Indian students rethink where they study — OECD data reveals a shift in destinations

Indian students, once concentrated in a few English-speaking countries, are now spreading out across a wider range of study destinations, according to the OECD International Migration Outlook 2025.

The report shows that while India remains the second-largest source of international students in OECD countries — accounting for 14% of all tertiary-level foreign students in 2023 — the geography of where they go is changing fast.

After years of rapid expansion, traditional hubs like Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States are tightening visa and work rules. This has prompted a steady move towards continental Europe, East Asia, and smaller OECD economies, where tuition is lower, and post-study opportunities remain open.

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Old favourites tighten their doors
The OECD data highlights significant declines in new student enrolments from India across major English-speaking destinations in 2024.

While these countries remain dominant in total numbers, their growth has slowed as policies shift towards controlled migration and reduced temporary residence flows.


The OECD report attributes this slowdown to policy recalibration aimed at balancing education exports with domestic workforce planning. Governments are now more selective about the number and profile of incoming students.

Europe emerges as the new classroom
Countries like Germany, Ireland, France, and the Netherlands have emerged as new hotspots for Indian students. These destinations are offering specialised courses, English-taught programmes, and more predictable post-study work rights.
Germany, in particular, has seen a sharp rise in enrolments from India in engineering, management, and applied sciences programmes — driven by low tuition and flexible work rules after graduation.

Ireland and the Netherlands are positioning themselves as English-language alternatives within Europe, attracting Indian students displaced by UK visa restrictions. France has also expanded scholarships and simplified visa processes as part of its “Choose France” initiative.

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Asia-Pacific nations gain ground
The shift isn’t confined to Europe. Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand are drawing increasing numbers of Indian students with work-integrated education and shorter processing times.

Japan has introduced a one-year post-graduation job-search visa for foreign graduates from language and technical programmes, while New Zealand has reinstated extended post-study work rights of up to three years for graduates in priority sectors.

These moves are creating new regional corridors of education mobility — a sign that Indian students are looking beyond the traditional Anglosphere to countries offering long-term professional growth.
The rise of value-based migration
Behind this change lies a clear trend: Indian students are becoming more strategic and value-driven in choosing where to study.

While English-speaking destinations once offered clear pathways to permanent residence, today’s decisions are shaped more by affordability, safety, and post-study employment clarity.


India’s global student footprint widens
The OECD report concludes that India’s overseas education trend is moving into a new phase — from concentration to diversification. Indian students are now present across more OECD countries than ever before, reflecting both opportunity and adaptation.

While top destinations tighten controls, smaller and mid-tier countries are stepping in to fill the gap, recognising the value of Indian talent in driving their knowledge economies.

This redistribution marks a key shift: the world’s classrooms are still welcoming Indian students — just in new places, under new rules, and with new goals.