Bengaluru: Foreign universities which have established campuses in India have set the ball rolling, with several institutions turning functional and beginning classes, while others are nearing the close of admissions for their inaugural programmes.Foreign universities say they are happy with the response they have received in the initial year. University of South Wales (UNSW), for instance, started its classes in Bengaluru in Aug with 100 students for four programmes. The university received over 700 applications for the same.The inaugural offering includes bachelor degrees in business, data analytics and computer science, and master of cyber security. Located at Embassy Manyata Business Park in north Bengaluru, the campus spans approximately 70,000 sqm.Around one-third of the inaugural cohort is from Karnataka, with the others from the rest of India.“We are particularly pleased with the geographic diversity of the cohort, which reflects the strong national appeal of the programmes. UNSW’s approach to its operations in India is deliberately starting small, ensuring an excellent student experience, with a progressive expansion plan. Our goal is to increase the student body to about 5,000 students in five years,” said professor Payyazhi Jayashree, rector, UNSW Bengaluru.Universities say the inaugural cohort has a wide range of students. Prof Lindsay Oades, president and academic provost, University of York Mumbai, said: “We are receiving interest from graduates who have completed their undergraduate education overseas and are now considering pursuing further studies closer to home. There is also interest among students with entrepreneurial ambitions, particularly for the postgraduate programmes in management, finance and artificial intelligence.”“We are seeing interest from a diverse range of students across different school boards. For parents, the lower tuition cost compared with the UK, coupled with the elimination of overseas accommodation and living expenses, is a key consideration,” he said.The Mumbai campus currently offers five undergraduate programmes: BA (Hons) in business and management, BA (Hons) in business of the creative industries, BSc (Hons) in computer science, BSc (Hons) in computer science with artificial intelligence, and BSc (Hons) in computer science with cyber security, alongside three one-year postgraduate programmes in artificial intelligence, management and finance.Mallik Sundharam, vice-president for enrollment management and student affairs, Illinois Institute of Technology, said most Indian students have shown interest in high-demand, future-oriented programmes such as computer science, artificial intelligence, and data science. “We have received close to 10,000 inquiries from across India, along with interest from students in the the Middle East, including the UAE, Oman, and Qatar, as well as Indian- origin students currently living overseas who are considering returning to India for their education,” he said.“Mumbai accounts for approximately 25% of applications, with another 5-6% coming from Pune. The remaining applications are coming from a diverse range of states, including Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka,” he said.“We have seen applications from students who had considered studying in the US but now see this as a high-quality alternative. For many families, Illinois Tech Mumbai puts a globally recognised education within reach—closer to home and at an affordable overall cost. Living expenses abroad, including housing, health care, transportation, and daily costs, can equal or exceed tuition costs. A globally recognised education in India can significantly reduce the overall financial burden on students and their families. We have also seen that Indian-origin students at leading US global institutions are now choosing to pursue master’s studies in India,” he added.The orientation will be held from Aug 31 to Sept 3, with regular classes beginning on Sept 7. The Mumbai campus in Vikhroli’s Godrej Business District is operational.University of Liverpool says its BSc Biomedical Sciences and BSc Accounting and Finance have attracted particularly strong interest from students. Biomedical sciences in particular has resonated with students looking to pursue advanced study and careers in healthcare, life sciences and research, while accounting and finance continues to attract students seeking internationally recognised qualifications and pathways into global business and financial services careers.“The admissions cycle is progressing positively, and we are on track to meet targets for our initial intake. The Bengaluru campus has been established with a long-term vision to grow to a student population of 10,000 over the next 10 years,” said professor Richard Grose, provost, University of Liverpool Bengaluru.The classes will commence on Sept 28, 2026, and the induction programme on Sept 21. The Bengaluru campus in Whitefield has been fully ready since March 2026.Victoria University India has also commenced its operations at its Delhi NCR campus for undergraduate students. PG classes will begin on Sept 28. Over 30 students have been given scholarships with a tuition fee waiver of up to Rs 3 lakh each year.However, Ali Khwaja, founder director, Banjara Academy, said, “A foreign university education is not just about curriculum or faculty. It is also about experiencing living in a foreign land, learning about a foreign culture, and much more. All these factors are missing when students go to an Indian campus of a foreign university. The advantage lies only in getting the brand name. It is like a student opting for one of the newer IITs just for the brand, but does not have the advantages of an old IIT.”
