India is stepping into a new era of higher education under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. In a landmark move, six leading UK universities have signed Letters of Intent to establish full campuses in India, with the University of Southampton set to launch its Gurugram campus in July 2025, becoming the first foreign institution of its kind in the country. 

Other UK universities including Liverpool, York, Newcastle, Coventry, and Queen’s University Belfast are preparing to follow suit. These campuses will offer undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in fields such as engineering, business, computer science, economics, and law. Classes are expected to begin in 2025–2026, with fees set significantly lower than in the UK, making international-standard education more affordable for Indian students. 

The move aligns with NEP 2020’s core goal to internationalize education, attract global talent, and raise research standards within India. Students may also have the chance to study up to one year abroad at these UK campuses while staying enrolled in Indian programs. 

This development promises exciting possibilities students can now earn prestigious UK qualifications while staying in India, universities benefit from new talent pools, and the country deepens its global academic ties.