FTA rolls out red carpet for Indian students as UK study benefits expand

New Delhi: Indian students considering higher studies abroad may find the UK more attractive now, as the new bilateral trade deal promises smoother visas, better job prospects, and lower financial hurdles. The India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signals a new era of opportunity for over 150,000 Indians already studying there and thousands more preparing to join them-with a bevy of indirect but substantial benefits.

These include exemptions from social security contributions for temporary workers for three years; enhanced post-study job opportunities in services sectors like IT, educational, financial and professional services; mutual recognition of qualifications; and easier intra-company transfers, experts said.

The FTA commits to reducing paperwork and streamlining visa procedures, and will also help in mutual recognition of qualifications-especially in fields like law, architecture, and accounting, said Akshay Chaturvedi, founder and CEO of study abroad platform Leverage Edu.

Also Read: India to benefit from relaxed UK visa rules under new trade deal

"Expanded quotas and faster visa processing for Indian professionals could help students move into full-time roles more smoothly after graduation," he said.

Wave of New Career Opportunities
This will help those in sectors like IT, finance, healthcare, and engineering, said Chaturvedi.

Increasing presence of Indian companies in the UK, too, will help.

"Post the FTA, we are receiving strong interest from Indian companies exploring the possibility of expanding or setting up operations in the UK, creating a wave of new career opportunities for Indian students," said Falguni Y Parekh, solicitor and founder of The SmartMove2UK, an UK-focused immigration law firm.

These companies often prefer Indian graduates from the UK as they bring a unique blend of market understanding and cultural alignment, making them ideal champions of cross-border collaboration, she said.

Another positive for Indian students is that India is "not part of a list" of countries whose students are identified to be misusing the asylum route to seek permanent citizenship in the UK, said a study abroad expert who requested not to be identified.

The FTA paves the way for a more student- and professional-friendly ecosystem, said study abroad experts such as Piyush Kumar, regional director - South Asia, Canada and Latin America (Latam) at IDP Education.

It also encourages deeper academic collaboration and may lead to more scholarship opportunities, institutional partnerships and joint degree programmes, and flexible online or hybrid learning models in the future.

While the trade deal will not directly reduce tuition fees, it may indirectly benefit students through expanded education and service sector collaboration, experts said.

"While tuition fees may remain high, the FTA could lower indirect costs and make UK education more affordable over time," said Mary Gogoi, head of admissions at eduVelocity Global.

Adarsh Khandelwal, cofounder of Collegify, said: "Even marginal financial relief, enhanced scholarships, or easier work rights post study can significantly change affordability and access."

The tuition fees in the UK range anywhere from £10,000 to £38,000 annually, he said.

Sonal Kapoor, global chief business officer of fintech platform Prodigy Finance, said any direct impact on tuition fees will depend on future policy details.

With the FTA, the UK may now offer Indian students not just world-class education, but a launchpad for a global career as well.