The Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech), Chicago’s tech-focused university, has become the first US institution to receive approval from India’s University Grants Commission (UGC) to establish a degree-granting campus in India, reported India Today, today, Thursday, May 8.
Set to open in Mumbai in 2026, the campus will offer undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in computer science, engineering, and business, under the UGC’s foreign higher education institution (FHEI) regulations, introduced in May 2023.
Facilities and features
The Mumbai campus will deliver Illinois Tech’s industry-aligned curriculum, similar to the learning model of its Chicago counterpart.
Students will participate in the Elevate programme, integrating academics with practical experiences such as internships, research, and industry projects.
The campus will feature internationally recruited faculty, including visiting US professors.
Students will also have opportunities for cross-campus collaboration, and study in both India and the US without relocating.
Benefits for Indian students
The Mumbai campus would serve the growing demand for international education in India, where graduate student interest in Illinois Tech has risen by over 70% in the past five years, according to Vice-President for Enrollment Management Mallik Sundharam.
Offering globally recognised degrees at a more accessible and affordable cost, the campus would be attuned with Illinois Tech’s strong rankings in earnings potential, mobility, and career outcomes, as noted in 2023 and 2025 reports by the New York Times, US News & World Report, and TFE Times.
Foreign universities in India
This is a first, as no other universities that have set up campuses in India have been permitted to independently award full degrees under national regulations.
Illinois Tech’s UGC-approved campus directly enters India’s domestic education market, offering a broader range of accredited US degrees. Other UK and US institutions are exploring similar ventures but have yet to secure approval.
The initiative supports India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which aims to position the country as a global education hub by 2047 through international collaboration.
