Indian students continue to show strong interest in pursuing higher education in the United Kingdom, with the latest data from the Universities and Colleges
Admissions Service (UCAS) showing India remained the second-largest source of international undergraduate applicants for the 2026 admissions cycle. According to UCAS' 30 June deadline figures, 17,250 applicants from India applied for undergraduate courses at UK higher education institutions in 2026, marking a 6.9 per cent increase from 16,140 applicants in 2025. India ranked second only to China, which recorded 38,410 undergraduate applicants this year. The overall number of international undergraduate applicants reached 148,350 in 2026, up 7.1 per cent year-on-year, while total undergraduate applicants across all ages and domiciles rose to a record 695,740. Over 90,000 Indian Nationals Granted UK Study Visas Separate data released by the UK Home Office under the Immigration System Statistics for the year ending March 2026 showed that Indian nationals received 90,425 sponsored study visas, making them the largest nationality among recipients of UK student visas. The UK granted a total of 409,954 sponsored study visas during the period, including 391,572 visas issued to main applicants and 18,382 to dependants. While overall sponsored study visa grants declined by 3 per cent compared to the previous year, Indian students continued to account for a significant share of those travelling to the UK for higher education. It is important to note that the two datasets measure different aspects of student mobility. UCAS figures cover applications submitted for undergraduate programmes through the UK's central admissions system, whereas the Home Office data includes sponsored study visas granted across different levels of study, including undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Besides India and China, the United States recorded 7,770 undergraduate applicants in 2026, followed by Ireland (7,660), Hong Kong (6,340) and Nigeria (4,330). The latest figures highlight sustained demand among Indian students for UK higher education despite evolving immigration policies and changes in international student mobility trends.
