INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ENROLLMENT IN INDIA: THE RISE OF TIER II/III STUDENTS

Industry data show that around 60 percent of aspiring Indian international students now come from non-metro regions, surpassing the remaining 40 percent from major urban centers. This is up from around 57 percent last year.

- SANJAY LAUL

The next frontier in international student recruitment in India is currently being shaped by India's smaller towns, as Tier II and III cities are outperforming traditional metros in the number of students who turn in outbound applications.

Industry data show that around 60 percent of aspiring Indian international students now come from non-metro regions, surpassing the remaining 40 percent from major urban centers. This is up from around 57 percent last year.

TIER II/III CITIES LEAD THE WAY International student recruitment in India used to come largely from Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Bangalore, Chennai, and Hyderabad, all of which are Tier I cities. One recent analysis shows Tier II/III cities have now overtaken Tier I cities in application volume, a 162 percent increase in study-abroad applications from non-metro regions over the past two years.