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Indian Students Turn To Emerging Study Abroad Destinations

Indian Students are Moving From Brand-Led Destinations to ROI-Led: Shweta Guru

Indian students are placing a high demand for international education in developing countries like Singapore, Spain, and Germany. There has been a noticeable shift in Indian students’ preferences for studying abroad, as they are broadening their horizons and choosing more and more cutting-edge locations like Spain, Germany, France, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, New Zealand, and South Korea.

Indian students are now aggressively broadening their options, even if English-speaking countries like the USA, Canada, the UK, and Australia are still quite popular, particularly the USA for STEM degrees. Several variables, including the total cost of education, the calibre of educational institutions, visa requirements, internship and job prospects, and student safety, have an impact on this change.

Today’s Indian students approach studying abroad with much more pragmatism and ROI in mind. According to Shweta Guru, CBO-Overseas Loan, Auxilo Finserve, “destinations like Spain, Germany, and New Zealand are witnessing strong demand because they offer high-quality education, affordability, clearer visa pathways, and better alignment between education and employment outcomes, especially for postgraduate and STEM programs.”

Between 2023 and 2025, a number of unconventional European travel destinations saw robust and consistent growth. Data shows that Indian students are increasingly choosing these markets as their top travel destinations.
“With lower visa risk and faster return on investment, emerging destinations increasingly offer comparable postgraduate and STEM outcomes at nearly half the cost of legacy markets.” Ms Guru added.

The changing landscape of study abroad shows a more developed, research-based decision-making process, where new locations are now strategic first choices for an increasing number of Indian students rather than backup options.
Ms Guru continued, “We anticipate the trend to continue strongly in 2026.”

The full cost of tuition, travel, lodging, a laptop, study materials, and living expenses is all covered by Auxilo’s financing options. Over 18,000 students from more than 1,600 universities in more than 30 countries have benefited from Auxilo’s ability to finance their education thus far.

Important developments in STEM enrollment in higher education include:

Spain (Higher Education only):

The number of Indian students enrolled rose by 17% over the course of two years, from 865 in 2023 to 1,192 in 2025. Postgraduate programs in business, data analytics, engineering, and public policy are driving growth, bolstered by reasonably priced tuition and an increasing number of courses taught in English.

Portugal and Lithuania (Higher Education only):

Between 2023 and 2025, Portugal’s student population increased dramatically from 980 to 1,350, while Lithuania’s increased from 1,120 to 1,557. Indian students are drawn to these locations for programs in technology, biological sciences, and applied engineering that have good employability results.

Italy and the Netherlands (Higher Education only):

Italy’s enrollment increased steadily from 4,145 in 2023 to 5,196 in 2025, highlighting its allure for degrees in design, architecture, engineering, and management.
The demand for postgraduate programs focused on STEM, AI, fintech, and sustainability drove an increase in enrollment from 2,871 to 3,512 students in the Netherlands.

Germany (Higher Education, PG & STEM focus):

Due to its strong research emphasis, substantial industrial interaction, and low or free tuition at public universities, Germany remains one of the most popular non-English European destinations for Indian postgraduate and STEM students. Programs in engineering, automotive technology, artificial intelligence, robotics, and applied sciences are becoming more and more popular among Indian students.

Singapore (Higher Education only):

The number of Indian students enrolled in higher education in Singapore increased from 2,850 in 2023 to 3,250 in 2025, indicating a consistent demand for postgraduate and STEM-focused programs. Courses in business management, data analytics, finance, artificial intelligence, and technology-led fields are driving growth. Students are drawn to these fields by shorter course lengths, internationally recognised universities, solid industry connections, and high employability in the Asia-Pacific region after graduation.

UAE (Higher Education only):

The number of Indian students enrolled in higher education in the UAE increased from 5,850 in 2023 to 6,507 in 2025. Postgraduate programs in business, fintech, logistics, design, and technology are where growth is centred. Students value shorter course lengths, international instructors, and promising local job opportunities.