Can I apply for a student loan from India to fund my studies abroad?

You can absolutely fund your overseas education with a loan from India, and you have more lenders to choose from than you might expect. Your loan can cover up to 100% of your tuition fees, living expenses, flight tickets and study materials, whether you go secured or unsecured.

Secured vs Unsecured Loans

How to Apply, Step by Step

• Shortlist your universities and calculate your total cost of attendance before approaching any lender.
• Check your eligibility, including a co-applicant's income and a minimum 60% academic score, to decide between secured and unsecured.
• Apply through the Vidya Lakshmi Portal to track your application across multiple banks at once, or approach SBI, HDFC Credila, Axis, ICICI, or NBFCs like Avanse and InCred directly.
• Gather your marksheets, admission letter, co-applicant income proof, ITR, and asset papers if you are going the secured route.

My Advice

Get your admission offer letter finalised first, then approach at least two public sector banks and one NBFC in parallel so you can compare real sanctioned rates rather than advertised ones. If your family owns property or fixed deposits, pledge them for a secured loan, since the lower interest rate saves you lakhs over your full repayment tenure.