25 Best Universities In India For International Students 2024

If you are looking to study in India, you are surely making a great choice. This location has a lot to offer for international students, including world-class universities and exciting student experiences. With more than 390 universities and colleges in India, you’ll surely have a wide range of choices.

Out of 390 universities in India, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and Indian Institute of Science are the top-performing schools in India. This list covers both public and private institutions in India.

To help you narrow down your school options, we’ve compiled the best universities in India. We based our rankings on academic reputations from reputable sources and the number of international students. By doing this, you’ll have an efficient way of comparing your target universities and choose your host university in India.

How do I get admission to the best universities in India?

Applying to the universities in India involves submitting requirements and following specific admissions procedures set by your chosen university. The requirements often include a student visa, application packages, and language scores. Check out our guide for international students who want to study in India to learn more about applying for admission in this country’s universities!

How much are the tuition fees at the best universities in India?

Tuition fees at India’s universities can vary depending on which university, degree, and program you will be enrolling in. Generally, tuition fees for the bachelor’s level range from 0 INR to 2,789,700 INR , while tuition fees for the master’s level range from 0 INR to 9,592,000 INR. If you are interested, check out the affordable universities in India!

As we cover the best universities in India for international students, feel free to check out the university’s information on Admission, Tuition, Courses, and Language Requirements by looking at the individual university pages.

Top Universities in India for International Students

Tata Institute of Fundamental Research is a premier graduate school in Mumbai, India. It is part of the top-ranking university charts worldwide but only welcomes masters and Ph.D. students. Programs available are also concentrated in the sciences and related disciplines. Thus, you may expect only courses like Physics, Biology, Mathematics, Computer Science, and more. There may also be available studies in the said field’s subdisciplines. The institute offers integrated MSc-PhD programs, which are set for six years only.

Indian Institute of Science, a public institution in Bengaluru, is one of India’s premier state-funded universities. According to global university assessments, such as QS Top Universities and Times Higher Education, it is a top-ranked university. By 2018, it was elevated into an Institute of Eminence.

Programs offered are available at the bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. levels. They are specialized, primarily focusing on technology, design, science, and other related fields.

Founded in 2008, the Indian Institute of Technology Ropar (IIT Ropar) is a technical university that boasts of providing high standards of teaching and research. A comprehensive range of science and engineering programs are offered at bachelor’s and postgraduate levels. IIT Ropar aims to be one of the favored technical institutes in India, and it continues to develop more advanced and future-oriented programs that will help in resolving global and current issues of society.

JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research specializes in the health sciences and related disciplines, including medicines. Its performance in the said field is world-class, placing it on global charts. For instance, the QS QUR Ranking by Subject placed the JSS Academy 101st for Pharmacy and Pharmacology. The Times Higher Education rankings also ranked it 70th for the Young University Rankings 2022.

The academy offers education from the undergraduate to the doctorate level. Select diploma courses are also available, especially for postgraduate students.

Indian Institute of Technology Bombay has found its place among the world’s most prominent universities, especially in engineering. This institution in Maharashtra, India, was established as an Institute of National Importance in 1961. Such a decree elevates it into an institution of high importance in India.

IIT Bombay’s primary focus is engineering, such that it provides education from bachelor’s to Ph.D. level. However, it has a few courses in other disciplines, such as the humanities.

One of 23 member institutes, the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi is among the oldest in the system. It was founded in 1961 and became a full-fledged, autonomous institution in 2018. With such freedom, it could welcome more international students than ever before. This progress, combined with world-class education, makes education at IIT Delhi one of the most sought-after.

Like other IIT campuses, this one is also stellar in engineering but does not concentrate on one field. Students can pursue other disciplines like business or cognitive science through IIT Delhi.

The history of the prestigious and state-funded Indian Institute of Technology system begins with IIT Kharagpur. It was the first to be founded in 1951. Later, it was also the first to be conferred the title of Institute of National Importance. Now, it is the most extensive and diverse among IITs, a trailblazer in a group of elite Indian institutions. Similar to other IIT campuses, IIT Kharagpur ranks well worldwide, charting in global university assessments like QS Top Universities.

IIT Kharagpur initially specialized in engineering. However, it has since expanded the type and number of programs it offers, including science, law, and other unique courses in its arsenal.

Indian Institute of Technology Madras is the third to be founded among the different IIT campuses in India. As such, it is considered an Institute of National Importance. Such a title recognizes IIT Madras’s significant role in molding the future generation of young leaders, innovators, and workers. Like other IIT branches, the Madras campus is also known for its engineering programs. However, it does provide a wide range of program choices, including business administration and the humanities.

Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee) is one of the most prominent public technical universities in the northern part of India. It was founded in 1847 as Thomason College of Engineering, providing comprehensive higher education programs. For many years, the institute has offered a specific field of study; however, as it continues to flourish, it has begun developing more study programs in various academic disciplines. And today, IIT Roorkee is considered among the most preferred technical institutes for prospective local and international students.

Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur is an internationally-renowned university that offers a diverse set of courses related to science and technology. The university is popular for its engineering courses that truly enhance the critical thinking, wisdom, and practical skills of the students, allowing them to secure better career jobs after graduating.

Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology is at the forefront of offering excellent undergraduate and postgraduate education in the field of engineering, information, and technology. By training students and exposing them to real-world scenarios, the institute aims to develop individuals that are prepared to face whatever challenges in the industry. Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology is a globally-respected institution that thrives on encouraging innovation in specific domain areas of information technology.

International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad is an active research institution that heavily emphasizes technology and applied research for society and industry. The school houses various facilities and centers that allow a seamless flow of knowledge as students explore the broad field of science. Over the years, the institution has already established an excellent reputation because of its innovative curriculum that allows students to be flexible in selecting their courses and projects.

Mahatma Gandhi University is a top-ranked university that caters to the educational needs of the people in the region. It has set up excellent standards for engineering and technology, which is why it has multiple partners across different industries. The university is known for its varied academic specializations and outstanding academic training, leading to competent and intelligent professionals being produced yearly.

The Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education is a private deemed university that was established in 1984 in Krishnankoil, India. This university is ranked among the top 1,000 universities in the world by the prestigious ranking service Times Higher Education. It offers a wide range of programs and boasts cutting-edge facilities that help students conduct advanced research in their fields.

The Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar is a technical university that was founded in 2008. This university is well known in the region of Gandhinagar as it has amazing facilities and campuses that provide a perfect learning environment. This university provides studies in some of the most important scientific and engineering fields, including physics, chemistry, and mathematics.

The O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) is a private university in Sonipat, Haryana, India. Naveen Jindal established it in 2009 in memory of his father, O.P. Jindal. The university has been designated as an Institute of Eminence, an award created to assist higher education institutions to become world-class universities. JGU has twelve schools that offer undergraduate and graduate programs in law, business, liberal arts, communication, and health sciences.

The University of Delhi is one of the largest institutions in the world, currently comprised of 86 academic departments and 77 colleges. It upholds international standards in teaching and research, which is why it receives a large number of student applications each year. Several graduates from the University of Delhi have become Nobel laureates, prominent politicians, and eminent scientists.

The Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, or IIT Guwahati, was founded in 1994 and has been one of the public universities in India. It has over 3,800 students across degree programs, ranging from bachelor’s to Ph.D. levels. The university specializes in Engineering, Technology, and Design study fields and has joined the top 10% of universities in reputable ranking institutions, such as QS and Times Higher Education.

Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad is an educational institution with wide course offerings in studies related to science and technology. Its mission is to provide academic training that holistically develops students and allows them to stand out in the field. The university has training facilities and advanced technological equipment to support the students’ research endeavors.

Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology (TIET) is a deemed university located in Patiala, Punjab, India. The deemed university is an accreditation granted to higher educational institutions by the Department of Higher Education. It was established in 1956 by Karam Chand Thapar. The university offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the arts, humanities, computer science, design, business, and health sciences.

Named after India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is an internationally renowned institution in New Delhi, India, established in 1969. It is best known for its programs in the social sciences. Although it is considered a young university, JNU has already reaped various awards for its excellent teaching and research.

The Jamia Millia Islamia University was founded in New Delhi, India, and it is one of the most well-known universities in the region. The Jamia Millia Islamia University is ranked among the top 1,000 universities in the world by prestigious ranking websites. This institution is famous because it provides programs from all areas of study and is not limited to a specialized category. Here, students can find programs from language and literature all the way up to medical degree programs of the highest difficulty.

National Institute of Technology Silchar (NITS) is a specialized university that offers industry leading study programs. The university’s mission is to transform countless students to become competent engineers and experts. It provides cutting-edge engineering, science, and technology programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Its curricula are regularly updated and adapt advanced teaching methods to meet the current market needs.

One of the Indian Institute of Technology Indore’s (IIT Indore) primary purposes is to become a world-class technical institute that will generate countless competent professionals and experts. This young institute was established to provide education fully dedicated to engineering and technology. It currently offers comprehensive programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. At present, IIT Indore also admits international students who are interested in pursuing postgraduate and doctoral degrees.

Although it was founded less than two decades ago, the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research in Pune has positioned itself among the best scientific universities in the world. Its main purpose is to fully combine education with research in order to serve society and promote the dissemination of knowledge, curiosity, and innovation. The university mainly offers master’s and Ph.D. programs that are heavily focused on developing research studies, but it also has an integrated 5-year bachelor’s and master’s program. Surrounded by nature, the campus of the institute has modern facilities that include the various research departments, which dedicate to areas like data science, biology, mathematics, and more.