York, UWA, IIT Chicago Among 5 Foreign Universities Entering India

• UGC issues LoIs to 5 foreign varsities to open campuses in India under NEP 2020.
• Campuses to come up in Navi Mumbai’s Education City; UWA to open second campus in Chennai.
• Admissions expected by late 2026, boosting access to global education.

In a significant move to reform the higher education landscape in India, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has formally issued Letters of Intent (LoIs) to five international universities, permitting them to establish campuses in India.

This marks an important milestone according to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which encourages global institutions to provide international educational opportunities for students in India.

The ceremony for handing over the LoI occurred in Mumbai with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, acting UGC Chairperson Vineet Joshi, and representatives from the involved universities.

The Letters of Intent (LOIs) have been granted to five universities: the University of York (UK), the University of Western Australia (UWA), the University of Aberdeen (UK), the Illinois Institute of Technology (USA), and IED Istituto Europeo di Design (Italy).

These institutions are set to establish their campuses primarily in Navi Mumbai as part of a master-designed International Education City located near the new Navi Mumbai International Airport. Led by CIDCO and backed by the Maharashtra government, the initiative will establish a 5-kilometre educational corridor that will host undergraduate and postgraduate programs from international universities.

Significantly, UWA is developing a second campus in Chennai to enhance its educational footprint in India.

The University of Aberdeen, recognized as one of Scotland’s oldest institutions, is the first Scottish university to receive this approval in India. Its proposal will now be submitted to the university's governing council next month for approval.

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These institutions will require 18 months to establish their campuses and are anticipated to begin enrolling students by late 2026.

In addition to these five universities, several international institutions have also started preparing to establish campuses in India. This fall, the University of Southampton will launch its first admission cycle in Gurgaon, while the University of Liverpool is set to establish its Bengaluru campus by September 2026.

This growing attention from global organizations underscores India’s position as a center for international education. As the top universities worldwide establish campuses in India, students will no longer have to go overseas for an education that meets global standards,  bringing it within reach at home.