For long, higher education institutions in what is called the big 4 – US, UK, Australia and Canada – were the first choice for Indian students due to a myriad of factors. In recent years, these countries have introduced significant revisions to their immigration policies – as well as student visa policies. It is not just the US, but even other countries in the Anglosphere which are trying to restrict the inflow of international students and have introduced crucial changes to the student visa rules.  Immigration policies are increasingly tightening, with international students bearing the brunt. Countries like Australia and the UK have enacted changes that limit post-study work rights and boost student visa inspections.

Enrollment data shows steep declines – for example, American estimates report a 28% plunge in Indian student visas (from 354,000 to 255,000) in 2024 alone. In Britain, the Home Office issued 10% fewer study visas in 2024–25 than the year before, as new rules knocked points off international applicants.

UAE has specific advantages

India’s diaspora data confirm the attraction: roughly 3.6–4.0 million Indians live in the UAE today (about 35% of the entire population).  That scale dwarfs any single nationality elsewhere.  Indians have moved to the Emirates in such numbers precisely because they see it as a reliable, neutral environment. 

Apart from its proximity to India, being host to a large Indian expat community and law and order conditions, UAE possesses specific advantages from an academic standpoint. It hosts branch campuses of several dozen top universities: New York University, for example, has its Abu Dhabi campus as a full-service liberal-arts university. France's Sorbonne University has a branch in Abu Dhabi. Britain's Heriot-Watt, University of Birmingham, Middlesex, and other Western universities have similarly invested heavily in UAE campuses.

Emirati institutions more so often feature in certain international rankings, specifically in the fields of engineering, business and medicine. For instance, Abu Dhabi's Khalifa University has jumped up 30 places to be placed 864th out of more than 21000+ institutes for higher education as assessed in the 2025 Centre for World University Rankings, while also ranking 177th globally in QS World University Rankings 2026, securing itself a spot in the world’s top 200 universities. Moreover, the academic environment closely resembles the Western standards, in terms of courses being taught in English, the curriculum following international patterns and certain programmes even having distinguished foreign faculty.  In short, having a degree through a university in the Emirates would be equivalent to having a degree with a genuine international standing.

Streamlined Visa Systems

Interest is already flourishing. After visa curbs, introduced by the US and other countries in the Anglosphere, enrollment inquiries at Emirati campuses spiked.  One report noted 53% more applications to Heriot-Watt’s Dubai branch and a doubling of inquiries at Abu Dhabi’s Sorbonne campus.  Administrators credited this to Western visa uncertainty and to the UAE’s “streamlined visa systems, strong infrastructure, and part-time work options”. Furthermore, another report shows that Indian students by themselves now account for 42% of its international class. In practice, the Emirates is actively courting ambitious students: English and Chinese are commonly taught in addition to Arabic, and student visas (with work rights) are easily accessible.

Even the government has been seeking to change its approach towards immigration – with an increasing thrust on attracting individuals with research skills as well as the potential to contribute to Research and Innovation. For outstanding students, the UAE's Golden Visa grants a 10-year renewable residency.  In this scheme, outstanding university graduates (especially in STEM fields of study) automatically receive a decade-long visa, which covers family members. Abu Dhabi also has Golden Visa streams for new graduates, and Dubai introduced a Post-Graduate Work Permit in 2024 to allow foreign graduates to stay and work for two years after graduation. Adding to the many full-tuition scholarships (typically covering 80–100% of fees at schools such as NYUAD) and a region with a thirst for skilled workers, these measures make the UAE incredibly attractive. Indian students can study without debt, gain globally recognized degrees, and then typically proceed to plain local employment or residencies — all supported by simple government policy.

Growing soft power

The UAE has also been focusing on building its soft power credentials, and these efforts are beginning to bear fruits. According to the Global Soft Power Index, 2025 by Brand Finance, UAE ranks number 10 in terms of soft power.

In a changing geopolitical environment, the immigration landscape as well as international higher education preferences are witnessing significant changes. Countries in the Anglosphere are likely to retain their attraction for international students, including from India, given the advantages they possess. At the same time, international students – including those from India – will look at alternatives. 

For students from India, the UAE is an attractive destination from multiple standpoints: logistical, academic and career point of view. This could be a win-win situation for UAE as well as for Indian students. While emerging as an educational hub for students from not just India, but other developing countries, it would also burnish UAE’s soft-power credentials.

(Tridivesh Singh Maini is a Faculty member at The Jindal School of International Affairs, OP Jindal Global University, Sonipat. Karmanye Thadani  heads the Citizens' Foundation for Policy Solutions (CFPS), a Delhi-based thinktank.Views expressed are personal. They can be reached at tsmaini@jgu.edu.in )