Europe is emerging as a strong alternative to traditional study-abroad markets with countries like Spain, Finland and Ireland creating opportunities for Indian students.
| Photo Credit:
istock.com
Aspirations for an international education are spreading beyond metros and into smaller cities and towns in India.
A latest analysis from higher education platform Upgrad suggests that about 50 per cent of study abroad aspirants now come from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.
The report is based on learner data from 53,800 aspirants within upGrad’s study abroad platform alongside other publicly available policy, immigration, and higher education datasets.
It suggests that the rise of hybrid learning models, pathways programs, and lower-cost European education ecosystems is fundamentally expanding the addressable study abroad markets.
Amit Garg President, upGrad Study Abroad believes that for years, international education was viewed as a premium product largely accessible to affluent urban families but the trend is largely changing. “Between 2024 and 2026, there has been a marked increase in aspirants targeting sub-₹30 lakh budgets. The next wave of study abroad expansion will come from emerging cities rather than metros,” said.
Similarly, TerraTern, a global talent mobility platform that surveyed over 2,800 students and early career professionals aged 24-35 found an increasing interest for international education from smaller cities like Jaipur, Dehradun Patna Surat, Coimbatore, Mysuru, Visakhapatnam.
Meanwhile, immigration challenges and concerns about employment opportunities after education are also leading to a shift in preferred study abroad destinations.
Europe is emerging as a strong alternative to traditional study-abroad markets with countries like Spain, Finland and Ireland creating opportunities for Indian students.
Garg suggests that Europe has continued to gain share with locations like Germany, France, Spain, and Finland attracting increasing demand as affordability and policy stability become more important.
Germany in particular has been highlighted as a popular destination with the country’s cheaper tuition costs and reliable post education visa options attracting students.
The country also topped the list in upGrad’ Study Abroad enrollments accounting for 51% of enrolled learners between January 2025 and June 2026.
“Public universities offer education at minimal cost, typically between €0 and €3,000 per year, and students are given an 18-month job-seeker visa to transition into the workforce. The system is designed to absorb technically skilled graduates into real industry demand,” Upgrad’s report said.
Published on September 21, 2026
