Top UK Universities for Indian Students: The 2026 List

Did you know that India is the largest source country for international students in the UK (after China, of course)? As per recent data published by UCAS, the number of applications from India for the January 2022 intake saw an 11% increase when compared to last year. Makes you wonder what all the fuss is about studying in the UK - right?

Well besides the Lord’s ground, Wimbledon courts, prestigious football clubs, the many royal palaces, iconic bridges and of course their tea, the ancient world-class top UK universities are what attract a huge growing number of Indian students. 

But why study in the UK?

• For starters, it’s safe to say that the application process – for both UK visas and UK universities – is much simpler when compared to other countries
• More importantly, 11 of the top 100 universities in the world are from the UK (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022)
• The updated post-study work visa scheme called the ‘Graduate visa’ allows international students to stay in the UK for at least 2 years after graduation.
• The UK accounts for 11.6% of citations and 15.9% of the world’s most cited articles.*
• UK universities give you a free hand to select the optional modules of a programme
• The UK is also coming up with innovative methods to bring global talents to their country. The High Potential Individual visa is just one example.

No wonder Indian students are flocking to top universities in the UK, right? You can get in touch with our experts to understand more about the various opportunities in the UK, the application requirements, UK student life and more.

Universities in the UK popular among Indian students

Alright, so the UK is indeed a popular study destination, but which are the universities that are popular among Indian students? Here, we’ve listed the popular and top UK universities for you:

1. Coventry University

Coventry University is ranked 601-800 as per the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022. Coventry has a huge student population of more than 30,000. 46% of these students are from countries outside the UK. As per HESA statistics, 2,580 Indian students joined this university in the academic year 2020-2021.

MBA Global Business, International Business Management, Business Analytics and Data Science are some of the courses popular at this institution.

2. The University of West London

Also known as UWL, the University of West London is home to a large number of international students, comprising 39% of the total student population. A little less than 1000 Indian students enrolled at this institution for the academic year 2020-2021.

The university is popular for its programmes in arts, computer science, business, hospitality and advertising.

3. The University of Hertfordshire

The University of Hertfordshire is ranked 601 – 800 as per the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022. They have a total of more than 17,700 students, of which 31% are international students. As high as 4920 Indian students joined this institution in the academic year 2020-2021.

Business, Engineering, Law, Arts – the University of Hertfordshire offers courses in all these subjects and more. International Business, Data Science and Analytics, MBA and MSc Management are some of the courses most preferred by Indian students.

4. De Montfort University

The university has more than five thousand international students. For the academic year 2020-2021, 1,335 Indian students enrolled at this institution. It offers programmes through its four faculties in the areas of health and life sciences; business and law; arts and design; and engineering and computers.

5. London Business School, University of London

Affiliated with the University of London, London Business School is popular for its MBA and business programmes. Its student community includes more than 1500 international students. Close to 200 Indian students enrolled at this institution for the academic year 2020-2021.

6. Leeds Beckett University

Of the 18,000+ students at Leeds Beckett University, 12% of them are international students. 985 students from India enrolled at this university for the academic year 2020-2021.

It offers programmes in subject areas ranging from architecture, clinical sciences and engineering to music, language studies and business. The university also has scholarships for Indian students at all levels - from foundation and undergraduate programmes to postgraduate and research programmes.

Get in touch with our counsellors for more details and to apply to this institution. You can simply fill out the form on this page and our experts will get in touch with you.

7. The University of Bedfordshire

The University of Bedfordshire is popular for its teaching excellence a high student satisfaction rate. Its student community comprises close to 10,500 students of which 48% are international students.

For the academic year 2020-2021, around 3000 Indian students enrolled at this institution.

8. The University of Warwick

The University of Warwick is ranked among the top 100 universities in the world by Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022. It is also one of the 'Most International' universities in the world with 43% of international students. The university has more than 22,000 students with a perfect female-to-male student ratio of 50:50. 795 Indian students enrolled at this institution for the year 2020-2021.

With an ‘International Outlook’ score of 94.5, the University of Warwick has a multi-cultural environment.

9. Nottingham Trent University (NTU)

Ranked among the top 600 universities in the world by Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022, Nottingham Trent University is internationally recognised for its performance.

Of the more than 27,000 students at this university, 20% are international students. 1,065 Indian students enrolled at this institution in 2020-2021, as per HESA statistics.

Nottingham Trent University offers courses in Science, Health and Medicine, Business, Creative Arts, Social Studies, Engineering and more. Check with our counsellors if you’d like to apply to this institution.

10. Edge Hill University

As per the Times Higher Education World University rankings 2022, 6% of the student population at this institution comprises international students. According to the data available on HEPA, 190 Indian students enrolled at Edge Hill University for the academic year 2020-2021.

This public university offers several undergraduate, postgraduate and research programmes in areas of business, arts, science, education and social care – to name a few. It also offers fast-track degree programmes.

There, we’ve given you a glimpse of the top UK universities that are currently popular among Indian students. Now to shortlist your dream university from this list, you’ll need to consider multiple factors such as rankings, your choice of subject modules, fee structure, entry requirements etc. This is where you can use our expertise. We’ll help you in choosing the right course and university and the application process to put you on the right path for your study in the UK. If you would like to find the course and university yourself, you can make use of our Course Matcher tool. You can refer to our article to understand more about the ways in which the Course Matcher can help you.

Still, have questions? You’ll find your answers on our FAQ page. Drop a line in our chat box below and we’ll assist you in securing a place in top UK universities.

Editor's note: This article was originally published in March 2019. Our content writer Roshna Mohan has edited it to include up-to-date information and made it comprehensive.

Source: *International Comparative Performance of the UK Research Base, 2013

HESA, Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022.