NEW DELHI: India's push to attract foreign universities gained momentum on Tuesday as the Centre granted Letters of Approval (LoAs) to three globally ranked institutions—the University of Bristol (QS World University Rankings 2026: 51), the University of York, and Australia's University of New South Wales (QS 2026: 20). This came days after a similar clearance was issued to the University of Liverpool. The latest approvals bring the total number of overseas universities that are either operational, approved, or at various stages of establishing campuses in India under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 to 18, signaling a rapid expansion of foreign higher education presence in the country.
Approval Process and Ceremony
The University Grants Commission (UGC) handed over the approval letters in the presence of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Higher Education Secretary and UGC Chairman Vineet Joshi, and representatives from the British High Commission, Australian High Commission, British Council, and the universities.
Current Status and Future Plans
Apart from the four institutions that have now secured final approvals, ten other foreign universities have received Letters of Intent and are progressing through regulatory processes. Education ministry officials expect six to seven foreign university campuses to begin operations in India during the 2026-27 academic session. The University of Southampton has already started academic operations in Gurugram from the 2025-26 academic session.
Minister Pradhan described the establishment of these campuses as "a historic step" towards the internationalisation goals of NEP 2020, stating that they would strengthen access to high-quality education, global academic partnerships, and research collaboration.
Specific University Plans
University of Bristol and University of York
The University of Bristol and the University of York will establish campuses in Mumbai. Bristol's Mumbai Enterprise Campus, located at Cignus Powai opposite IIT Bombay, is scheduled to admit its first batch in August 2026. The university expects to enrol up to 250 students in its inaugural year across programmes in data science, economics, finance, and immersive arts, with enrolment projected to exceed 2,500 by year five.
"This marks an important milestone in our long-term commitment to India and reflects the strength of the educational and research partnerships we have built across the country," said Professor Evelyn Welch, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Bristol.
University of New South Wales and University of Liverpool
UNSW and the University of Liverpool will set up campuses in Bengaluru. Liverpool's Bengaluru campus, located at Alembic City in Whitefield, will be the university's first international campus in 20 years. It will initially offer undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in business management, computer science, game design, accounting and finance, and biomedical sciences, with students graduating with UK-accredited degrees.
