Which Indian States Send the Most Students Overseas?

Last Updated: May 20, 2026, 18:41 IST

According to comprehensive mobility data compiled by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and NITI Aayog, India's robust outbound student migration patterns show significant regional variance. Globally, India remains a top sender of international scholars, with over 13.35 lakh individuals pursuing higher education overseas.

Which Indian States Send the Most Students Overseas?
Which Indian States Send the Most Students Overseas?

Andhra Pradesh is consistently leading the way in Indian states sending students overseas education. According to Ministry of External Affairs data, 35,614 students were sent abroad by the state in 2020.

Punjab had the largest number of students with 33412 followed by Maharashtra with 29079. Gujarat also made huge effort with 23,156 students going abroad in the same year.

Major States which Send the Most Students Overseas

Other top contributors to India's study abroad numbers are also the cities of Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Chandigarh, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh. This demonstrates that there is a demand for overseas education in various parts of the country and not only in one region.

These states tend to be more aware of and committed to international education, have well-developed networks of students, and families willing to pay for overseas degrees. The trend is also reported to have been steady for several years, particularly in states such as Andhra Pradesh and Punjab.

Per-Capita Picture

A population-based perspective yields a different answer. Chandigarh was the best region on a per capita basis with a very high proportion of students going abroad.

The primary lesson that students have learned is that location fosters a culture of study abroad, but selecting a course, taking tests, planning finances, and getting visas remain important keys to success. Students from all States can avail the opportunity to study abroad.


 


Kirti Sharma
Kirti Sharma

Executive - Editorial

Kirti Sharma is a journalist in the education domain with three and a half years of experience creating high-quality content for the education technology (EdTech) and digital media industries. She has an expertise in covering education news. Kirti has experience in writing data backed informational pieces on General knowledge.

Kirti holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, which helped build her strong foundation in writing and research. Over the course of her career, she has brought her skills to a variety of well-known companies, including ThoughtPartners Global, Infinite Group, and MIM-Essay. Through these roles, she has learned how to take complex information and turn it into engaging, easy-to-understand content for readers online.

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First Published: May 20, 2026, 18:41 IST

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