Students today are exploring new avenues for studying abroad, besides the popular options of the US and UK. The relaxed visa regulations in Malta, Singapore, Dubai, Italy, and various European nations are attracting students. The streamlined visa processes, diverse academic programmes, and competitive living and tuition fees in these countries have resulted in increased applications from Indian students.
As per most experts, Germany has over the years emerged as the best destinations for offering affordable education to students. "Germany is emerging as a top choice as it offers tuition-free education at public universities. Students here only pay a nominal administrative fee. The country also has a very good reputation for offering quality and research based education and opportunities for Indian students," says Vaibhav Gupta, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer iSchoolConnect. The nominal fee in the public universities of Germany is Rs 20,000 per semester, he adds.
"In 2025, Gen Z students are redefining the study abroad landscape by prioritising affordability, cultural immersion, and tangible career opportunities. Their preferred destinations — the US, UK, Canada, Germany, Ireland, and Singapore —offer manageable tuition and strong postgraduation pathways. They are making diverse choices in fields like Environmental Engineering, Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Astrophysics, Biotechnology Ventures, Earth Sciences and many more," says Rahul Subramaniam, Co-founder, Athena Education.
While new options are opening up, the US and the UK have always been among the most preferred destinations for students aspiring to study abroad. As opposed to the assumptions, that these countries offer only expensive education to students, many universities in these countries are introducing affordable options to students.
Lakshmi Iyer, Managing Director, SI-Global India, explains that, "Contrary to popular belief, state universities in the United States offer affordable fee structures, with master's programmes costing anywhere from US $18,000 - US $65,000 (Rs 16.5 lakhs - 53.6 lakhs) per academic year and bachelor's degrees between US $15,000 to US $50,000 (Rs 12.5 lakhs - Rs 41 lakhs) per year. However, Ivy League universities may cost double what other universities usually cost."
"Recently, admissions to British universities have also soared to new heights with fewer student visa restrictions, flexible academic requirements, and cheaper tuition fees. It is estimated that pursuing a master's degree in the UK would cost between euro 7,000 - euro 1200 (Rs 7.5 lakhs - Rs 12 lakhs), with MBAs and other specialised programmes costing around euro 15,000-euro 25,000 (Rs 16 lakhs - Rs 27 lakhs)," explains Ms Iyer.