September 6, 2025 
For many Indian students, studying abroad is a dream. Access to world-class education, exposure to many ways of life, and of course, better career options. Deciding on the best countries to study abroad is often the first hurdle, as students are seeking quality education, but also trying to ensure that expenses aren’t too astronomical in relation to their new degree. Some of their options will be more expensive than others, yet there are some budget friendly countries to study abroad as well that provide high-quality and respected education at affordable prices.
In this comprehensive article we will discuss the 15 best countries to study abroad for Indian Students including common courses, tuition fees, living costs, and advantages. We will also include cheap countries to study abroad, low cost countries to study abroad, and the best countries to study abroad after 12th if you wish to study abroad early.
1. United States of America (USA)
The USA is still among the top countries to go abroad, thanks in part to the universities regarded as the best in the world like Harvard, MIT, and Stanford.
- Popular Subjects of Study: Computer Science, Engineering, Business, Medicine, Data Science
- Tuition Fees: USD $20,000–$50,000 per annum
- Cost of living: $1,000–$1,500 per month
- Why Study in the USA?: Known to be one of the best places to study abroad, the USA has state-of-the-art research facilities, job opportunities and many flexible courses.
2. United Kingdom (UK)
The UK is recognized as one of the top 5 countries to study abroad – specifically for Indian students looking for high-quality, short duration courses.
- Common Courses: Business, Management, Law, Arts, Engineering
- Average Tuition Fees: £10,000–£25,000 a year
- Living Costs: £800–£1,200 a month
- Reasons to Choose UK?: Universities such as Oxford and Cambridge make the UK one of the best and most affordable countries to study abroad, thanks to scholarships, and post-study work visas.
3. Canada
Canada is always one of the top 10 countries to study abroad for Indian students, mainly because of affordability, safety, and exposure to various cultures.
- Popular Courses: Computer Science, Engineering, Business, Healthcare and Hospitality
- Average Tuition Fees: CAD 10,000-CAD 20,000 per year
- Living Costs: CAD 700-CAD 1,000 per month
- Reasons to choose Canada?: It is one of the affordable countries to study abroad for Indian students, considering the PR pathways and high employability.
4. Australia
Australia is one of the best countries to study abroad after 12th for Indian students who wish to pursue top class universities and highly-rated research opportunities.
- Popular study areas: Engineering, Nursing, Environmental Science, Business, Data Analytics
- Average Tuition Fees: AUD 20,000–AUD 35,000 per year
- Cost of living: AUD 800–AUD 1,200 per month
- Why Study in Australia?: Not only is Australia considered one of the good countries to study abroad, it has great weather, a high quality of life and offers plenty of options for part-time work.
5. Germany
Germany is among the lowest-cost countries to study in as an international choice for students coming from India, as most public universities charge either no tuition fees or very low fees.
- Popular Courses: Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Renewable Energy, Arts
- Tuition Fees: Free or €500 per semester in public universities.
- Cost of Living: €700 – €1,000 per month.
- Reasons to Choose Germany: As a low cost country for an international study experience, Germany is attractive to students who are looking to study engineering, making it one of the top countries around the world to study engineering.
6. France
France is one of the affordable countries to study abroad while experiencing amazing education and culture.
- Popular Courses: Fashion, Business, Arts, Culinary, Engineering
- Average Tuition Fees: €2,000–€10,000 per academic year
- Living Costs: €800–€1,200 per month
- Why Choose France?: It’s one of the most affordable countries to study abroad, even more with government subsidization, available scholarships, and funding for international students.
7. New Zealand
With a focus of student safety and career advancement, New Zealand is a top choice for study abroad students looking for quality options.
- Commonly studied courses: Agriculture, Sports Science, IT, Engineering
- Average tuition fees: NZD 15,000 – NZD 25,000 annually
- Living expenses: NZD 1,000 – NZD 1,500 monthly
- Reasons to Study in New Zealand: One of the best affordable study abroad options, from its easy-going lifestyle and research based education.
8. Ireland
Ireland has become widely regarded by Indian students as one of their top destinations to study abroad, and is particularly popular for programs in IT and pharmaceuticals.
- Popular Programs: Computer Science, Pharmaceuticals, Literature, Business
- Average Tuition Fees: €9000 – €20,000 per year
- Living Costs: €800 – €1,100 per month
- Why study in Ireland?: With one of the fastest growing tech industries globally, it is among the more affordable countries to study abroad in.
9. Singapore
Singapore is a worldwide innovation hub, and a great quality and maintained proximity study abroad option for Indian students.
- Popular Courses: Business, IT, Engineering, and Hospitality
- Average Tuition Fees: SGD 12,000–SGD 20,000 per year
- Living Expenses: SGD 1,000–SGD 1,500 per month
- Why study in Singapore? It is one of the best and cheap places to study abroad with funding options, and world-class institutions such as NUS.
10. Italy
Singapore is a worldwide innovation hub, and a great quality and maintained proximity study abroad option for Indian students.
- Popular Courses: Business, IT, Engineering, and Hospitality
- Average Tuition Fees: SGD 12,000–SGD 20,000 per year
- Living Expenses: SGD 1,000–SGD 1,500 per month
- Why study in Singapore? It is one of the best and cheap places to study abroad with funding options, and world-class institutions such as NUS.
11. Japan
Japan is one of the top 10 countries to study abroad as it is known for its advanced technology and innovation.
- Popular Courses: Robotics, AI, Engineering, International Business.
- Average Tuition Fees: ¥500,000–¥1,000,000 per year.
- Living Costs: ¥70,000–¥100,000 per month.
- Why Study in Japan?: A budget friendly study experience with great scholarships.
12. Netherlands
The Netherlands is one of the best countries to cheaply study abroad with English-taught programs and inexpensive fees.
- Popular Courses: Engineering, Social Sciences, Business, IT
- Average Tuition Fees: €6,000–€15,000 per year
- Living Costs: €800–€1,200 per month
- Why Choose the Netherlands?: The Netherlands has a reputation of being one of the better, affordable countries to study abroad, especially for a research-based course.
13. Sweden
Sweden is one of the most affordable countries to study abroad for Indian students, with free education for EU students and scholarships for everyone else.
- Popular Courses: Innovation studies, engineering, environmental science
- Tuition fees: €8000 – €15000 a year
- Living costs: €800 – €1200 a month
- Why choose Sweden?: One of the good countries to study abroad for research and sustainable living.
14. Switzerland
Switzerland ranks among the best places in the world to study abroad in make hospitality and business management.
- Popular Courses: Hospitality, Business, Finance, Tourism
- Average Fees: CHF 15,000–CHF 25,000 a year
- Cost of Living: CHF 1,500–CHF 2,000 a month
- Why Switzerland: Not the cheapest but among the best places to study abroad as Indian students wanting to be successful in hospitality.
15. Malaysia
Malaysia is one of the cheapest countries to study abroad with modern facilities and low living costs.
- Popular Courses: IT, Business, Medicine, Engineering
- Average Tuition Fees: $3,000–$8,000 per year
- Living Costs: $300–$500 per month
- Why Choose Malaysia?: It’s one of the best countries to study abroad cheap, perfect for students looking for low cost countries to study abroad.
Conclusion
When it comes to the best countries to study abroad for Indian students, the best country to study abroad will depend on your budget, your career ambitions, and the kind of lifestyle you want. For example, the USA and the UK are prestigious education destinations, but affordable countries to study abroad, such as Germany, France, and Malaysia, are becoming increasingly attractive. Whether you are interested in the top 5 countries to study abroad, or the top 10 countries to study abroad, this article compares opportunities, costs, and benefits. By learning about the 12 best countries to study abroad, you will have all the information to help you with making the best decision for your academic journey and career plans
FAQs
Ques. 1. Which are the best countries to study abroad for engineering?
Ans. Germany, USA, Canada, and Australia are considered the best countries to study abroad for engineering due to advanced facilities and global recognition.
Ques. 2. What are the cheapest countries to study abroad for Indian students?
Ans. Germany, Italy, Malaysia, and France are the cheapest countries to study abroad for Indian students, offering affordable tuition and living costs.
Ques. 3. Which are the top 5 countries to study abroad?
Ans. USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and Germany are consistently ranked as the top 5 countries to study abroad.
Ques. 4. What are some budget friendly countries to study abroad?
Ans. Malaysia, Germany, Italy, and New Zealand are considered budget friendly countries to study abroad with good quality education at low costs.
Ques. 5. Which are the best countries to study abroad after 12th?
Ans. The best countries to study abroad after 12th include the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and Singapore, offering bachelor’s programs across multiple streams.