India sees sharp fall in students heading to US, UK, Canada; Russia and Bangladesh gain
The number of students heading abroad fell from 8.92 lakh in 2023 to 7.59 lakh this year, with Canada, the US, and the UK seeing the steepest declines
- Jul 26, 2025,
- Updated Jul 26, 2025 7:48 AM IST
The outflow of Indian students to top Western education hubs has dropped sharply in 2024, with fresh data from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) showing a marked shift in global preferences. The number of students heading abroad fell from 8.92 lakh in 2023 to 7.59 lakh this year, with Canada, the US, and the UK seeing the steepest declines.
According to figures tabled in Parliament, Canada recorded the most significant drop amid ongoing diplomatic tensions with New Delhi. Indian student numbers there fell from 2,33,532 in 2023 to 1,37,608 in 2024 — a staggering 41% decline.
The United States, which hosted over 2.34 lakh Indian students last year, saw that number dip to approximately 2.04 lakh in 2024. Similarly, the United Kingdom witnessed a fall from 1.36 lakh to 98,000 students in the same period.
In contrast, non-traditional destinations are emerging as strong alternatives. Countries such as Bangladesh, Uzbekistan, Russia, and Singapore have registered rising inflows of Indian students, driven by lower education costs, simplified visa regimes, and targeted offerings in medical and technical education.
Bangladesh saw a sharp jump from 20,368 Indian students in 2023 to 29,232 in 2024. Uzbekistan followed suit, attracting 9,915 students this year compared to 6,601 last year. Russia, long a preferred destination for medical studies, also saw growth—from 25,503 to 31,444 students. Singapore hosted over 14,000 Indian students in 2024, up from 12,000 the previous year.
Analysts say the shift is being driven by long visa delays, tightening immigration policies, and geopolitical uncertainty in Western nations, prompting a growing number of students to consider other geographies for higher education.
The outflow of Indian students to top Western education hubs has dropped sharply in 2024, with fresh data from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) showing a marked shift in global preferences. The number of students heading abroad fell from 8.92 lakh in 2023 to 7.59 lakh this year, with Canada, the US, and the UK seeing the steepest declines.
According to figures tabled in Parliament, Canada recorded the most significant drop amid ongoing diplomatic tensions with New Delhi. Indian student numbers there fell from 2,33,532 in 2023 to 1,37,608 in 2024 — a staggering 41% decline.
The United States, which hosted over 2.34 lakh Indian students last year, saw that number dip to approximately 2.04 lakh in 2024. Similarly, the United Kingdom witnessed a fall from 1.36 lakh to 98,000 students in the same period.
In contrast, non-traditional destinations are emerging as strong alternatives. Countries such as Bangladesh, Uzbekistan, Russia, and Singapore have registered rising inflows of Indian students, driven by lower education costs, simplified visa regimes, and targeted offerings in medical and technical education.
Bangladesh saw a sharp jump from 20,368 Indian students in 2023 to 29,232 in 2024. Uzbekistan followed suit, attracting 9,915 students this year compared to 6,601 last year. Russia, long a preferred destination for medical studies, also saw growth—from 25,503 to 31,444 students. Singapore hosted over 14,000 Indian students in 2024, up from 12,000 the previous year.
Analysts say the shift is being driven by long visa delays, tightening immigration policies, and geopolitical uncertainty in Western nations, prompting a growing number of students to consider other geographies for higher education.