Beyond the USA, UK, Australia and Canada, the Top 5 destinations that attract Indian students due to clear visa pathways, post-study employment opportunities, controlled education costs and an university-industry connect for growth and career development are Germany, Ireland, Singapore, France and the UAE (not ranked in order).
Germany:
USP: Near-Zero Tuition, High Retention of Graduates
Popular Courses:
- Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, Automotive)
- Computer Science / Software Engineering / IT
- Data Science & Artificial Intelligence (AI) / Machine Learning / Analytics
- STEM-related fields
Why Indian students choose Germany: Near-zero tuition, reasonable living costs, pathway for global tech/engineering career and lesser debt burden.
- Career & Employability: Shortage of skilled workers in engineering, manufacturing, renewables and digital industries. Student have strong post-study job prospects, especially in STEM, software, automotive and emerging tech.
- Cost of Education: Public universities are largely tuition-free, even for non-EU students.
- Approximate annual baseline cost (public university): ~Rs. 9.5-11.5 lakh
(Includes living expenses, health insurance, local transport and semester fees; flights are additional.)
France:
USP: Subsidised Degrees + Two-Year Post-Study Work
Popular Courses:
- Business Administration / Management / MBA / International Business
- Design, Creative Arts, Smart-Cities Design & Urban Planning
- Hospitality / Hotel & Tourism Management
- Emerging fields: Sustainability, Smart-City Design, Global Business Studies
- Why Indian students choose France: Subsidised public higher education, APS visa up to 24 months.
Career & Employability: Cities like Paris, Lyon, and Toulouse are building strong ecosystems in luxury, business, AI, gaming, aerospace, sustainability and design.
Cost of Education: Total annual cost of studying in France (tuition + living) is roughly ?9-21 lakh, depending on city and institution.
Ireland:
USP: Tech Hub with Two-Year Stay-Back for Master’s
Popular Courses:
- Computer Science / Information Technology (IT)
- Business Management / Administration / International Business / Finance / MBA
- Biotechnology / Life Sciences / Pharmaceutical / Bio-engineering
- Data Analytics / Data Science / Emerging Tech
Why Indian Students choose Ireland: English-taught courses, global corporate exposure, and a bridge to European job opportunities.
Career & Employability: Ireland has become an English-speaking EU tech and finance hub, home to European HQs for many global giants.
Cost of Education: Tuition + living: about Rs. 10-25 lakh in many cases
Singapore:
USP: High Employability in a Skills-First Market
Popular Courses:
- “Business Administration / Finance / Management / Global Business
- “Computer Science / IT / Software Engineering / Data Science / Analytics
- “Emerging fields: Logistics, Supply Chain, FinTech, Sustainability
Why Indian students choose Singapore: Global business connectivity, high-quality education infrastructure, and growing demand for tech and business skills.
- Career & Employability: Dynamic labour market, especially in technology, finance, analytics, logistics and green-tech sectors.
- Cost of Education: Singapore is not “cheap” in absolute terms, but it scores exceptionally on ROI and career outcomes.
- Total cost of studying in Singapore (tuition + living + health insurance) at about Rs. 13-21 lakh per year, depending on university and programme.
UAE (Especially Dubai):
USP: Near-Home Hub with Global Campuses
Popular Courses:
- Business Administration / Management / International Business / Finance
- Information Technology / Computer Science / Software / Data / IT-related courses
- Hospitality & Hotel/Tourism Management (given UAE’s booming hospitality and tourism sector)
- Engineering / Applied Tech
Why Indian students choose the UAE: Global exposure, proximity to home, and lower barriers to employment.
Career & Employability: Expanding infrastructure, technology, tourism, hospitality, logistics, engineering, and service industries.
Cost of Education: Total annual baseline cost: ~Rs. 14-32 lakh.
Inputs by Shweta Guru, CBO – Overseas Education Loans, Auxilo Finserve
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