Overview
- Oxford International published the third Student Global Mobility Index this week based on 20,341 Indian respondents and found clear structural shifts in study-abroad demand.
- About 70% of aspirants are targeting postgraduate courses, with roughly three quarters of those applicants focused on business and management.
- Teaching methodology is now the top single academic driver, cited by 42% of respondents as their main reason for studying overseas, signaling a move away from choosing destinations for prestige alone.
- Student decision‑making has become more autonomous, with self-motivated applicants rising to 49% in 2025–26 while family influence fell to 36%, and Google searches plus education agents remain the primary discovery channels.
- A large majority, 81% of aspirants, plan to return to India after their studies, a pattern that could increase domestic hiring of internationally trained graduates and alter how universities and employers recruit and design programs.