Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) is set to establish a campus in Mumbai, making it the first US higher ed institution to receive approval to operate in India. The Chicago-based institute announced plans to inaugurate its new campus in autumn 2026 to offer undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science, engineering and business. While several British and Australian institutions have already established campuses in India, US institutions have been more cautious.

 Illinois Tech says plans have been in the works for over two years and the institution is the first from any country to receive approval from India’s University Grants Commission (UGC) to set up in Mumbai. Several other universities have announced plans to open branch campuses in the city, including the University of Western Australia and UK’s University of York, but both are yet to receive UGC approval.

According to an Illinois Tech spokesperson, the number of Indian graduate students enrolling in the university has risen by 73 percent over the past five years. “Our new Mumbai campus will respond to this extraordinary demand by delivering globally recognised, US accredited degrees in a format that is highly accessible, affordable, and locally contextualised,” says Mallik Sundharam, vice president for enrollment management and student affairs at Illinois Tech.

Meanwhile in the US, President Donald Trump’s administration has begun terminating the visas of some international students, generating concern about the declining popularity of the US as a higher ed destination. The number of Indians granted visas to study in the US fell by 49 percent in 2024, partially because of visa-processing challenges.

American willingness to establish branch campuses overseas is being interpreted as a way to shore up universities’ income streams and protect against sudden changes in US immigration policies that impact incoming international student numbers.

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