With outgoing numbers down 30% in the previous 2 years– showing less trainees leaving India each year– amid tighter policies and rising costs, the research study abroad market might be slowing. However consultancies state the dip is “short-term” as they adapt to a noticeably different landscape compared to just a couple of years ago.
According to Ravi Lochan Singh, handling director, International Reach, the marketplace is gradually returning to pre-Covid levels, which might look like a “shrinking” compared to the 2023/24 rise, but must not be “misread”.
“The decrease in trainee numbers is driven by falling interest in the United States due to Trumpian policies, a depression in Canada amidst immigration modifications and diplomatic tensions, and rising visa rejections in Australia in recent months. Nevertheless, this must not be analyzed as a drop in interest amongst Indian trainees in studying overseas,” Singh informed The PIE News.
“It is merely that workers taking a trip under the guise of trainees to make use of work arrangements are being strained, leaving more genuine students, while others are selecting new destinations when interest in one country decreases.”
Shift to Europe and East Asia not “anecdotal” any longer
While overall university enrolments abroad fell 5.7% to 1.254 million in 2025 after three years of development, a QS report projects Indian outbound mobility to grow 4% each year in the coming years.
Pankaj Agrawal, co-founder and CEO, KC Overseas Education, stated that while the “big four”– the US, UK, Australia and Canada– will stay main destinations in the long run despite more stringent visa and post-study work rules, the shift to wider Europe and parts of East and Southeast Asia is no longer “anecdotal”, with gains being seen in enquiries and conversions.
“Destinations like Ireland, Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands in Europe, and Dubai, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan and South Korea in Asia, are increasingly becoming attractive to global trainees,” he included.
Trainees today are adopting a portfolio technique to applications. Rather of dedicating to a single country, they are shortlisting three to four destinations and applying across them
Suneet Singh Kochar, Fateh Education
Across significant research study destinations, Indian enrolments and visa approvals have actually decreased over the past year– with United States research study visa refusal rates at 61%, India’s share of global trainees in Canada dropping to 8.1% from 51.6% in 2023, Australia seeing over 40% refusals, and 76% of UK universities reporting lower enrolments– while emerging locations inform a various story.
Though unequal, growth across ‘more recent’ destinations has been notable: Indian trainees in Ireland increased 30% year-on-year to 9,175 in 2024/25; Germany has seen a 43% boost over three years to around 60,000; France hosts about 10,000 Indian trainees annually with a target of 30,000 by 2030; and Malaysia has actually recorded roughly 79% development to around 4,400 trainees as of 2024.
According to Suneet Singh Kochar, CEO, Fateh Education, Indian trainees have ended up being more “practical and exploratory”, with the share thinking about numerous locations rising from around 10-15% in the past to 35-40% today.
“This shift is being driven by a mix of factors– more competitive tuition structures, access to inexpensive and even totally free education in select European markets, and a stronger total return on investment,” observed Kochar.
“Trainees today are adopting a portfolio approach to applications. Instead of devoting to a single country, they are shortlisting 3 to 4 destinations and applying throughout them, showing a far more structured and risk-mitigated decision-making process.”
Regional divide emerges as demand shifts across cities and states
Recent reports recommend a dip in abroad education demand has actually required many study abroad consultancies– especially in states like Kerala– to shut offices, downsize or diversify, with the market approximated to have actually declined by 30-40% year-on-year, signalling more comprehensive shifts across major sending out states and tier 1 and tier 2 cities in India.
“States like Punjab, Kerala, Gujarat, and Andhra/Telangana are seeing a higher slowdown compared to others,” said Agrawal.
Kochar made a comparable point, keeping in mind that in markets such as Punjab, Haryana, and parts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, trainee decision-making stays extremely visa-sensitive, with a strong focus on success rates and ease of entry. He added that patterns also differ throughout cities.
“Tier 1 cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore are witnessing a more mature and strategic outlook, with trainees prioritising long-term outcomes such as course significance, positioning with emerging fields like AI, and overall return on investment,” Kochar stated, including that these considerations are just starting to surface area in tier 2 cities.
Agrawal, nevertheless, pointed to a quicker shift beyond metros. “We are seeing a clear shift in need beyond conventional Tier 1 hubs, with a growing variety of students from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities actively exploring overseas education. Better access to scholarships, education financing, and higher awareness about worldwide chances are essential motorists behind this trend,” he added.
Unregulated development and increasing examination improve consultancy design
However consultancies are likewise grappling with a structural issue—- uncontrolled growth– with some companies throughout significant source states linked in fraud and unfaithful cases over the last few years.
Recent circumstances highlight the dangers: in Kerala, a consultancy was under examination in 2015 for assisting numerous trainees get phony graduation certificates for overseas admissions and jobs, while in Chandigarh, authorities recorded 433 migration fraud cases in between 2021 and 2025 including nearly INR 74 crore (over ₤ 577,900), with 232 deceptive firms identified.
With the marketplace tightening and examination increasing, the easy-growth design– particularly for small, aggregator-dependent consultancies– is likewise beginning to break down.
“Smaller firms likewise grew due to aggregators and following numerous compliance concerns. The aggregators have actually suffered losses and universities have actually been really mindful in including new representatives,” mentioned Singh.
Press grows for combined requirements
Could a combined front of consultancies– setting industry-wide requirements and standard procedures– operate in a country like India, where the sector operates with little regulation? Some believe so.
“There could be some advantages of gamers in the study abroad industry coming together to function as a collective body rather than running separately– such as setting typical requirements and providing a single voice when handling universities, federal governments or visa authorities,” stated Agrawal.
Kochar also stressed the requirement for a more coordinated method. “A unified approach allows more balanced and unbiased assistance, permitting trainees to evaluate opportunities throughout geographies and make better-informed choices,” he stated.
“Over the next 3 to 5 years, we anticipate a substantial percentage of consultancies in India to transition towards a merged, multi-country framework, making it the new industry requirement.”