WHAT IS THE POTENTIAL? The sheer size of India, its growing population and booming economy means there is plenty of opportunity. India has the largest school-going population in the world, creating a huge potential market. According to the Association of International Schools of India (TAISI), year-on-year growth of 10–15% is predicted for international schools, which translates to 70–100 new schools every year. Many families hope their children attend university
overseas and having an international education is regarded as a way to achieve this. Figures from consulting firm Redseer suggest 1.8 million students from India will move to study overseas by 2024 with the US, UK and Canada being key destinations. Describing the wider appeal of an international
education in India, David Bates, former director of international education at Whitgift School, who moved to a new role at Epsom College in September, said: “There is a strong growing interest in edtech, AI, wellbeing, SEND, critical thinking, holistic education, experiential learning and multilingualism, all of which are well provided through an international school curriculum.”
Why the increase? A change in government policies,
greater economic prosperity and the prioritising of education have all contributed. “The affordability is definitely there,” Freddie Cloke,
head of school development at ISC Research, told the International Private Schools Education Forum (IPSEF) conference in June. “We are seeing massive economic growth, huge infrastructure development and a big rise in the middle classes, as well as more expats coming in.” The international schools market in India is more
complex and segmented than in other countries. This is mainly due to India’s diverse socio-economic population. India has historically been seen to occupy a low- to mid- market price point when it comes to international schools. However, the last year has seen a flurry of openings and deal-signing with premium British schools. AISL Harrow International School opened a boarding
school on a 50-acre site in Bengaluru in 2023 for students aged 11–18 and, in September 2024, Wellington College International (in partnership with India’s Unison group) opened in Pune, a rapidly growing city in the state of Maharashtra with a thriving tech and start-up culture. Wellington College International has also signed a multi- school deal to open elsewhere in India. Millfield School is set to open in Mumbai in 2025 and Whitgift is opening a co-branded school in Hyderabad in 2026 under the brand of SageBrook. Shrewsbury International School will also open a boarding school for ages 11–18 in 2025 in Madhya Pradesh, its fifth international school and first in India. International education groups also have a presence
in India. Nord Anglia operates five schools under its Oakridge International School brand, offering a blend of GCSE, IB and the Indian Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) curricula. Globeducate has six schools in India under The Indian Public School (TIPS) brand offering the IB and Indian CBSE. American and British schools are well represented
and there are others offering curricula from Japanese to Russian, German and French, including the Lycée Français International in Mumbai and Delhi and the American Embassy School in Delhi.
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WHICH CITIES ARE BEST FOR AN INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION? The highest concentration of international schools are in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune and Hyderabad, which relate to the economic prosperity zones. The National Capital Region, with Delhi at its centre, is also well served. Hyderabad, the capital of Telangana state, is
particularly popular due to its thriving IT, biotech and pharmaceutical industries. “It is the city where every international for-profit group has entered,” says Vipul Bhargava of boutique investment bank, Novistra Capital, including schools’ groups Cognita, Nord Anglia and ISP. “It is a growing market.” For Whitgift School, the Hyderabad location was
influenced by its Indian partner, Praveen Raju, a well-regarded school operator that already operates an international school there, Suchitra Academy. “Hyderabad is a hub of international schools and west Hyderabad offers the potential to be the first ‘international school district’ in India,” says David Bates. “There is a great deal of technological and financial development and an impressive presence of blue-chip multinational companies in the region.”
WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES FOR SCHOOLS PLANNING TO OPEN IN INDIA? Land is expensive and the regional government system can be hard to negotiate. India also already provides a good education at a low fee point, so entering the market with a premium school is a challenge. “There are already some excellent established Indian
day and residential schools such as The Doon School, Mayo College and Woodstock School,” says David Bates. When it comes to British schools, brands outside Eton
College and Harrow International School are largely unknown, so it’s up to the school to sell its reputation and differentiate itself. Scott Bryan, who takes up a new position at RGS Guildford in Dubai from September after moving from his role as managing director of Wellington College International, which opened in Pune
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