Munnaar: The number of foreign students enrolling in Kerala's universities has seen a steady increase, reflecting the state's growing appeal as a destination for higher education.

According to a survey by the Higher Education Department, 768 international students, including five from the United States, joined Kerala universities between 2021 and 2025. Among them, 55 students from economically backward countries were admitted through special programmes.

In the current 2025-26 academic year, 371 foreign students from 55 countries, including Canada, Colombia, Angola, Iran, Iraq, and Georgia, are pursuing undergraduate, postgraduate, and research programmes at Kerala University. M.G. University hosts 203 of these students, while Cochin University of Science and Technology and the University of Kozhikode have 56 and 36 students respectively.

The state education department highlighted that Kerala has achieved international standards in higher education, with foreign student enrolment contributing to a multicultural learning environment and enhanced academic exchange.