Indian students going abroad for higher education fell sharply in 2024, with Canada, the UK, and the US seeing the biggest declines. Data from the Bureau of Immigration shows a 27% drop in students heading to these three countries, driven by stricter visa rules, rising costs, and diplomatic tensions.
Meanwhile, alternative destinations like Russia, Germany, and Uzbekistan have seen a rise in Indian student enrollments.
Canada sees the steepest decline
The total number of Indian students in Canada, the UK, and the US fell by 164,370 in a year. Canada was hit the hardest, with a 41% drop—from 233,532 in 2023 to 137,608 in 2024. The UK and the US saw declines of 27% and 13%, respectively.
This contributed to an overall 15% decline in the number of Indians studying abroad, dropping from 892,989 in 2023 to 759,064 in 2024.
Diplomatic tensions and stricter policies impact Canada
Canada’s sharp decline coincides with worsening relations between Ottawa and Delhi. Tensions escalated in September 2023 when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of involvement in the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
In response, India withdrew security for Canadian diplomats, prompting Canada to recall 41 diplomats.
Amid this fallout, Canada tightened its visa and student permit rules. The Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) introduced stricter regulations, giving authorities more power to cancel study and work permits under certain conditions.
UK's visa restrictions on family members
In January 2024, the UK government banned most international students—except those in postgraduate research or government-funded programmes—from bringing family members.
This policy shift likely discouraged Indian students, leading to a 27% drop in those choosing the UK for higher studies.
Indian students turn to new destinations
While traditional destinations saw a dip, Germany, Russia, and Uzbekistan gained popularity among Indian students.
Germany welcomed 34,702 more Indian students in 2024.
Uzbekistan and Bangladesh saw increases of 9,915 and 8,864 students, respectively.
Russia recorded a 34% rise in Indian student enrollments, driven by affordable education and easier visa policies.
This is only the second time since 2019 (excluding the pandemic year 2020) that the number of Indians studying abroad has fallen. Whether these numbers rebound in 2025 will depend on visa policies, diplomatic relations, and economic factors.