Indian Students Abroad Hit New High With 7.6 Lakh in 2024

Highlights: India Sees 7.6 Lakh Students Go Abroad for Higher Studies in 2024

• 760,073 Indian students went abroad for higher education in 2024, according to data from the Bureau of Immigration.
• The highest figure was recorded in 2023, when 894,783 students pursued overseas education.
• Student mobility rose sharply post-pandemic, increasing from 2.6 lakh in 2020 to 7.52 lakh in 2022.
• The government is boosting international student mobility through Mutual Recognition Agreements and migration partnerships.
• Chandigarh reported the highest per capita student visa issuance, followed by Punjab, Delhi, and Andhra Pradesh.

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Study Abroad Surge Continues as 7.6 Lakh Indians Choose Global Universities in 2024

India continues to lead globally in outbound student mobility, with 760,073 Indian students going abroad for higher education in 2024, as per the Bureau of Immigration (BoI) data. While this represents a slight decline from the 8.94 lakh students in 2023, it still signals a strong post-pandemic trend, with numbers tripling since 2020 when only 2.6 lakh students studied overseas. The number of Indian students pursuing higher education overseas has seen a sharp rise over the last five years, with the post-pandemic years witnessing record growth.
 

The table below has complete details of the total numbers of students who migrated abroad for their studies starting 2020-2024:
 

Year	Number of Students
2020	2,60,363
2021	4,45,582
2022	7,52,111
2023	8,94,783
2024	7,60,073

To support this continued momentum, the Indian government has implemented several measures such as Mutual Recognition of Qualifications (MRQs) and Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreements with various countries. Additionally, Indian students abroad are supported through the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) and are encouraged to register on the MADAD portal for timely assistance.
 

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Indian States Sending the Most Students Abroad in 2024 Revealed

According to official data shared in the Lok Sabha, student mobility varies widely across Indian states. While states like Andhra Pradesh lead in absolute numbers, Chandigarh recorded the highest per capita student migration, with over 10,000 students per 1 lakh residents heading abroad between 2016 and 2021.
 

Here's a quick state-wise breakdown:
 

State/UT	Number of Students (approx.) / Per Lakh Residents
Chandigarh	10,000+ per 1 lakh residents (highest per capita)
Punjab	869 per 1 lakh residents
Delhi	851 per 1 lakh residents
Andhra Pradesh	Highest by absolute numbers
Maharashtra	Among top 3 in total students sent abroad
Gujarat	High in absolute numbers
Kerala	331 per 1 lakh residents

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