8 Best US Colleges & Universities for Indian Students

It’s also renowned for its world-class research environment, on-campus student diversity, and career-oriented academic programs.

So, it’s no wonder why over a million young people from all over the world come to the United States for studies. What’s more, around a fifth of them are Indian!

Since you’re reading this, you dream of becoming one of them. But you’ll have to make up your mind about which college or university you want to study at first. Only then can you start worrying about your student visa or hiring an essay writer at Essaypro to help you with homework. The uni you apply to matters for your chances of getting accepted and your tuition fees, after all.

But there are hundreds of U.S. education institutions! How are you supposed to make your choice? Well, why not start with these eight colleges and universities that are popular with students from India?

Northeastern University

● Location: Boston, Massachusetts

● Acceptance rate: 20%

● International student body: 15.2% (undergraduate), 54.4% (graduate), as of fall 2021

Let’s kick things off with this Boston-based university. Northeastern University can boast nine interdisciplinary research institutes and a large network of corporate partners (2,900+). In terms of academics, it’s among the best in criminal justice, design, business, and communications programs in the U.S.

But that’s not all. Northeastern prides itself on its on-campus diversity, and it’s for a good reason. Around a third of all students come from abroad – primarily China, India, and Taiwan. So, the university has a great support network for non-US citizens.

University of Southern California

● Location: Los Angeles, California

● Acceptance rate: 16%

● International student body: 23.8%, as of fall 2021

Next up is USC. Located in the heart of the City of Angels, it’s home to 49,500 undergraduate and graduate students and 22 academic schools and units. It manages to combine strong arts, international business, and technology programs. That makes it a great destination for you if you’re interested in one or more of those fields.

USC’s student body isn’t just large – almost a fourth of it consists of young people from 135 countries. USC does its best to make their stay enjoyable: it offers need- and merit-based financial aid, for example. On top of that, you can expect a bustling student life on the USC campus, thanks to its 1,000+ organizations!

New York University

● Location: New York, New York

● Acceptance rate: 21%

● International student body: 24%

Dream of living in the Big Apple itself? Then this is one of the schools you should consider. Along with an alluring location, it can boast strong arts, music, film, and photography programs. You can find NYU alumni among Emmy Awards, Pulitzer Prize, and Nobel Prize winners. It has strong business and finance programs, too.

NYU prides itself in being a top school for international students, and rightfully so. It has more students from abroad on its campus than any other college or university in the U.S., for one. What’s more, NYU’s Office of Global Services is there for you every step of the way when it comes to visa procedures and immigration.

Carnegie Mellon University

● Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

● Acceptance rate: 17%

● International student body: 21% (undergraduate), 59% (graduate), as of 2022

Carnegie Mellon University might not boast centuries-long history, but that doesn’t mean you should exclude it from your to-consider list. It was created to be the birthplace of innovation, and that’s exactly what it is today. It’s the #1 university in computer science and #6 in engineering (U.S. News & World Report 2021).

Both undergraduates and graduates from abroad are welcome on Carnegie Mellon University’s campus. There are over twenty international student organizations present on campus, including the Indian one.

Columbia University

● Location: New York, New York

● Acceptance rate: 7%

● International student body: 18% (undergraduate), 47% (graduate), as of fall 2020

This is the most selective university on the list, but it’s not without reason. Columbia University is regularly ranked in the top three schools with the best professors, for example. Plus, its English, philosophy, history, public policy, global studies, and interior design programs are the best of the best in the country.

Columbia University admission staff is no stranger to applications from foreign countries. So you won’t have to worry about any potential misunderstandings. Plus, the school caters to everyone’s financial needs in the same way, regardless of citizenship. So, you can count on a need-based scholarship as much as any U.S. citizen.

Illinois Institute of Technology

● Location: Chicago, Illinois

● Acceptance rate: 61%

● International student body: 16% (undergraduate), 52% (graduate)

If your dream is to go to MIT, but you know it’s not a realistic goal for any reason, the Illinois Institute of Technology is your best-value option. It’s relatively inexpensive, it has a high acceptance rate – and it offers strong STEM academic programs on top of all of that.

Illinois Tech does its best to attract international students, offering all kinds of financial aid and accommodating their various needs. When it comes to India, two Illinois Tech policies deserve your attention. First, there’s a dedicated India Online scholarship for those wanting to study remotely. Second, Illinois Tech recognizes three-year degrees from 65 Indian institutions.

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

● Location: Champaign, Illinois

● Acceptance rate: 63%

● International student body: 13.5% (undergraduate), 12,454 (total), as of fall 2018

If you aim to enter a public college with a robust international student body, U of I in Urbana-Champaign may be just what you’ve been looking for. It offers quality education in business, finance, physical therapy, and engineering, to name a few.

At U of I, you won’t have to worry about being left to deal with everything on your own. The university’s International Student and Scholar Services are there to help you navigate your life as an international student. Plus, there are a few scholarships available to finance your studies, along with the possibility of receiving a one-time emergency payment if needed.

Cornell University

● Location: Ithaca, New York

● Acceptance rate: 11%

● International student body: 10% (undergraduate), 50% (graduate), as of fall 2021

Last but not least, there’s Cornell University, which is among the most prestigious ones on this list. Cornell’s architecture, agricultural, information technology, business, and communications programs all stand out as superior among their counterparts at other schools.

You can expect to follow largely the same admission process as U.S. citizens, save for the English proficiency certificate and official credentials recognition. You can also count on financial aid available for prospective and current international students at Cornell to finance your studies.

In Conclusion

As you can see, the likes of MIT or Harvard aren’t on the list above. The thing is, while they are the cream of the crop when it comes to academics and research, they aren’t the best option for you if you’re from India.

For one, such educational institutions are extremely selective and expensive. Ergo, it’s hard to get into them. There are typically fewer financing options (grants and scholarships) for people coming outside of the U.S. At the same time, their campuses are hardly as diverse as those of the colleges and universities on this list.

So, here’s a piece of advice: prioritize less famous but more diverse colleges and universities to get a quality education. They’ll probably cost you less in the long run, too!