Awareness is not Access: Why India’s Global Education Push Needs a Stronger Brand Strategy

13 June 2025

Anant Upadhyay, CarringtonCrisp’s India-based consultant, writes about the need to build brand India to attract international students.

In the past two years, India has taken bold policy steps to open its higher education system to the world. From enabling foreign universities to set up campuses in India, to allowing Indian institutions to grow international admissions by up to 25% of their current domestic student numbers, the shift is ambitious and necessary. Yet, despite these structural advances, a more human challenge remains: international students still don’t see India as a top study destination.

CarringtonCrisp’s new International India report uncovers the scale of the issue. Of over 4,000 respondents surveyed across 22 countries, only 8% were actively considering India for a business degree. And the reasons go beyond rankings or regulations. One in three simply said, “I don’t know any good Indian business schools.” Others cited language barriers, cultural concerns, and lack of scholarships.

This isn’t a supply problem—it’s a story problem.

India is offering world-class value in business education. The cost of an MBA at a top-tier Indian institution is often half that of a Western equivalent. Indian business schools are gaining ground in global rankings, winning accreditations, and producing graduates ready for a booming economy. But as the report shows, value without visibility isn't enough. International students want proof of experience, brand trust, and peer validation. They want to see others like them thrive in India.

Interestingly, the report also reveals a clear path forward. Over 70% of students said they would be attracted to joint degree models, short-term study in India, or hybrid international partnerships. These aren’t just preferences—they are opportunities for Indian institutions to “de-risk” India for prospective students, providing them a taste of the country before committing to a full programme.

Previous newsletter articles have explored the arrival of foreign universities into India and the UGC’s push to expand international enrolments at home. Together with this report, the pattern is clear: India is laying the physical and policy groundwork, but global mindshare is still missing.

To fill that gap, Indian institutions will need to:

• Invest in clear, confident brand messaging,
• Promote global alumni success stories,
• Collaborate with foreign partners to co-brand degrees, and
• Shift from simply offering access to designing experiences worth sharing.

Only then can India move from a country of opportunity to a destination of choice.

The International India report can be downloaded free of charge here.