India Has Approved 15 Foreign University Campuses: Offering Global Degrees Up to 50% Cheaper by August 2026

For the first time in India's history, foreign universities can operate full, standalone, degree-granting campuses on Indian soil. Not online programs. Not joint degrees with Indian institutions. Actual branch campuses that grant the same degree the parent university awards in the UK, US, or Australia.

The UGC (Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations 2023 made this arrangement possible under the National Education Policy 2020. As of July 2026, 15 foreign universities have received either a letter of approval or a letter of intent from the UGC. Several are already operational. Several more will open in August 2026. Applications for some are open right now.

What a Foreign University Campus in India Actually Is

A student graduating from the University of Southampton's Gurugram campus receives a University of Southampton degree, not a degree from an Indian institution. The academic content, curriculum, and assessment standards are identical to those at the parent campus in the UK. UGC Regulations 2023 explicitly confirm this equivalence.

These are not affiliated colleges, not twinning arrangements, not online programs, and not joint degrees. They are standalone campuses where the parent university operates, teaches, and awards its own qualifications.

The Operational Campuses: Running Right Now

1. University of Southampton: Gurugram, Haryana

Status: Open since August 2025 | UGC Letter of Approval received

Southampton (QS #111 globally in 2027) is the first foreign university to begin operations under the UGC's mainland regulatory framework, already conducting classes at its Gurugram campus.

Programs offered:

• BSc Computer Science, Economics, Accounting and Finance, and Business Management.
• MSc Finance and International Management.

Fees:

• BEng programs: approximately Rs. 13.86 lakh/year.
• MSc programs: approximately Rs. 23.10 lakh/year.
• Equivalent Southampton UK programs cost GBP 18,000 to GBP 33,000/year (approximately Rs. 22.41 lakh to Rs. 41.08 lakh at 1 GBP = Rs. 124.50).

Scholarships available:

• Delhi Presidential Scholarship: full tuition waiver for 3 years for UG students.
• Future Talent Scholarship: partial tuition support for eligible students.

Apply at: southampton.ac.uk/delhi

2. Deakin University: GIFT City, Gujarat

Status: Operational since July 2024 (under IFSCA framework)

Deakin operates under the IFSCA (International Financial Services Centres Authority) regulatory framework at GIFT City rather than the UGC mainland framework. Students receive a full Deakin University qualification with the same academic standards as the Australian campus.

Apply at: deakin.edu.au → India GIFT City campus

3. University of Wollongong: GIFT City, Gujarat

Status: Operational since November 2024 (under IFSCA framework)

Programs in Financial Technology and Computing and Data Analytics. Scholarships available for high-achieving students and early applicants.

Apply at: uow.edu.au → India campus

4. Queen's University Belfast: GIFT City, Gujarat

Status: Operational since January 2026 (under IFSCA framework) | First Russell Group university in India

Queen's University Belfast is the first UK Russell Group university to open a campus in India, operating at GIFT City. Six postgraduate programs are offered, tailored to the needs of the Indian economy and financial sector.

Apply at: qub.ac.uk → India GIFT City campus

Opening August and September 2026: Apply Now

5. University of Liverpool: Bengaluru (Alembic City)

Status: Admissions open | August 2026 first intake

Liverpool (QS #139 in 2027) is the most advanced of the upcoming openings. Groundbreaking at Alembic City took place in December 2025. Applications are open now for the August 2026 intake.

Programs offered:

• UG: Business Management, Accounting and Finance, Computer Science, CS with Software Development, Biomedical Sciences, and Game Design.
• PG: Two postgraduate programs. Details are at the Liverpool Bengaluru website.

Apply at: liverpool.ac.uk/global/india/

6. University of Bristol: Mumbai Enterprise Campus, Powai

Status: Applications open | August 2026 first intake | 250 students in first year

Bristol (QS #57 in 2027, #8 in the UK) received its Letter of Approval on June 9, 2026. Classes begin in August 2026 from a temporary facility in Powai, directly across from IIT Bombay.

Programs offered:

• UG: Data Science, Economics, Economics and Data Science.
• PG: Sustainability and Business, Finance and Investment, Immersive Arts and Financial Technology.

Fees: Bristol has committed to pricing at in-country levels reflecting Indian education markets, anticipated to be 25 to 40% below Bristol UK campus costs. Exact fees not yet published. Check bristol.ac.uk/india.

Apply at: bristol.ac.uk/india

7. University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney): Bengaluru, Embassy Manyata

Status: Opening August 2026 | Letter of Approval received June 9, 2026

UNSW (QS #18 globally) launches its Bengaluru campus at Embassy Manyata Business Park in August 2026, one of the most globally prestigious institutions to operate on Indian soil.

Programs offered:

• UG: Bachelor of Business, Media in Public Relations and Advertising; Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Data Science, and Decisions.
• PG: Cyber Security.

Apply at: unsw.edu.au/india-campus

8. University of York: Mumbai

Status: First students September 2026 | Letter of Approval received June 9, 2026

York (QS #196 in 2027) welcomes its first undergraduate and postgraduate students from the 2026/27 academic year, setting the same academic standards as York in the UK.

Programs offered:

• UG: Business and Management, Business of the Creative Industries, Computer Science, Computer Science with Cybersecurity, Economics.
• PG: AI, Finance, and Management.

Apply at: york.ac.uk/india

9. Illinois Institute of Technology: Mumbai

Status: Fall 2026 | First US university under this framework | Initial intake 250-300 students

Illinois Tech (QS Top 500) is the first American university to establish a campus in India under the UGC framework, targeting India's highest-demand sectors with a STEM focus.

Programs offered:

• UG: AI, Computer Science, and Business IT.
• PG: AI, Computer Science, Data Science, MBA.

Apply at: iit.edu/india

Other Openings in 2026-27: Letters of Intent or Approval Received

The UGC has issued letters of intent to further institutions from the UK, US, Australia, and Italy. 

• Queen's University Belfast (UK, Russell Group): GIFT City campus, first cohort January 2026. Already operational. First Russell Group university in India.
• University of Aberdeen (UK, QS #262): Powai, Mumbai campus targeting August 2026, with programs in computing, data science, AI, and MBA.
• University of Western Australia (QS #77): Two campuses planned in Chennai and Mumbai, 2026.
• Lancaster University (UK): Bengaluru campus announced in October 2025, targeting 2026-27.
• Birkbeck, University of London: The Bengaluru campus was announced April 14, 2026.
• Coventry University (UK): Confirmed in the planning wave following the October 2025 UK trade mission to India. Location and intake to be confirmed.
• Victoria University (Australia): Greater Noida campus by 2027, with programs in business, IT, and hospitality. Fees confirmed at Rs. 33,00,000 for a 3-year UG program.
• Istituto Europeo di Design (Italy): Among the institutions with a letter of intent, focused on design disciplines.

What These Degrees Cost

The headline comparison:

GBP to INR: Rs. 124.50 | USD to INR: Rs. 95.51 as of July 3, 2026 (BookMyForex)

The Caveat Every Student Must Know Before Applying

The degrees are identical. The post-study visa is not.

A student who graduates from Bristol Mumbai receives a genuine University of Bristol degree, globally recognized. But because they studied in India, not in the UK, they are not eligible for the UK Graduate Route visa, the 18-month post-study work visa. The same applies to Australian campuses and the Australian 485 visa.

If your goal is to earn a foreign degree and then work in the UK or Australia on a post-study work permit, you need to physically study in that country. An Indian branch campus gives you the degree. It does not give you the migration pathway.

If your goal is the qualification itself and an India-based or globally portable career, these campuses offer a cost saving of 30 to 50% on the same degree. That is the honest framework for deciding whether an Indian branch campus makes sense for you.

Application Deadlines: What Is Open Right Now

Book a free session with a Leap Scholar counselor to understand which of these campuses fits your academic profile and career goals, how the India campus degrees compare to studying at the parent university abroad, and whether the cost savings justify choosing an Indian branch campus over the traditional study abroad route.

Sources: Vidyamandir, UGC Approves Foreign Universities in India 2026: Full List, June 2026 | Collegedunia, Foreign Universities in India 2026: Full List, Fees and Courses, June 2026 | Devdiscourse, Three Global Universities Get Approval to Open India Campuses, June 9, 2026 | Millennium Post, 3 Foreign Varsities to Launch India Campuses in 2026 | College Access Program, India Opens Its Doors: Foreign Universities in India | Careers360, Foreign Universities in India UGC Approved Campuses Courses Fees 2026 | GoalISB, Foreign University Campuses in India 2026-2030 | BookMyForex, Exchange Rates July 3, 2026 | QS 2027 sources