Ireland, Australia, UK and Germany on the list

With the US tightening the student visas, Indian students are now looking to UK, Ireland Australia and Germany. Visa uncertainties, rising living costs, stricter rules, post- study job difficulties have made USA unappealing for the students.

Surya Ganesh Valmiki, Chairman and Managing Director of Valmiki Group Consultancy says, “There is 18- 19% decline in U.S enrolments. 2024-25 has been a complete disaster making it challenging as many students are still studying and working under Optional Practical Training (OPT) which is a temporary work authorization program. 

He also noted that the unpredictable Global markets and the geopolitical tensions are making it unfavorable for students to study abroad.

Ireland, Germany and Australia: The New Favorites 

Ireland has over 1,500 multinational companies and provision for post-study work visas is attracting Indian students.

Germany has also been the most preferred destination because of many benefits and has seen a significant increase of international students as the applications hiked from 13.2% in 2022 to around 32.6% in 2024-25. However, despite the affordability, high-quality technical education and strong economy, the language still stands as a barrier for those who prefer post study work.

UAE, South Korea and Finland are other destinations welcoming Indian students specifically. Finland offers good opportunities and comforts particularly in engineering and Information Communication Technology (ICT) fields with lower living costs for the students compared to other western European nations.  

Development head of Creative Aspirants overseas consultancy, Prathima Jaidev says that Australia, UK and Canada are more preferred now, specifically Australia with a high standard of living emphasizing work opportunities. “Students are now planning for the fall intake (August- September) for these countries in 2026. France and the UK are also growing in appeal just like Germany, but the language barriers and limited universities are the challenges”, she added.  

Meera Afreen, recently began her masters in Cybersecurity at University of Surrey in Guildford UK, says she planned with hopes for US but preferred the UK after careful consideration and suggestions given the U.S situation for foreign students. “I do face stricter visa and other rules now than what my elder siblings have faced before, but much better compared to the U.S”, she added.  

Aakanksha, completed a Master degree in Food Science & Technology at RMIT University, Australia said that she initially wanted to go for U.S. She said, “I have planned for U.S, but the uncertainty around visas and the pressure of finding the job right after the graduation which still goes on didn't feel right”.  

According to the statistics, around 7.6 lakh students went abroad from India in 2024.