Establishment of Foreign Universities Campuses in India

• 04 Aug 2026
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Numerous Foreign Higher Educational Institutions (FHEIs) have showcased their interests in setting up their branch campuses in India under the University Grants Commission (UGC) (Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations 2023. 

16 LoIs Issued by UGC

So far, the UGC has issued 16 Letters of Intent (LoIs) to 15 FHEIs from Australia, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States of America (USA). These institutions plan to establish campuses in cities such as Bengaluru, Greater Noida, Gurugram, Mumbai and Chennai. 

They intend to offer courses in business, economics, accounting, finance, software engineering, data science, artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, game design, entrepreneurship, innovation, biomedical sciences and several other emerging fields so as to meet global academic and industry needs. 

UGC’s Single-Window Clearance System

The University Grants Commission has come up with a single-window clearance mechanism and formed a high-powered Standing Committee for the purpose of evaluating proposals for establishment of FHEI campuses in India. The Committee reviews the applications and then recommends them to the Commission. UGC gives in-principle approval on these recommendations and issues a Letter of Intent. 

It is important to note that only FHEIs ranked among top 500 globally ranked universities are eligible. All the applicants must submit the latest accreditation or quality assurance reports from recognised bodies. The UGC regulatory framework ensures that the education imparted in India is of the same quality as the education imparted at the parent campus abroad. 

It also ensures that the education is in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations in India. The Qualifications awarded by the FHEIs under the UGC Regulations shall be recognized and treated as equivalent to any other corresponding qualification awarded by the Indian Higher Educational Institutions. No further equivalence from any authority would be required. 

Facilitation Committee for FHEIs

Moreover, the government also formed a ‘Facilitation Committee for FHEIs’ on 16 December 2025. The Committee is mandated to assist FHEIs in establishing their campuses in India after LoI is handed over by UGC. It also oversees and monitors their academic, financial, governance and other regulatory aspects to ensure compliance with applicable regulations in India. 

The Minister of State for Education Dr. Sukanta Majumdar gave above-stated information in a written reply in Lok Sabha on 3 August 2026.

Source: Press Information Bureau (PIB)