Is there a common application portal for Indian universities?

India has entrance-level common tests (JEE, NEET, CUET) and the Government's Study in India (SII) portal, where foreign-student registration is now mandatory. There is no UCAS-style common application for international admissions — ZGEN acts as that single window: one profile, one document set, many institutions, alongside your mandatory SII ID.

Can I study for a foreign degree without leaving India?

Yes. UGC's FHEI regulations and the IFSCA framework at GIFT City allow foreign universities to run campuses in India. Our directory lists 20 operating, approved and announced campus projects; 9 have confirmed teaching commencement as of 11 October 2026. Check each campus’s status and official source before applying. You earn the parent-university degree without necessarily studying abroad.

Which subjects are not available at foreign campuses in India?

Medicine, nursing, dentistry, law, architecture, pure sciences and research PhDs are not offered at any foreign India campus. For those, apply to an Indian university — ZGEN matches you across both tracks in a single run.

What does it cost to live in India as a student?

Most cities run between ₹12,000 and ₹35,000 a month including hostel, food and transport. Pune, Hyderabad and Chennai are the best value among the large student cities; Mumbai is the most expensive. Budget ₹8–15 lakh a year in living costs if you are studying at a foreign campus in a metro.

Which scholarships can international students get?

ICCR full scholarships (nominated through the Indian Mission in your country), Study in India merit waivers, SAARC neighbourhood concessions, and university awards. Foreign campuses run their own — UNSW's Future Leaders Access Scholarship covers 100% of tuition, Queen's Belfast offers 100% Women-in-STEM waivers and UOW gives 50% to women in FinTech, AI and Data Analytics.

Do I need IELTS or TOEFL?

GIFT City (IFSCA) campuses — Deakin, Wollongong and Queen's Belfast — require IELTS. Most mainland UGC campuses accept Class XII English marks instead (typically 70–85%). There is no common entrance test across campuses.

Is a degree from a foreign campus in India recognised?

Yes. The degree is awarded by the parent university and is recognised as equivalent to an Indian degree for UPSC, NET and PSU purposes. It does not carry post-study work rights in the parent country.

Study in Indiaby ZGEN GlobalFind my match

International students walking across a modern Indian university campus at golden hour

One profile · Two tracks · Many offers

Study in India — or take a foreign degree without leaving it.

ZGEN matches one student profile across Indian universities and a directory of 20 foreign campus projects in India — with tuition, scholarships, entry rules and city living costs shown up front.

Match me to institutions Browse foreign campuses

Foreign campus listings

Already teaching

Open for applications

1,000+

Indian universities onboarding

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Above-the-fold placement seen by every visitor entering the Study in India portal.

Build your student profile once.

No agents, no duplicate forms. We score you against live Indian university programmes and every foreign campus, then tell you what you can realistically win — including funding.

Verified institutions only — every listing is regulator-checked
Scholarship eligibility screened as you apply
City-by-city living costs before you commit
Mandatory Study in India (SII) ID guided end to end
Visa, FRRO and arrival checklists included

Medicine, nursing, dentistry, law, architecture, pure sciences and research PhDs are not available at any foreign India campus. For those subjects, we match you to Indian universities instead.

Your details

Full name

WhatsApp (optional)

Your country

Level

What do you want to study?

Target intake

Academic history

Highest qualification completed

Board / university attended

Score

Scale

Year completed

Work exp. (yrs)

Funding & English

How will you fund your study?

Budget per year (max)

Entered in US dollars

English test

Test score (if any)

Upload CV or academic document (PDF / DOC, max 5 MB)

Anything else we should know? (optional)

What should we match you to?

I need scholarship support

By submitting, you agree to be contacted by ZGEN and matched institutions.

India's single window for international applicants

India runs entrance-level common tests (JEE, NEET, CUET) and the Government's Study in India portal, where foreign-student registration is mandatory — but there is no UCAS-style common application for international admissions. ZGEN is that layer: one profile, one document set, many institutions.

Build one student profile

Academics, budget, discipline, intake and scholarship needs — entered once on ZGEN.

Match across both tracks

We score you against Indian universities and India campuses of foreign universities in one run.

Apply to multiple institutions

One document set, sent to every shortlisted institution — no agent, no duplicate forms.

Register your SII ID

Registration on the Government's Study in India portal is mandatory for foreign students; we guide you through it.

Offer letters & scholarships

Compare offers, tuition, scholarship awards and hostel costs side by side.

Visa, FRRO & arrival

Student e-visa documentation, FRRO registration and city arrival checklists.

Foreign university campuses in India

20 campus listings across operating, approved and announced projects under UGC's FHEI regulations and the IFSCA GIFT City regime. Reviewed 11 October 2026. Planned intakes do not confirm that teaching has started.

Operational (IFSCA)

Australia

Deakin University

GIFT City, Gujarat

Standing

Top 210 globally

First intake

July 2024

India's first foreign branch campus; India-exclusive masters not offered onshore in Australia.

$20,000–$20,114 /yr · ₹17.6 L–₹17.7 L

Applications open

Operational (IFSCA)

Australia

University of Wollongong (UOW)

GIFT City, Gujarat

Standing

Top 1% worldwide

First intake

November 2024

Widest programme range at GIFT City, including the cheapest graduate certificate of any India campus.

$4,830–$15,909 /yr · ₹4.3 L–₹14.0 L

Applications open

Operational (UGC)

United Kingdom

University of Southampton

Gurugram, Haryana

Standing

Global top 100

First intake

August 2025

First UGC-approved UK campus in India; Bloomberg Terminal finance lab on site.

$15,000–$26,250 /yr · ₹13.2 L–₹23.1 L

Applications open

Operational (UGC)

Australia

UNSW Sydney

Bengaluru (Embassy Manyata), Karnataka

Standing

#19 QS 2027

First intake

10 August 2026

Highest-ranked foreign campus in India — #19 in QS 2027.

$16,966–$20,455 /yr · ₹14.9 L–₹18.0 L

Expressions of interest

Operational (UGC)

United Kingdom

University of Liverpool

Bengaluru (Alembic City, Whitefield), Karnataka

Standing

UK Russell Group

First intake

September 2026

Cheapest UG among UGC campuses, with a semester-abroad option in the UK.

$13,068–$17,045 /yr · ₹11.5 L–₹15.0 L

Applications open

Operational (UGC)

Australia

Victoria University

Gurugram, Haryana

Standing

Block-model teaching

First intake

August 2026

Classes have commenced using the VU Block Model; eligible students can receive tuition waivers of up to ₹3 lakh (~$3,409) each year.

$7,955–$13,636 /yr · ₹7.0 L–₹12.0 L

Applications open

Operational (UGC)

United Kingdom

University of Bristol

Mumbai (Cignus Powai), Maharashtra

Standing

Top 55 globally

First intake

10 September 2026

Mumbai Enterprise Campus opened in September 2026 at Cignus Powai, opposite IIT Bombay.

$13,636–$18,182 /yr · ₹12.0 L–₹16.0 L

Applications open

Operational (UGC)

United Kingdom

University of York

Mumbai (Powai Business District), Maharashtra

Standing

Top 170, Russell Group

First intake

September 2026 (opened 16 September)

First cohort welcomed in September 2026; undergraduate and postgraduate study in technology, business and creative industries.

$14,205–$14,205 /yr · ₹12.5 L–₹12.5 L

Applications open

Approved (UGC)

United Kingdom

University of Aberdeen

Mumbai (Powai), Maharashtra

Standing

Ancient Scottish university

First intake

Commencement pending; 2027 applications open

Applications open for 2027; awaiting UGC commencement clearance. Teaching has not been confirmed.

$11,364–$17,045 /yr · ₹10.0 L–₹15.0 L

Applications open

Operational (UGC)

Australia

University of Western Australia (UWA)

Mumbai (Andheri), Maharashtra

Standing

Group of Eight

First intake

September 2026 (opened 18 September)

Group of Eight university; Mumbai campus now teaching its inaugural undergraduate and postgraduate cohort.

$11,364–$17,045 /yr · ₹10.0 L–₹15.0 L

Expressions of interest

Letter of Approval (UGC)

United States

Illinois Institute of Technology

Mumbai (Godrej Business District, Vikhroli), Maharashtra

Standing

First US campus in India

First intake

September 2026 announced; commencement unconfirmed

First US university approved to award US degrees in India; located in Mumbai’s Vikhroli business district. Fall 2027 applications open.

$13,636–$20,455 /yr · ₹12.0 L–₹18.0 L

Applications open

IFSCA registered

United Kingdom

Queen's University Belfast

GIFT City, Gujarat

Standing

UK Russell Group

First intake

September 2026 announced; commencement unconfirmed

100% Women-in-STEM tuition waivers for 20 postgraduate students.

$19,886–$19,886 /yr · ₹17.5 L–₹17.5 L

Expressions of interest

In-principle approval (IFSCA)

United Kingdom

Coventry University

GIFT City, Gujarat

Standing

Applied and industry-linked

First intake

Not yet confirmed

In-principle IFSCA approval (Apr 2025); delivery partner Study World announced Oct 2025, admissions not yet open.

$10,227–$15,909 /yr · ₹9.0 L–₹14.0 L

Not yet open

In-principle approval (IFSCA)

United Kingdom

University of Surrey

GIFT City, Gujarat

Standing

AI, data science & finance

First intake

Summer 2027

In-principle IFSCA approval granted 9 Oct 2025 during the UK PM's trade mission; first intake now officially Summer 2027, not 2026.

$10,227–$17,045 /yr · ₹9.0 L–₹15.0 L

Not yet open

Letter of Intent (UGC)

United Kingdom

Lancaster University

Bengaluru, Karnataka

Standing

UK top 15

First intake

Not yet announced

Still at Letter of Intent/in-development stage as of late July 2026; no admissions or firm opening date yet confirmed.

$7,955–$13,636 /yr · ₹7.0 L–₹12.0 L

Not yet open

Letter of Intent (UGC)

Australia

La Trobe University

Bengaluru, Karnataka

Standing

Australian public university

First intake

Not yet announced

LOI issued 29 Jul 2025; location and launch details still pending as of late 2025 sourcing.

$7,955–$13,636 /yr · ₹7.0 L–₹12.0 L

Not yet open

Letter of Approval (UGC)

United Kingdom

Birkbeck, University of London

Bengaluru, Karnataka

Standing

University of London federation

First intake

2026/27 announced; commencement unconfirmed

UGC Letter of Approval received; Whitefield campus preparing to welcome undergraduate and postgraduate students in 2026/27.

$6,818–$12,500 /yr · ₹6.0 L–₹11.0 L

Applications open

Letter of Intent (UGC)

Italy

Istituto Europeo di Design

To be confirmed

Standing

Italian design institute

First intake

Not yet announced

First Italian institution to receive an Indian Ministry of Education Letter of Intent (14 Jun 2025); campus city still unconfirmed.

$9,091–$15,909 /yr · ₹8.0 L–₹14.0 L

Not yet open

Approved (UGC)

Australia

University of Western Australia (UWA) — Chennai

Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Standing

Group of Eight

First intake

October 2026 announced; opening unconfirmed

Second UWA campus in India; October 2026 opening announced, with commencement still to be confirmed.

$11,364–$17,045 /yr · ₹10.0 L–₹15.0 L

Expressions of interest

Approved (UGC)

Australia

Western Sydney University

Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh

Standing

Top 250 globally

First intake

2027 planned

Greater Noida campus planned to welcome students in 2027; the 2026 launch event does not establish teaching commencement.

$7,955–$13,636 /yr · ₹7.0 L–₹12.0 L

Expressions of interest

Degrees are awarded by the parent university and recognised as equivalent to Indian degrees (valid for UPSC, NET and PSU purposes). They do not carry post-study work rights abroad.

UGC (Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign HEIs in India) Regulations 2023; IFSCA Regulations 2022 for GIFT City campuses. Fees and intakes change frequently — confirm on official portals before applying.

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Targeted to students browsing from a single country — Nepal, UAE, Bangladesh and more.

Scholarships & fee support

Government, state and institutional funding open to international students — with the award value, application window, decision timeline and document checklist. Apply through ZGEN and we file and track it for you.

ICCR General Scholarship Scheme

Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Govt. of India

Full tuition + monthly living stipend + accommodation allowance

₹4.0 L ($4,545) – ₹9.0 L ($10,227) / year

Opens 1 October 2026 · Closes 28 February 2027

Outcome April–May 2027 (nomination list released by the Indian Mission)

Study in India (SII) Merit Scholarship

Ministry of Education, Govt. of India

25%–100% tuition fee waiver, tiered on SII merit score

₹1.0 L ($1,136) – ₹8.0 L ($9,091) / year

Opens 15 November 2026 · Closes 30 April 2027

Outcome Rolling — typically 4–6 weeks after institutional admission is confirmed

SAARC / Neighbourhood Fee Waiver

Participating Indian universities

10%–50% tuition concession for neighbouring countries

₹0.3 L ($341) – ₹2.5 L ($2,841) / year

Opens 1 December 2026 · Closes 31 May 2027

Outcome Decided with the admission offer — usually within 10 working days of application

University Merit & Sports Scholarships

Individual Indian partner universities

10%–100% tuition, sometimes with a hostel waiver

₹0.3 L ($284) – ₹6.0 L ($6,818) / year

Opens Open now — rolling · Closes 31 July 2027 (or until the intake fills)

Outcome 10–15 working days from a complete application

Branch Campus Global Excellence Awards

Foreign university India campuses (UGC FHEI & GIFT City)

20%–100% off India-campus tuition

₹2.0 L ($2,273) – ₹15.0 L ($17,045) / year

Opens 1 September 2026 · Closes 31 March 2027 (Round 1) · 30 June 2027 (Round 2)

Outcome 4–8 weeks after the round closes

ZGEN Access Grant

ZGEN Global

Application, SII ID and visa documentation support at no cost

₹0.1 L ($170) – ₹0.6 L ($682) / year

Opens Open now — rolling · Closes Rolling

Outcome 5 working days from profile submission

Campus-specific awards

Deakin University

Deakin scholarships & bursaries

Partial fee waiver

Academic excellence

University of Wollongong (UOW)

Women Leaders in FinTech / Data Analytics / AI

50% tuition, top 18 students

Female students with 85%+ academic record

University of Wollongong (UOW)

Early Bird Bursary

20% tuition reduction

New students commencing July 2026

University of Southampton

Delhi Presidential Scholarship (UG)

Full tuition, 3 years

Competitive; academic excellence

University of Southampton

Delhi Presidential Scholarship (PG)

Full tuition, 1 year

Competitive; academic excellence

University of Southampton

Merit Scholar / Future Talent / Changemakers / L.E.K. Awards

Partial tuition

Various merit categories, UG and PG

UNSW Sydney

Future Leaders Access Scholarship

100% tuition, full duration

Outstanding academic achievement plus financial need

UNSW Sydney

Progress Scholarship

35% tuition reduction, full duration

Merit; reviewed each semester

UNSW Sydney

Resident Indian Citizen award

Up to 10% (automatic, in published fees)

All Resident Indian Citizens

University of Liverpool

Merit scholarships & bursaries

To be announced

Academic merit plus financial need

Queen's University Belfast

Women in STEM Scholarship

100% tuition, 1 year, 20 students

Female PG applicants; rolling review

Queen's University Belfast

Inaugural Postgraduate Award

GBP 2,000 off tuition (automatic)

Automatic on enrolment; no application

How the single window works

Three documented workflows — the ZGEN application journey, the Government SII ID registration and the post-arrival FRRO process — each with the owner, timeline and the output you receive at every stage.

One profile, one document set, many institutions. ZGEN runs the admission workflow end to end while the student tracks every stage from a single dashboard.

6–14 weeks from profile submission to confirmed offer

01
Build one student profile
Student
Day 0 · 15 minutes
Academics with percentage or CGPA, budget, discipline, intake, funding need and CV uploaded once on ZGEN.
ZGEN student ID
Verified document set
02
Match across both tracks
ZGEN matching engine
Instant
Your profile is scored against Indian partner universities and every India campus of a foreign university in one run, with funding eligibility screened at the same time.
Ranked shortlist with match scores
Scholarship eligibility list
03
Apply to multiple institutions
ZGEN admissions desk
3–5 working days
One document set is submitted to every shortlisted institution. No agent, no duplicate forms, no repeat fees.
Application reference per institution
Fee and deposit schedule
04
Register your SII ID
Student, guided by ZGEN
Runs in parallel · 7–21 days
Registration on the Government's Study in India portal is mandatory for foreign students. See the SII flow below.
SII ID number
SII profile linked to institutions
05
Offer letters & scholarships
Institution + ZGEN
2–8 weeks
Compare offers, tuition, scholarship awards and hostel costs side by side in one table, then accept and pay the deposit.
Admission letter
Scholarship award letter
Bonafide certificate for visa
06
Visa, FRRO & arrival
Student + ZGEN support desk
4–8 weeks before travel
Student e-visa filing, pre-departure briefing, airport pickup and the FRRO registration timeline after landing.
Student visa
FRRO Residential Permit
City arrival checklist

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What it costs to live there

Indicative monthly student living costs by city — rent/hostel, food, transport and utilities.

Delhi NCR / Gurugram

Delhi–Haryana

$205 – $364 / month

₹18,000 – ₹32,000

Hostel $1,023 – $2,045 / year (₹0.9 L – ₹1.8 L)

Largest international student community; Southampton and Victoria University campuses.

Bengaluru

Karnataka

$227 – $398 / month

₹20,000 – ₹35,000

Hostel $1,136 – $2,273 / year (₹1.0 L – ₹2.0 L)

UNSW and Liverpool campuses; strongest tech internship pipeline in India.

Mumbai / Navi Mumbai

Maharashtra

$273 – $511 / month

₹24,000 – ₹45,000

Hostel $1,364 – $2,727 / year (₹1.2 L – ₹2.4 L)

Bristol, York, Aberdeen, UWA and Illinois Tech campuses; highest cost of living.

Ahmedabad / GIFT City

Gujarat

$159 – $295 / month

₹14,000 – ₹26,000

Hostel $909 – $1,818 / year (₹0.8 L – ₹1.6 L)

Deakin and Wollongong are teaching; Queen's Belfast is registered. Coventry and Surrey have in-principle approval.

Pune

Maharashtra

$170 – $295 / month

₹15,000 – ₹26,000

Hostel $909 – $1,705 / year (₹0.8 L – ₹1.5 L)

Classic student city, moderate costs, large SAARC and MENA cohort.

Hyderabad

Telangana

$170 – $307 / month

₹15,000 – ₹27,000

Hostel $909 – $1,705 / year (₹0.8 L – ₹1.5 L)

Affordable metro; large medical and IT sector.

Chennai

Tamil Nadu

$159 – $284 / month

₹14,000 – ₹25,000

Hostel $852 – $1,591 / year (₹0.8 L – ₹1.4 L)

Engineering and medical hub; UWA announced an October 2026 opening; commencement unconfirmed.

Greater Noida

Uttar Pradesh

$136 – $250 / month

₹12,000 – ₹22,000

Hostel $682 – $1,477 / year (₹0.6 L – ₹1.3 L)

Low-cost campus belt; Western Sydney University campus approved for 2027.

Manipal

Karnataka

$148 – $250 / month

₹13,000 – ₹22,000

Hostel $1,023 – $1,932 / year (₹0.9 L – ₹1.7 L)

Purpose-built university town with a very high international share.

Kolkata

West Bengal

$136 – $250 / month

₹12,000 – ₹22,000

Hostel $682 – $1,477 / year (₹0.6 L – ₹1.3 L)

Lowest-cost metro; strong humanities and medicine.

For institutions

Put your university in front of students in SAARC & MENA.

Study in India is ZGEN's owned channel to international applicants. Sponsored placements, country features and virtual fair booths are available on a monthly basis, with lead-source attribution on every enquiry.

Talk to the ZGEN partnerships team

Placement availability and rates shared on request.

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Questions students ask us

By country

Study in India from your country

Equivalence, entrance routes, the scholarships you qualify for and the visa steps all change with your nationality. Open the version written for where you are applying from.

Study in India from Nepal Study in India from Bangladesh Study in India from Sri Lanka Study in India from Bhutan Study in India from the UAE Study in India from Saudi Arabia Study in India from Egypt Study in India from Oman Study in India from Nigeria Study in India from Kenya Study in India from Sudan Study in India from Morocco

All country guides Foreign universities in India list

Resources

Guides for foreign nationals studying in India

The rules that actually decide your application — visas and FRRO, credential equivalence, funding and city budgets — written for applicants from Africa, MENA and SAARC.

Passport, admission letter and travel documents prepared for an Indian student visa application

Visa & FRRO·8 min

The Indian student visa, end to end

Provisional admission letter, the online visa application, biometrics at the mission, FRRO registration within 14 days of arrival, and what a visa extension needs each year.