An Indian edtech startup, upGrad, is exploring more university partnerships in the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region. According to a top executive, this is due to a decline in students choosing to study in the U.S. and the U.K., primarily because of visa restrictions and financial hurdles.
Founded by film producer Ronnie Screwvalaa and backed by Singapore’s Temasek, upGrad collaborates with about 80 universities across 10 countries to offer online MBA and executive education programs. The company generates revenue by enrolling students in online courses and assisting their transition to overseas campuses to complete their degrees.
Praneet Singh, upGrad’s Associate Vice President for the Study Abroad business, told Reuters, “Some of the top schools in the U.S. and U.K. have opened campuses in Dubai, Malaysia, and Singapore. We have started going that way as well because geopolitical factors restrict enrollment in U.S. and U.K. schools.” Singh added, without providing details on related investments, “We are fiercely expanding to the Middle East and APAC, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia.”
This strategic shift follows a drop in applications to U.S. universities, a trend that began after the Trump administration’s policy pivot, which included tightening visa durations and scrutiny of students’ social media presence.
Singh stated that upGrad is considering tie-ups with universities such as Johns Hopkins, Carnegie Mellon, Birmingham, and Middlesex that have campuses in Dubai or Doha. The company is also looking at partnerships in Vietnam, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
For a long time, the U.S. has been the top destination for Indian students, who were drawn by research opportunities, strong job prospects, and higher salaries. However, Singh says this is changing due to increasing visa hurdles and weaker job market prospects.
According to an upGrad survey, the share of Indian students heading to the U.S. dropped to 47% in fiscal year 2025, down from 60% in the prior year. This decline is attributed to geopolitical tensions and a growing demand for more affordable educational destinations. Singh confirmed that this trend has continued into the current year.
