New Delhi: Two Australian institutions—the University of Western Australia and Victoria University—are set to launch campuses in India by mid-2026. With their arrival, the count of foreign universities operating under UGC regulations will rise to four, while nine others are expected to follow soon.
While the University of Western Australia (UWA) is setting up two campuses in Chennai and Mumbai, Victoria University will establish its India campus in Gurugram. UWA will be the first foreign university to launch two campuses simultaneously in India.
So far, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has given approval to 13 international universities from Australia, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States to set up campuses in India. Among them, the University of Southampton (UK) began functioning this August at its Gurugram campus, while the University of Liverpool (UK) is preparing to start its first academic year in 2026 in Bengaluru.
Additionally, five more universities received permission to set up campuses in Gujarat’s GIFT City under the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) Regulations 2022. Among them, Australia’s Deakin University and the University of Wollongong began operations in 2024.
UWA Vice-Chancellor Amit Chakma said that India was a “logical choice” for global expansion. “The relationship between India and Australia has always been strong, and fundamentally, we are highly complementary. Australia has resources that India needs, like coal and minerals, and India has a market that Australia requires. This complementarity made India an obvious choice for us,” he told ThePrint.
In a statement issued Thursday, the Victoria University said they aim to contribute to India’s human capital development through this campus.
“Over 1.7 million Indian students score above 80 percent in school annually, but limited access to institutions and high overseas study costs leave many without global education options… By delivering globally relevant curricula, engaging with local industries, and nurturing skilled graduates, VU can play a transformative role in the country’s educational and economic progress,” the university said.
Focus on IT, business; 10-year-plan
According to Chakma, the Chennai campus will begin by offering undergraduate courses in Information Technology (IT), while the Mumbai campus will focus on business programmes.
“Initially, we will offer undergraduate courses, but we plan to expand to Master’s and Ph.D. programmes in the future. We want to offer the Ph.D. programme hopefully in partnership with Indian universities,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Victoria University’s Gurugram campus is expected to open by mid-2026, launching both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in business, information technology, and research.
UWA has a 10-year plan for its India campus expansion. Initially, the two campuses in Chennai and Mumbai will start with around 200 students combined.
“We hope that 10 years from now, each campus will have around 6,000 students, with full facilities including dormitories. Initially, the campuses will be commuter-based, but we aim to develop residential options in the future,” Chakma said.
UWA is also planning to hire primarily Indian faculty members. “We would like to recruit locally. Based on our experience, many of our colleagues in Australia are of Indian descent. We believe that, given our reputation and recruitment approach, we can attract high-quality faculty from India,” said Vice-Chancellor Chakma.
UWA fees to follow Australian domestic structure
UWA VC Chakma said that while exact fees for the Indian campuses are yet to be finalised, the university plans to align them with the total fees and government grants for domestic students in Australia.
“At our Australia campus, international students pay significantly higher fees than domestic students. The domestic fee structure in Australia comes in two parts: A grant from the Australian government and a student loan, also provided by the government. When you combine the two, you get the net fee for an Australian student,” he said.
The university will follow a similar model in India. “Inevitably, fees will be higher than those of local universities, but they are likely to be in line with what other international institutions charge. Scholarships will also be offered, ensuring access for meritorious students while maintaining high-quality education standards,” Chakma added.
Victoria University to replicate its ‘Block Model’
According to Victoria University, its Gurugram campus will adopt the VU Block Model for teaching.
The VU Block Model is an innovative system in which students focus on one subject at a time in intensive four-week blocks, rather than juggling multiple subjects over a semester. In this model, the classes are small, interactive, and usually held three days a week, allowing deep focus, faster skill development, and greater flexibility.
Victoria University is the first Australian university to introduce this unique learning model and remains the largest university to do so.
“With a strong equity focus, VU Block Model is already delivering outstanding results in Australia—undergraduate and postgraduate pass rates are high (94%)—excellent outcomes have also been achieved through student retention, progression and success,” the university said.
“The VU Block Model has proven particularly powerful for first-in-family and disadvantaged students, and it is internationally recognised as a breakthrough in inclusive education, with uptake in Malaysia and Sri Lanka,” the university added.
Steve Bracks, Chancellor, Victoria University said that this campus is about opening doors to opportunity. “High overseas study costs and limited access to institutions leave many students in India without global education options—VU’s education and research offerings aim to help change that. Bringing our VU Block Model to India offers students a proven pathway to success—one that is inclusive, industry‑connected, and designed for the future,” he said in the statement.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
Also read: UK’s University of Bristol, 3 Australian universities get UGC nod to start India campuses