Why 43% of Indian students are dropping overseas education plans — and where the rest are going
A new IDP Education survey of 962 Indian students says tuition costs, living expenses and visa difficulty have killed nearly half of all overseas study plans. Germany, Ireland and the UAE are absorbing the spillover — here's what the numbers really say.
A new IDP Education Emerging Futures 9 survey of 962 Indian students lands the message Indian families have been quietly absorbing for two years: a foreign degree no longer pencils out for everyone.
43% of Indian respondents who dropped plans to study abroad blamed unaffordable tuition. Another 32% cited rising living expenses, and 28% pointed to visa difficulty as a major deterrent. Globally, the same three reasons stack to 50%, 35% and 26% — Indian students are reacting harder to the same shocks.
What's driving the numbers? Tuition at top US, UK and Canadian universities is up 6–12% in two years. The pound, dollar and Canadian dollar have all moved against the rupee. Canada's study-permit cap and the UK's proposed cut of the Graduate Route to 18 months have made post-study work look riskier, not safer.
Where the rest are going
The report is not all retreat. 78% of Indian students are now comparing multiple destinations, up from 66% in late 2024. Three alternatives are absorbing the spillover:
- Germany — Indian student share rose from 13.2% in 2022 to 32.6% in 2024–25, driven by near-zero tuition at public universities.
- Ireland — clear post-study work routes plus English-taught STEM programs.
- UAE — proximity, tax economics and a growing campus footprint from European universities.
For families running the ROI math, the answer is no longer "go abroad" or "stay home." It's go where the visa, the cost and the post-study job will actually align. For returnees and those skipping abroad entirely, India's GCC and AI roles are paying more than they ever have — browse openings here.
Source: Indian Express · IDP Emerging Futures 9 · ICEF Monitor
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