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Higher education
Studying in India
Enrolling in a degree, diploma, or certificate program at a recognised Indian institution requires a Student Visa — a regular visa, not an e-Visa in the usual sense, though India has recently streamlined the online application specifically for students.
General information only, not legal advice. Confirm current requirements at studyinindia.gov.in and your nearest Indian mission. See our full disclaimer on the hub page.
Start on the Study in India Portal, not the visa form
Since the 2025–26 academic year, this step comes first and is mandatory.
Register at studyinindia.gov.in, complete your profile, and apply to your chosen institutions (applying to several is recommended). Once admitted, you’ll receive an SII Unique ID — you need this to apply for your Student Visa, and it gets verified during that process. You cannot skip this and apply for a visa independently.
Which visa, exactly?
Student Visa (standard)
For confirmed admission to a full-time, recognised program — undergraduate, postgraduate, PhD, or equivalent. Valid for up to 5 years or your course duration, whichever is shorter. Apply through your Indian mission once you have your SII Unique ID and admission letter.
e-Student Visa (newer, faster)
An online application track specifically for students with a confirmed offer, processing in as little as 24–78 hours versus the traditional 15–30 business days for consular processing. Genuinely worth checking if you’re eligible — it removes the need for an in-person consular visit.
Provisional Student Visa
A lesser-known option: a 6-month visa for students who want to visit India in person to explore institutions before securing confirmed admission. Once admitted, you convert this to a full Student Visa via the local FRRO — you cannot do this on a Tourist Visa instead.
Research Visa
A related but distinct category for doctoral/post-doctoral researchers or academic exchange participants — requires specific invitation and approval, not just institutional admission.
One thing worth being direct about: you cannot arrive on a Tourist Visa, explore your options, and then convert to a Student Visa while in India. If you want to explore in person before committing, the Provisional Student Visa exists precisely for that.
What a Student Visa does and doesn’t allow
Allowed
- Full-time study at your admitted institution
- Research or teaching assistantships within that same institution
- Multi-entry travel during your course, generally speaking
Not allowed
- Paid employment outside your institution
- Switching to informal/non-certifying courses (that’s Tourist Visa territory, capped at 6 months)
- Treating the visa as a general long-stay permit unrelated to actual study
If your Student Visa is valid for more than 180 days, you must register with the FRRO — and as of a June 2026 rule change, before you reach 180 days in India, not within a grace period afterward. Full details on FRRO Registration.
If you’re OCI or of Indian origin
This whole process looks very different if you already hold an OCI card.
OCI cardholders
No Student Visa and no FRRO registration required, regardless of course duration. Most institutions also treat OCI students at Indian/NRI fee rates, though this varies by state and institution — worth confirming directly with your specific college.
Foreign-born with Indian heritage, no OCI
If you don’t hold an OCI card, you’re treated as any other foreign national for study-visa purposes — see OCI, PIO & Indian Origin to check whether you’re eligible to apply for one before you start your visa process.
Official sources
Mandatory registration portal and institution search.
FRRO registration once you’ve arrived.