Indian students are now the second-largest group applying for undergraduate studies in the UK. Data from UCAS, the UK's university admissions service, shows 17,250 applications from India for the 2026 academic year. This marks a 6.9% increase from 16,140 applications in 2025. The figures were compiled for applications received by June 30, 2026 .
UK University Application Data
China remains the top applicant country, submitting 38,410 undergraduate applications. Overall, 695,740 students applied for undergraduate admissions through UCAS. This represents a 4.6% rise from the previous year's 665,070 applications. International applicants submitted 148,350 applications, an increase of 9,890 from 2025.
Nursing Course Popularity Rises
Applications for nursing courses saw a significant increase. There were 43,370 nursing applications in 2026. This is a 3.5% jump from 41,890 applications in 2025. The growth in nursing applications is the largest since the peak in 2021 following the pandemic.
Student Visa Statistics
Separate figures from the UK Home Office reveal Indian nationals received the most student visas. For the year ending March 2026 , 90,425 sponsored study visas were issued to Indian citizens. This data covers a broader range of study programmes, including postgraduate courses.
Total Visas Issued
The UK issued a total of 409,954 sponsored study visas. Of these, 391,572 were for main applicants and 18,382 for dependents. While the total number of sponsored study visas decreased by 3% year-on-year, Indian students still formed the largest cohort of international students in the UK.
Data Comparison
UCAS data focuses solely on undergraduate applications submitted via its central platform. Home Office visa statistics encompass all sponsored study visas for undergraduate and postgraduate studies. Both sets of data highlight the continued strong interest from Indian students in UK higher education.
