Indian Students Turn To Europe As The US Sees 30% Drop In 2025

New Delhi: The number of Indians heading to Europe for higher studies increased significantly in 2025 from the previous year, but fell in the US mainly due to stricter visa rules, according to experts. Internal data from study abroad platforms, accommodation providers, and financial services show that the number of students heading to the US in 2025 decreased by about 30 per cent from 2024.

In contrast, European Union destinations saw a sharp rise. Leverage Edu and Ed tech platform stated that the EU saw a 62 per cent year-on-year increase, with Germany, Italy, France, Ireland, Spain, Malta and the Netherlands being the top destinations for higher education. “Germany alone has nearly doubled year on year, while Italy and France have also seen strong 5-7x growth multiples, " said Akshya Chaturvedi, Leverage Edu’s founder and CEO.

Experts said the Indian-EU trade pact signed earlier this week is likely to strengthen this trend. GyanFhan, a financing and study abroad platform, said it has recorded a 45 per cent year-on-year fall in students seeking loans for study in the US, while in Canada it has been a 34 per cent drop. On the other hand, the study loans for maintained European countries like Germany and Italy have recorded year-on-year growth of 30 per cent to 90 per cent, said Ankit Mehra, founder of GyanDhan. Growing uncertainty around post-study work visas, rising university fees, and higher living costs are cited as factors driving this shift away from the US and Canada. “A key driver behind this shift is a stronger return on investment”, said Mehra.

According to experts, many EU countries offer low tuition at public universities, shorter course durations, and a significantly lower cost of living than the US and Canada. Also, Germany and Italy have introduced student-friendly policies, including post-study work visas, flexible work rights during studies, and clearer pathways to long-term residence and employment within the EU, they said.

Experts said they expect continued pressure on overall US-bound student volumes, largely due to increased visa scrutiny and uncertainty over post-study work pathways. However, Harvard University continues to have a strong global appeal, achieving the highest proportion of international students in over two decades in the fall of 2025.

“Based on current momentum and our historical data trends, we expect Indian student flow to EU nations to grow in the range of 25 per cent to 35 per cent over the coming year,” said Mehra. Mayank Maheshwari, founder and COO of University Living, said policy certainty and return on investment are central to how families pick study destinations. “Data from our platform and trends captured in University Living’s Europe Student Landscape Report suggest that Indian student flows to EU destinations could grow in the 10-15 per cent range over the next year, 2026,” said Maheshwari. 

The India-EU trade pact is seen as easing norms for Indians moving to European countries, said Adarsh Khandelwal, co-founder of Collegify, a study abroad platform. According to data from the US Department of State, F-1 visa issuances to Indian students dropped by 44 per cent in the first half of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024. The US has been one of the top destinations for Indian students, with more than 300,000 students enrolling each year. The EU, on the other hand, saw enrollment of over 100,000 Indian students last year. 

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