The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, on Wednesday approved a new policy to attract foreign higher educational institutions and leading private universities to the State.
The Andhra Pradesh Policy for Promotion of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions (FHEIs) and Private Universities, 2026 is intended to facilitate the establishment of campuses, promote international academic partnerships, research and innovation, and attract investment without imposing a financial burden on the State government, Information and Public Relations Minister Kolusu Parthasarathy said after the Cabinet meeting.
The State expects the policy to give students access to international-standard higher education within Andhra Pradesh and reduce the need to travel abroad for higher studies. A report in Telugu daily Andhra Jyothy said the government has set a target of bringing at least five foreign higher education institutions to the State by 2029 and expects around 5,000 foreign students to study in the State.
Who can set up campuses in Andhra Pradesh?
Under the policy, foreign institutions ranked among the top 500 globally in the QS or Times Higher Education rankings will be eligible to establish campuses in the State. Institutions ranked among the top 100 in a particular subject will also receive preference, according to the policy details reported by Andhra Jyothy.
For Indian private universities, institutions ranked among the top 100 in the National Institutional Ranking Framework will be given preference.
The policy provides three routes for institutions seeking to establish a presence in Andhra Pradesh.
The first allows an institution to establish and operate its own campus. Degrees awarded through such campuses will have the same status as Indian degrees, subject to the applicable regulatory framework.
The second allows an institution to obtain land from the State government and develop its own campus.
The third allows a foreign institution to collaborate with an existing university in Andhra Pradesh to offer joint or dual degree programmes without establishing a separate campus.
The policy also envisages the use of academic infrastructure service providers selected by the government to facilitate campus development.
What support will the State provide?
The State government plans to offer up to 50 acres of land on a concessional basis to eligible institutions. It also proposes exemptions from stamp duty and registration charges.
The Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board will provide a single-window mechanism for approvals through its portal. The State will also coordinate with the University Grants Commission and the Union Education Ministry and assist institutions with visas and work permits.
The government also plans to facilitate partnerships between educational institutions, local industries and infrastructure developers under the public-private partnership model.
Institutions receiving a Letter of Intent from the UGC are expected to receive State-level land and construction approvals within six months, according to the reported policy details.
How does this fit into India's foreign university framework?
The State's policy comes as the Centre is expanding the framework for foreign universities to establish campuses in India.
The UGC's 2023 regulations provide for foreign higher educational institutions to establish campuses in India, subject to eligibility, regulatory and quality requirements. The framework permits foreign institutions to offer programmes from undergraduate to post-doctoral levels, with curricula, pedagogy and assessment expected to be comparable with those of the parent institution.
As of August 2026, the Union government said the UGC had issued 16 Letters of Intent to foreign institutions from Australia, Italy, the UK and the US. These included institutions seeking to establish campuses in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Delhi-NCR and Tamil Nadu. Several institutions had also received approvals, including the University of York, University of Bristol, University of Aberdeen and Illinois Institute of Technology for campuses in Mumbai.
The University of Southampton has already begun academic operations at its Gurugram campus, while the University of New South Wales has established a campus in Bengaluru.
Andhra Pradesh's new policy therefore seeks to position the State within this emerging foreign-campus ecosystem rather than relying only on collaborations between existing universities.
Other education decisions
The Cabinet also approved amendments to the Andhra Pradesh Education Act, 1982, aimed at simplifying the process for establishing or registering private schools.
The amendments remove requirements for conducting a survey, issuing a notification and demonstrating the need for a private school in a particular area. Safety, infrastructure, sanitation and other prescribed educational standards will continue to apply.
The Cabinet also approved a Centre of Excellence at the Andhra Pradesh Tribal Welfare Residential School at Marikavalasa in Visakhapatnam. The centre will provide residential IIT-JEE and NEET coaching to 600 tribal Intermediate students, with equal seats for boys and girls.
It also approved a 10 per cent increase in monthly diet charges for students staying in welfare hostels, residential schools and other government institutions. The revised rates will cover 6,28,409 students.
The Cabinet further expanded the Thalliki Vandanam scheme for 2026-27 by bringing another 58,601 eligible students under its coverage. The total number of beneficiaries will rise from 67,47,190 to 68,05,791, with the administrative sanction increased from Rs 10,120.78 crore to Rs 10,208.69 crore.
