October 11, 2025

Big news for Indian students dreaming of studying abroad! Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced he's open to welcoming top Indian talent. This statement comes as a breath of fresh air for students facing stricter visa rules in the US under President Trump’s policies. The US has always been a hotspot for STEM courses like data science and robotics, but now the UK is stealing some of the spotlight. At Collegify, a popular education platform, a hot 60% of students applying to UK colleges are picking tech-related courses such as AI, renewable energy, and health analytics. That’s a jump from just 40% a year ago. "Many students who would've aimed for tier-2 US universities are now looking at leading UK schools like Imperial, Warwick, Manchester, and Bath," shared Adarsh Khandelwal, Collegify’s co-founder. The buzz is around courses blending data, sustainability, and cutting-edge tech—think AI, cybersecurity, fintech, corporate law, nursing, and climate innovation. Piyush Kumar of IDP Education says students love shorter, focused MSc programs that mix new tech skills with real-world training. "This could support quicker career entry and employability," he explained. Saurabh Arora, founder of University Living, chimed in on the impact of Keir Starmer’s visit: "Even though visas are not part of this trade discussion, the visit itself is helping strengthen ties between universities, businesses, and policymakers." While no instant visa rule changes came, the visit signals strong, growing bonds. Data from University Living reveals a steady surge in interest from Tier-2 and Tier-3 Indian cities—more families are now dreaming big about global education. Experts like Kumar see a clear shift from the US to the UK, triggered by changing US policies. The UK government’s own numbers say Indian students grabbed over 98,000 sponsored study visas by June 2025, making them the second-largest group using UK study visas worldwide. Excitingly, UK universities are making moves right here in India. During Starmer’s visit, it was announced that the University of Lancaster and University of Surrey got the green light to open new Indian campuses. The University of Southampton already launched its Delhi campus earlier this year, and others like York, Aberdeen, Bristol, Liverpool, Queen’s Belfast, and Coventry plan to open their doors soon. Rahul Subramaniam, founder of Athena Education, said, "Initiatives like British universities opening campuses in India and expanded research collaboration are expected to gather momentum." He added that Starmer's call to attract top talent matches perfectly with Indian students’ strengths. There’s more fuel in the fire: the UK’s Graduate Route lets students stay and work in the UK for two years after their studies. This handy perk has sparked big interest in STEM and tech courses over recent years. In short, with the US tightening up, the UK is shining bright and ready to welcome Indian students with open arms and exciting new opportunities. If you’re eyeing tech and STEM education abroad, Britain might just be the next big stop!

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Tags: Uk study visa, Indian students, Keir starmer, Stem education, Uk universities, Graduate route,