India’s leading student cities continue to rank in the lower half of the QS Best Student Cities 2027 rankings despite improvements in affordability and employer demand, highlighting the country’s challenge in attracting international students.

Mumbai emerged as India’s highest-ranked student city at 91st, climbing seven places from last year, followed by Delhi at 99th, up five places. Bengaluru slipped six places to joint 114th, while Chennai rose five places to 123rd. Four Indian cities featured in the 150-city ranking.

QS said all four Indian cities ranked strongly for affordability and graduate demand but remained among the lowest-ranked globally for student diversity. Mumbai ranked last (150th) in the Student Mix indicator, while Delhi placed 146th. All four cities were ranked between 145th and 150th for the measure, which assesses the size and international diversity of the student population.

Delhi was ranked the world’s most affordable student city, with Mumbai placed 12th for affordability. Both cities also featured among the global top 35 for employer activity, reflecting demand for graduates among recruiters.

According to QS, India hosts around 50,000 international students despite sending more than 1.3 million students abroad. The organisation said initiatives such as the Study in India programme and the National Education Policy 2020 aim to increase international enrolment and strengthen India’s position as a global study destination.

The QS Best Student Cities rankings assess cities across six indicators, including university performance, desirability, employer activity, affordability, student mix and student experience.

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