India draws 58,134 foreign students from 173 countries, a rise of nearly 19% in five years: Report

India’s higher education institutions enrolled 58,134 foreign students in 2023–24, drawing learners from 173 countries, according to the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) released by the Ministry of Education. The figure marks an 18.9% increase over five years from 48,898 in 2019–20. 

Top source countries and states

The largest share of foreign students came from Nepal, accounting for 24.1% of the total, followed by the United Arab Emirates (7%), the United States and Bangladesh (5.9% each), Nigeria (5.5%) and Zimbabwe (4%). The top 10 source countries together made up 63.8% of international enrolments. The AISHE report also notes enrolments from countries such as Lebanon, Burkina Faso, Mongolia, Mexico, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Chile.

“Karnataka has emerged as the top destination for international students,” the ministry report said, with 7,914 foreign students enrolled in the state’s higher education institutions, narrowly ahead of Punjab, which hosted 7,902. Maharashtra (6,190), Uttar Pradesh (5,953) and Tamil Nadu (5,694) completed the top five.

Course level distribution

Undergraduate programmes accounted for the bulk of foreign enrolments at 73.6%, with 42,779 students pursuing bachelor-level studies. Of these, 27,849 were men and 14,930 were women. Postgraduate students numbered 9,845 (16.8%), while smaller numbers pursued diploma, certificate, integrated and doctoral courses.

“The growth in international student numbers reflects India’s expanding appeal as a destination for higher education,” according to the Ministry of Education. The report highlights a rise in both male and female enrolments between 2019–20 and 2023–24, with male students increasing from 32,386 to 37,295 and female students from 16,512 to 20,839.

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Data collection and policy relevance

AISHE gathers detailed information from higher education institutions through a web-based data capture format (DCF). Institutions upload data on student enrolment, faculty and staff, infrastructure, examination results and more on the AISHE portal. The survey serves as the primary official source for higher education statistics in India, informing policy formulation, planning and sector monitoring.

Study in India initiative

The Ministry reiterated that the Study in India (SII) programme, launched in 2018 to attract international students, continues to support outreach and facilitation efforts. “Programmes like SII are important to sustain momentum and diversify the global student mix in Indian campuses,” the ministry statement added.