The balance of global education is shifting. With British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announcing that nine UK universities will soon operate in India, the island nation has cemented its position as the largest international supplier of world-class higher education to the subcontinent. This influx is driven by regulatory support, and a price point that offers students a UK degree without the high costs of studying abroad.

These nine universities include the currently operational University of Southampton in Gurugram, and eight that are in various stages of approval or launch, including University of Liverpool and Lancaster University (both coming up in Bengaluru), University of York, University of Aberdeen, University of Bristol, University of Exeter, and University of Glasgow (all in Mumbai), and University of Surrey (GIFT City, Gujarat).

The value proposition

The University of Southampton – the first foreign university to operate in India under the UGC regulations – serves as the perfect blueprint. Its Gurugram campus, called the University of Southampton Delhi, has started with six high-demand programmes and, Vishal Talwar, its chief operating officer, told FE that it has succeeded in retaining students who otherwise planned to study abroad.

“Our first batch size, started in August, is of 140-odd students, and many of them wanted to go abroad for learning, but they chose this campus because they are getting the same quality of education in India,” Talwar told FE. “They are the ones who were looking at going to the UK, Australia, and Canada, but found high-education education in India.”
The appeal is clear when examining the cost. While an undergraduate degree at the main UK campus can cost upwards of $24,000 (£20,000) per annum in tuition alone, the University of Southampton Delhi charges around $13,200 (Rs 12 lakh) per year, translating to a total three-year BSc fee of about Rs 40 lakh. This represents a substantial saving on tuition, plus the elimination of high living expenses and visa application costs associated with studying in the UK.

The UG programmes offered include BSc (Hons) Business Management, Accounting and Finance, Computer Science, and Economics. The PG offerings are MSc International Management and MSc Finance.

Global ranking

Among the nine, the University of Bristol stands out, consistently ranked in the global top-100 (51st in the QS World University Rankings). While others may not be in the top-100, they are all highly respected Russell Group or research-intensive institutions, known for academic excellence.

Strategic locations

Mumbai (York, Aberdeen, Bristol, Exeter, and Glasgow): These universities want to tap into India’s financial, corporate, and technological capital. Prof Charlie Jeffery, vice-chancellor of the University of York, told FE that it chose Mumbai because of the city’s robust infrastructure and research opportunities.

Bengaluru (Liverpool and Lancaster): These universities aim to position themselves in the heart of India’s Silicon Valley.

GIFT City, Gujarat (Surrey): The focus is on fintech and international commerce, mirroring the specialised mandate of this hub.

Australia’s niche focus

Closely following the UK, Australia has also established a strong foothold. Deakin University and the University of Wollongong are already operational with fully independent campuses in GIFT City, focusing on specialised postgraduate degrees like Financial Technology and Data Analytics.

Four more Australian universities have received approvals: University of Western Australia (Mumbai and Chennai plans), Western Sydney University (Greater Noida), Victoria University (Noida), and La Trobe University (Bengaluru). While the UK is casting a wide net across major metros, the Australian entry has so far been characterised by a deeper focus on the specialised ecosystem of GIFT City.

Faculty and language

Southampton Delhi employs a mixed model, drawing faculty from the parent campus for in-person and online teaching, supplemented by internationally-exposed academics sourced from top Indian and foreign institutions (including IITs). This ensures the degrees maintain equivalence with the UK standards.

The medium of instruction will, however, be primarily and only English, aligning with global academic research, curriculum delivery, and the objective of preparing students for international careers where English proficiency is critical. Although the UGC promotes multilingualism, its regulations mandate that foreign campuses maintain equivalence with their home institutions, where English is the standard.

With more than 30 programmes planned for Southampton Delhi within the next decade, and eight more UK institutions preparing for launch, this move signals a transformative moment for Indian higher education – delivering world-class quality without the ticket price of studying abroad.