Canada Emerges as Top Destination for Indian Students Amid US Challenges

As of August 2025, the global map of higher education has undergone a significant shift, with Canada emerging as the top destination for Indian students. While the United States has traditionally been the most popular choice, recent challenges such as rising tuition fees, mounting student debt, tightening visa norms, and political polarization have reshaped mobility trends.

Canada, long seen as a safe and welcoming alternative, has re-emerged as the country of choice for international students, particularly from India. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, by the end of 2024, there were 427,000 Indian students in Canada, compared to 337,630 in the US. A 2025 survey by ApplyBoard further underscored this preference, with 94% of study-abroad aspirants ranking Canada as their top destination, citing affordability, safety, and immigration-friendly policies as decisive factors.

This trend is reflected in the enrollment numbers at institutions like Huron University in Ontario. After a diplomatic row in 2024 that caused a collapse in Indian student numbers, the university is now seeing a resurgence, with nearly three times as many inquiries and applications for the upcoming fall semester compared to the past two years. University President Dr. Barry Craig believes this shift is directly linked to the situation in the United States, where rising costs and political tensions have made Canada an increasingly attractive option.