Foreign Students in India: Recent Statistics and Trends

Foreign Students in India: Recent Statistics and Trends

• 19 Mar, 2025
• FREE

Total Number of Foreign Students in Recent Years

India hosts a growing but still modest number of international students in its higher education system. In the 2021-22 academic year, there were 46,878 foreign students enrolled in Indian institutions, down slightly (~2%) from the previous year due to the pandemic [1]. This figure is comparable to pre-COVID levels – for instance, 49,348 foreign students in 2019-20, the highest in the past decade [2], and about 48,035 in 2020-21 [1]. Overall, the number of international students in India has nearly doubled over the last decade (about an 80% increase since 2010) [3]. Despite this growth, foreign students still represent a very small share of India’s vast student population (only ~0.13% of total higher education enrolment in 2019-20) [4].

Country-Wise Breakdown of Foreign Students

Neighboring countries dominate the source of international students in India. Students from Nepal are by far the largest group – roughly 28% of all foreign students in 2021-22 [5]. The next biggest cohorts come from Afghanistan (~7%), followed by countries like the United States (~6%), Bangladesh (~6%), and the United Arab Emirates (~5%) [1]. For example, in 2021-22, Nepal alone sent 13,126 students, far ahead of Afghanistan (3,151) and the US (2,893) [6]. Other significant source countries include Bhutan, Sudan, Nigeria, Yemen, and Malaysia [7]. Notably, students from neighboring South Asian nations account for the majority of enrollments, reflecting regional ties and India’s proximity and cultural linkages [5]. (By contrast, students from China are very few – only about 122 in 2019-20 [8], indicating India has yet to tap some international markets.)

Popular Courses and Enrollment Levels

The vast majority of international students in India are undergraduates. In 2021-22, about 74.8% of foreign students were enrolled in undergraduate (UG) programs, with 15.8% in postgraduate (PG) programs and the remainder in other levels (PhD, diplomas, etc.) [5]. A relatively small number pursue doctoral or diploma courses. The most popular course by far is the Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) – i.e. engineering degrees – which enrolled 11,461 foreign students in 2021-22 [5]. This means roughly one in four international students in India is pursuing an engineering undergraduate degree. The next most popular choices are business-related degrees and science degrees: for example, Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) had about 3,346 foreign students, and Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) had around 3,289 [5].

Over the past decade, the trend has shifted – a decade ago, foreign students often chose arts degrees, but today India’s engineering and technical education (B.Tech/BE) has become the top draw [4].

Economic Impact and Revenue from International Students

International students contribute to India’s economy through tuition fees, living expenses, travel, and related spending. Estimates suggest that around 50,000 foreign students in 2023 contributed roughly ₹5,000 crore (about US$600 million) to the Indian economy [9]. This includes direct spending on education (tuition and fees) as well as expenditure on housing, food, transportation, and tourism by students and visiting family.

On an individual level, each foreign student spends between ₹2,00,000 and ₹5,00,000 per year (approximately US$2,500–$6,000) on tuition and living costs, depending on the program and city [10]. This education spending not only brings in revenue for universities but also stimulates local economies – campus cities see benefits in housing, food services, retail, and transportation. One analysis noted that for every ₹1 crore spent by international students, 12–15 jobs are supported in sectors like hospitality and academia [9].

In 2019 (pre-pandemic), India reportedly earned around $2 billion from “education tourism” – highlighting the broader tourism and economic value of foreign students coming to study [10].

Trends and Factors Influencing Foreign Student Enrollment

Long-Term Growth vs. Recent Dips

The overall trend has been upward growth in foreign student enrollment in India over the past decade. From 2010 to 2020, international student numbers in India rose by ~80% [3]. More recently, India saw a 68% rise in foreign enrollments from 2016 to 2023 [9]. However, the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted this growth, causing a slight decline from the peak of ~49,000 in 2019-20 to about 46,000 in 2021-22 [1].

Government Initiatives

Recognizing the potential, the Indian government launched the “Study in India” program in 2018 to attract more international students [4]. This initiative markets Indian education abroad, streamlines admissions via a centralized portal, and offers incentives like tuition fee waivers and scholarships for foreign students (over 35,000 fee waivers and 2,000 scholarships were made available) [4]. The goal is to make India a preferred destination and reach 200,000 foreign students by 2025 [9].

Challenges and Future Outlook

Despite its strengths, India still lags behind other countries in attracting international students. Foreign students make up only ~0.1% of India’s enrollment, whereas they constitute about 5% in the US, 14% in Canada, and 18% in the UK [4]. If ongoing reforms continue, and with sustained marketing efforts, India hopes to significantly increase its share of global students in the coming years.

 

References

1. All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) (2022). Higher Education Statistics. Ministry of Education, Government of India.
2. Ministry of Education (2021). AISHE 2019-20 Report. Government of India.
3. British Council (2022). Higher Education in India: Trends and Insights.
4. Press Trust of India (2023). Foreign Student Trends in Indian Universities. Hindustan Times.
5. Ministry of Education (2023). AISHE 2021-22 Report. Government of India.
6. India Today (2023). Country-Wise Breakdown of Foreign Students.
7. The Hindu (2023). India’s Foreign Student Policy and Regional Dynamics.
8. Economic Times (2022). Foreign Student Enrollments and India’s Education Diplomacy.
9. Moneycontrol (2023). Foreign Student Influx and Economic Contributions.
10. Times of India (2019). Education Tourism and Economic Impact of Foreign Students in India.