Forget Ivy League dorms, Canadian campuses, picturesque and storied universities of the UK or the up-and-coming colleges in Australia. A slice of Indian students is packing their bags for destinations far off these traditional hubs: Think Kyrgyzstan for MBBS, Cambodia for engineering, Malta for supply chain management and even North Korea for cultural studies.
Rising costs, tighter Western visas and tough competition back home in India are key reasons students are ready to route a new course to college. Here’s a look at the new hubs of higher education, the popular courses and why it’s happening.
Popular Courses: Offbeat Choices
Not Out Of Syllabus: Trending Courses
I. Lighting and Light Design
Training in architectural, stage, and urban lighting that blends technology with aesthetics.
Hubs: Milan (Italy), Bilbao (Spain), Stockholm (Sweden)
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II. Music Therapy
Using music as a clinical tool for emotional, cognitive, and physical healing.
Hubs: Limerick (Ireland), Netherlands
III. Cruise Line Management
Specialised hospitality and operations programmes designed for the global cruise industry.
Hubs: Spain, Switzerland
IV. Molecular Gastronomy
Exploring science in food, creating foams, gels, and unique textures to transform flavours and dining experiences.
Hubs: Spain, Japan, Netherlands
V. Game Designing
Creating, developing, and producing video games with industry-focused training.
Hub: Finland
VI. Green Supply Chain
Designing logistics systems that are eco-friendly, efficient, and low-carbon.
Hubs: Scandinavia (Sweden, Denmark), Netherlands
VII. Humanitarian Logistics
Managing supply chains for disaster relief, aid distribution, and crisis response.
Hubs: Finland, Belgium, Switzerland, South Africa
Demand Outstrips Supply
Over 22 lakh NEET aspirants this year competed for just 1.1 lakh MBBS seats in India. This capacity crunch at home explains why non-traditional destinations are stepping in to fill the gap.
Eastern Europe and Central Asia attract thousands of Indian MBBS students at far lower costs compared to private Indian colleges. Uzbekistan alone hosts over 6,000 Indian medical students.
The Cost Factor
Small-Town Dreams
A rising share of outbound students is now coming from tier-2 and tier-3 cities such as Vijayawada, Warangal, and Tirupati.
Education = Migration
For many Indian students, lesser-known study destinations are not the final stop, but a stepping stone. The ‘new destinations’ phenomenon, then, isn’t a quirky detour, it’s a structural reset. Here’s how:
1.Small European hubs like Malta, Poland, Latvia and Cyprus offer easier entry into programmes, but graduates often move to France, Germany, UK or the Middle East for jobs and advanced degrees.
2.MBBS students in Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan frequently migrate to the Middle East where medical degrees fetch better pay and quicker licences.
3.Engineering students in Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary enroll in affordable local programmes, but many shift to Germany, the Netherlands, or Scandinavia for higher salaries and international exposure.
4.IT and business graduates from the Philippines, Vietnam and Sri Lanka frequently move to Singapore, the UAE or Australia for faster career growth and global recognition.
Emerging On The Radar
While absolute numbers shift with geopolitics and policy, the range of countries attracting Indian students, from traditional hubs to unlikely outposts, tells its own story.
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Rising costs, tighter Western visas and tough competition back home in India are key reasons students are ready to route a new course to college. Here’s a look at the new hubs of higher education, the popular courses and why it’s happening.
Popular Courses: Offbeat Choices
- MBBS – Kyrgyzstan, Bangladesh, Mauritius
- Engineering – Poland, Malaysia
- Supply Chain Management – Malta, Austria, Scandinavia
- Renewable Energy – Scandinavian countries
- Design – Italy, Greece, Netherlands, Vietnam, Georgia
- Culinary Arts – Japan, Bulgaria, Türkiye
- Hospitality – Cyprus, Malta, Spain, Malaysia, UAE
- Cultural Studies – Austria, Egypt, Hungary, Nepal
- Luxury Brand Management – Italy, Spain, Switzerland, UAE
Not Out Of Syllabus: Trending Courses
I. Lighting and Light DesignTraining in architectural, stage, and urban lighting that blends technology with aesthetics.
Hubs: Milan (Italy), Bilbao (Spain), Stockholm (Sweden)
(Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates)
II. Music Therapy
Using music as a clinical tool for emotional, cognitive, and physical healing.
Hubs: Limerick (Ireland), Netherlands
III. Cruise Line Management
Specialised hospitality and operations programmes designed for the global cruise industry.
Hubs: Spain, Switzerland
IV. Molecular Gastronomy
Exploring science in food, creating foams, gels, and unique textures to transform flavours and dining experiences.
Hubs: Spain, Japan, Netherlands
V. Game Designing
Creating, developing, and producing video games with industry-focused training.
Hub: Finland
VI. Green Supply Chain
Designing logistics systems that are eco-friendly, efficient, and low-carbon.
Hubs: Scandinavia (Sweden, Denmark), Netherlands
VII. Humanitarian Logistics
Managing supply chains for disaster relief, aid distribution, and crisis response.
Hubs: Finland, Belgium, Switzerland, South Africa
Demand Outstrips Supply
Over 22 lakh NEET aspirants this year competed for just 1.1 lakh MBBS seats in India. This capacity crunch at home explains why non-traditional destinations are stepping in to fill the gap.
Cheaper Option
Eastern Europe and Central Asia attract thousands of Indian MBBS students at far lower costs compared to private Indian colleges. Uzbekistan alone hosts over 6,000 Indian medical students.The Cost Factor
- India (Private MBBS): Rs 1 crore+ for a full degree
- Uzbekistan / Russia / Philippines: Rs 15–35 lakh for a full MBBS
- Poland / Czech Republic: Rs 9.5–17.5 lakh per year (tuition + living)
- Germany (public university): Rs 30,000 per year
Small-Town Dreams
A rising share of outbound students is now coming from tier-2 and tier-3 cities such as Vijayawada, Warangal, and Tirupati.Education = Migration
For many Indian students, lesser-known study destinations are not the final stop, but a stepping stone. The ‘new destinations’ phenomenon, then, isn’t a quirky detour, it’s a structural reset. Here’s how:1.Small European hubs like Malta, Poland, Latvia and Cyprus offer easier entry into programmes, but graduates often move to France, Germany, UK or the Middle East for jobs and advanced degrees.
2.MBBS students in Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan frequently migrate to the Middle East where medical degrees fetch better pay and quicker licences.
3.Engineering students in Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary enroll in affordable local programmes, but many shift to Germany, the Netherlands, or Scandinavia for higher salaries and international exposure.
4.IT and business graduates from the Philippines, Vietnam and Sri Lanka frequently move to Singapore, the UAE or Australia for faster career growth and global recognition.
Emerging On The Radar
While absolute numbers shift with geopolitics and policy, the range of countries attracting Indian students, from traditional hubs to unlikely outposts, tells its own story. Add 
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