Applications to study in Dubai from Indian students and ones from neighbouring nations are seeing an uptick up to 40 times, according to a report from Leverage Edu on Thursday.
The edtech platform reported growing interest from students to study in Dubai as well as other west Asia countries, likely due to their increased investment in global education and innovation.
Recent examples include Saudi Arabia heavily investing new STEM and research-led programs under Vision 2030, the report stated.
“Leverage Edu…released new data showing a sharp rise in student interest in Dubai, with applications from India and neighbouring countries growing nearly 40 times since 2023,” it added.
The findings were drawn from its platform activity across the UAE (United Arab Emirates) and wider GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council).
The report noted that Dubai is quickly becoming an increasingly preferred destination to study abroad for Indian students due to factors such as affordability and proximity as well as having globally recognised programmes, and strong career pathways.
Leverage Edu’s data shows applications have accelerated each year, with a five times year-on-year rise in 2025 and an eight times increase in 2024.
“We have seen a clear shift in student sentiment over the past couple of years, with Dubai now coming up in nearly every other counselling conversation. The 40x surge in applications reflects a growing recognition that quality education, career readiness, and affordability can coexist,” Leverage Edu founder and chief executive officer Akshay Chaturvedi said.
(With PTI Inputs)
