Since the Indian government’s decision in 2020 to allow top-ranked foreign universities to set up branch campuses, more than 20 foreign universities are either planning to establish a presence in India or are already operating there. A report from Dr Rahul Choudaha, founder of DrEducation and author of a report called “Landscape of International University Campuses in India 2026,” considers factors that may determine whether these branch campuses can compete with foreign universities abroad and elite private universities at home.
What outcomes can branch campuses deliver?
Of 13 branch campuses Dr Choudaha analysed, only three were enrolling Indian students before this year. Of the 10 others, several received regulatory approval to admit students for 2026/27 late in the recruitment cycle. This is part of the reason that across the 13 branch campuses, under 3,000 students are currently enrolled.
Another reason for low enrolments so far is that – given this early stage of the branch campus landscape in India – there is naturally insufficient data on graduate outcomes. It will take a few academic cycles for branch campuses to show what kind of return on investment (ROI) they can deliver and how this compares to study abroad or studying at home at a top-tier Indian institution.
This lack of outcomes data is causing some families to adopt a wait-and-see approach to branch campuses. Major industry research finds that Indians are the most likely nationality to prioritise ROI when making decisions about higher education and study abroad. In IDP Education’s latest Emerging Futures survey (Emerging Futures 9, released in May 2026), 41% of Indian students ranked career outcomes as the most important measure of value for money versus a global average of 32%.
Affordability is not the main driver for Indian families
Cost is just one input in a value for money – aka return on investment – calculation. Over the long term, if the choice of an institution with high tuition and living costs leads to an excellent outcome (e.g., prestigious job, high earnings), the decision pays off. Indian families have historically been very willing to save for their children’s education and to prioritise value for money over initial affordability. In a 2024 HSBC study of affluent consumers in 11 markets, 90% of Indian respondents said they intend to fund their child’s education overseas, despite the cost of this investment amounting to about 64% of their retirement savings requirements.
However, Indian families now have a lot more to consider when estimating ROI than in the past. It used to be that a highly ranked institution in Australia, Canada, the UK, or the US would offer a good likelihood of solid ROI. But now, estimating the ROI of studying in a Big Four destination is more challenging because of:
- Higher visa refusal rates;
- Higher costs of living and study;
- Tightened post-graduation work opportunities;
- Frequently changing policy settings.
Amidst this context, one might think that enrolling in a branch campus of a top-500 ranked university would be a strong option for students questioning their prospects in a Big Four destination. Dr Choudaha’s analysis found that studying at one of the 13 branch campuses in India cost, on average, about a third (36%) less than studying at the home campus of the university.
But again, affordability is not the same as value for money, and Indian families don’t yet have the answers about whether the lower cost of studying at a branch campus in India will result in a positive post-graduation outcome. What they do know is that:
- Most of the branch campuses offer only a semester abroad at the foreign institution’s main campus, limiting global networking opportunities;
- That short time frame is not enough to qualify the student for post-study work rights in the country where the foreign institution has its main campus;
- High-paying job prospects for higher education graduates in India are quite poor, diluting the attractiveness of graduating and entering the domestic job market;
- There is no way (yet) of knowing if the quality of education offered at the branch campus is as high as it is at the main campus.
In other words, just as it is more difficult to ascertain the ROI of studying in a Big Four destination, it is also difficult, as yet, to figure it out for a branch campus in India.
Europe is tempting
In 2025, three of the Big Four destinations – Canada, the UK, and the US – were experiencing significant declines in new Indian degree-level students. In 2026, Indian commencements began to decline in Australia as well.
By contrast, in 2024/25, Germany and Ireland welcomed +20% and +30% more Indian students, respectively, than in the previous academic year. France hosted +17% more, and Italy hosted 5% more. These are the latest numbers of Indian students enrolled in higher education in those countries:
- Germany: 59,400
- Ireland: 9,175
- France: 9,100
- Italy: 5,100
European institutions represent competition for the mostly UK- and Australian-affiliated branch campuses in India. When Indians go to Germany, France, and Italy, they generally pay much less tuition than in the Big Four; can explore post-study work rights; and are able to access global career networking alongside peers from a multiplicity of other countries.
What is the value proposition of branch campuses?
In any business sector, a value proposition is the clear reason an organisation provides to its target audience for buying its products/services as opposed other available options. At the least, the provider must prove that it meets consumers’ needs and wants better than the competition. The marketing task is to communicate benefits distinctively, credibly, and compellingly.
At present, notes Dr Choudaha, the main value proposition of branch campuses in India is something along the lines of “an affordable pathway to earning a global degree.” Time will tell if this is a strong enough proposition to convince a critical mass of Indian students choose a branch campus. Or if “affordability” and “global degree” are distinct enough benefits for students who also prioritise career outcomes and future earnings.
As Dr Priya Ranganathan of MSM Unify explained in her August 2026 article for ICEF Monitor about the new questions that agents are being asked about study abroad options: “Families are buying one specific degree, and they want to know what happens to the people who finish it.”
The data imperative
Dr Choudaha notes that the more objective information families are given about the value proposition of various branch campuses, the more they will feel comfortable making a choice between a branch campus and other alternatives. At present, he says:
“The landscape is fast-evolving, standardised metrics for evaluating international campuses are absent, and available information is often incomplete, inconsistent, or carries biased viewpoints. Some of the key aspects valued by students – such as campus life and faculty – are yet to be made available by these campuses at this early stage of introduction. Scholarships are also critical to students’ decisions, but information on them lacks transparency and consistency across campuses – particularly on the number of scholarships awarded and the criteria used – making comparison very difficult. Other elements, such as placement outcomes, remain unproven for most campuses, and reporting on these is likely to stay variable across campuses, further complicating informed decision-making. In sum, prospective students and families are left without an objective basis for identifying which campus best fits their academic goals and financial circumstances.”
For additional background, please see:
- “The questions families are actually asking: Inside the student advising conversation in 2026”
- “Beyond borders: Why student support matters more than ever in transnational education”
- “The UK is quickly expanding its TNE footprint in India”
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