Universities in India

India has one of the largest university systems in the world. According to the Study in India programme of the Ministry of Education, the country has more than 800 universities and 39,000 colleges. The University Grants Commission (UGC) lists 57 central universities, 523 state universities, 161 deemed to be universities and 560 private universities. Many universities are affiliating universities: most teaching takes place in colleges that follow the university's syllabus, while the university sets the examinations and awards the degree.

English is a language of instruction at many institutions. The University of Delhi, for example, states that English is its most common medium of instruction. Next to the universities, business schools award their own postgraduate diplomas in management, and some private institutes in India teach towards foreign qualifications.

How it works

The UGC is a statutory body created by an Act of Parliament in 1956 to coordinate and maintain standards of teaching, examination and research in university education. It keeps the lists of recognised universities by type, as well as separate lists of Institutions of National Importance and Institutions of Eminence. The main categories are:

• Central universities, set up by the national government
• State universities, run by the state governments
• Deemed to be universities, institutions that the government allows to award degrees
• Private universities, set up under state law

Degrees are offered at undergraduate (bachelor's), postgraduate (master's) and doctoral level, alongside diplomas and certificates. The UGC has issued guidelines on a National Higher Education Qualifications Framework (NHEQF) and a National Credit Framework (NCrF), which describe levels and credits across the system.

Examples from our directory show the range. The University of Madras was established on 5 September 1857 by an Act of the Legislative Council of India and was organised on the model of the University of London. The University of Delhi reports 90 colleges, 16 faculties, 87 departments and around 720,000 students in regular and distance learning, and it holds the status of Institution of Eminence. The University of Calcutta in Kolkata is another large public university. In management, the Indian School of Business, with campuses in Hyderabad and Mohali, runs a one-year Post Graduate Programme in Management, and the Indus Business Academy (IBA) in Bangalore runs a two-year PGDM (Post Graduate Diploma in Management). RITHS in Trivandrum, established in 2003, teaches UK-regulated Level 4 and 5 diplomas awarded by NCC Education and EduQual, which students can use to enter the final year of a bachelor's degree abroad; these are UK qualifications, not Indian degrees.

Admission

All foreign students who want to study in India must register on the Study in India (SII) portal of the Ministry of Education, and the UGC has reminded institutions that this registration is mandatory. Registration generates an SII-ID, which must be quoted in the student visa application. Students can apply for courses through the portal or through a university's international office. At the University of Delhi, the Foreign Students' Registry is the single window for all foreign applicants; it also offers a "casual affiliation" for students who want to study in Delhi for one or two semesters.

The student visa application needs an admission letter with the course details and proof of payment to the institution, among other documents. For medicine and other medical fields, the Embassy of India in Bogotá states that authorisation from the Indian Medical Council for the course is required. Indian institutions must also register incoming foreign students with the immigration authorities under the Immigration and Foreigners Act and Rules of 2025.

Foreign school-leaving certificates and degrees may need recognition. The Association of Indian Universities (AIU) grants academic equivalence to qualifications from accredited foreign boards and universities, and it accepts applications online only. In 2025 the UGC also issued regulations on the recognition and equivalence of qualifications obtained from foreign educational institutions. Ask the university early which equivalence documents it needs.

Costs and funding

There is no single national tuition fee. Each university or institute sets its own fees, which differ between public and private institutions and between programmes; the University of Delhi, for example, publishes separate admission steps for self-financing students. The Study in India programme presents Indian degrees as available at an affordable cost, but always check the fee page of the programme you choose.

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) runs a scholarship portal for international students. It lists scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate study in AYUSH (traditional medicine) fields, for PhDs, and for diplomas and certificates in languages and performing arts. The ICCR asks applicants to contact the Indian embassy or consulate in their country for scholarship updates.

How to choose

• Status: check that the university appears on the UGC's lists. The UGC invites students to verify an institution before taking admission and publishes a list of fake universities.
• Type of qualification: a university degree, a postgraduate diploma in management or a foreign qualification taught in India lead to different kinds of recognition. The AIU grants equivalence to the management programmes of autonomous management institutions approved by the AICTE. The UGC has also warned about agreements with foreign providers that it does not recognise.
• Length of stay: a full degree, or one or two semesters as a visiting student.
• Language: English is common, but check the medium of instruction for each programme.
• Location and housing: some institutes have campus hostels; IBA, for example, has an 8.5-acre campus with hostels.

Frequently asked questions

How many universities are there in India?

The UGC lists 57 central, 523 state, 161 deemed to be and 560 private universities. The Study in India programme speaks of more than 800 universities and 39,000 colleges.

Can I study at an Indian university in English?

Yes, at many universities. The University of Delhi, for example, states that English is its most common medium of instruction, but the language varies by programme.

How do international students apply?

All foreign students must register on the Study in India portal, which generates an SII-ID. They apply for courses through the portal or the university's international office and quote the SII-ID in their student visa application.

Can I study in India for one semester only?

Some universities allow it. The University of Delhi offers a "casual affiliation" for students who want to study for one or two semesters.