3 min readNew DelhiJun 10, 2026 01:40 PM IST
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has approved three foreign universities to begin operations in India, allowing them to start admissions for their first student batches.
The approvals have been issued to the University of York and the University of Bristol for their campuses in Mumbai, and to UNSW Sydney for its campus in Bengaluru. The move comes under the UGC regulations that allow foreign higher education institutions to establish campuses in India, under NEP’s “internationalisation” proposal.
The announcements were made on June 9 at an event in New Delhi, with the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan present during the handing over of approvals. Other attendees included University of York Vice-Chancellor Charlie Jeffery, University of Bristol Mumbai Enterprise Campus Director Michelle Jones, UGC Chairman and Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi, British High Commissioner Lindy Cameron and British Council India Director Alison Barrett.
The University of York said it has received its Letter of Approval from the UGC for its Mumbai campus and can now formally begin student enrolment for the 2026 academic session. The university plans to offer undergraduate programmes in business, economics and computer science, along with postgraduate courses in artificial intelligence, finance and management.
The University of Bristol has also received UGC approval for its Mumbai Enterprise Campus. The university said its first batch of students is expected to begin classes in August 2026 from its temporary location at Cignus Powai in Mumbai. In the first year, the institution plans to admit up to 250 students across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in data science, economics, finance and immersive arts.
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Meanwhile, UNSW Sydney has received approval to establish its first international campus in Bengaluru. Classes are scheduled to begin in August 2026 at Embassy Manyata Business Park. The university will initially offer undergraduate degrees in business, computer science, and data science, along with a postgraduate programme in cyber security.
With the latest approvals to the University of Bristol, the University of York and UNSW Sydney, the UGC has now issued five Letters of Approval to foreign higher education institutions seeking to establish campuses in India. The other institutions that have received approvals are the University of Southampton and the University of Liverpool. The University of Southampton has already begun academic operations for the 2025-26 academic session. According to the UGC, 10 Letters of Intent had also been issued to foreign universities since last year, including institutions from the UK, the US, Australia, and Italy, for setting up campuses in India. Separately, Deakin University, University of Wollongong, and Queen’s University Belfast are already operating from GIFT City in Gujarat.