotive technology.
Singapore and UAE
Both destinations are gaining traction due to shorter course durations, global faculty, strong industry linkages and high employability in Asia-Pacific and Middle East markets.
A growing culture of informed decisions
Experts say Indian students are now conducting deeper research before choosing international universities — evaluating course relevance, industry demand and long-term career outcomes rather than simply opting for traditional destinations.
Auxilo Finserve has supported over 18,000 students studying across more than 1,600 universities in over 30 countries, providing financing that covers tuition fees, travel, accommodation, study materials and living expenses.
Shweta Guru believes the shift toward smarter decision-making will continue.
“The study-abroad landscape is evolving rapidly, and we expect the trend toward research-driven choices and emerging destinations to continue strongly in 2026.”
