Six international universities have committed a combined ₹1,000 crore in scholarships to support students enrolling at their India campuses, as part of efforts to expand access to globally aligned higher education within the country.

The institutions — University of Aberdeen, University of Bristol, Illinois Institute of Technology, University of Liverpool, Victoria University and University of York — will roll out multi-year scholarship programmes for undergraduate and postgraduate students from the August/September 2026 intake.

The funding includes merit- and need-based support, with tuition waivers ranging from 10 per cent to full coverage for selected candidates. The initiative is expected to expand programme availability, particularly in AI and STEM disciplines, while improving affordability for Indian households.

India currently sends around 19 students abroad for every one inbound student, contributing to an estimated $70 billion annual outflow on overseas education. A 15–20 per cent shift towards domestic access to international programmes could result in $10–14 billion in annual foreign exchange savings.

Ashwin Damera, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Eruditus Group, said programmes delivered locally at lower cost, supported by scholarships, could expand access and strengthen domestic capacity in high-demand sectors.

The scholarship framework is also aimed at increasing participation from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities and supporting first-generation learners, alongside widening access for women in higher education.

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