University of Liverpool to Open Bengaluru Campus in 2026 After UGC Approval

In a major step toward internationalizing Indian higher education, the University of Liverpool has received formal approval from the University Grants Commission (UGC) to establish a campus in Bengaluru, with admissions expected to begin in August 2026. This makes it the second foreign university to gain UGC clearance under the 2023 regulations, following the University of Southampton.

The announcement was made during an event in New Delhi, where Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan handed over the Letter of Intent (LoI) to the university. The approval comes under the UGC (Setting Up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations, 2023.

A Global Institution Anchoring in India's Tech Hub The University of Liverpool, currently ranked 165th globally in the QS World University Rankings 2025, plans to offer a range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs at its Indian campus. The initial academic offerings will include business management, accounting and finance, computer science, biomedical sciences, and game design.

The Bengaluru location was chosen due to the university’s existing collaborations with several premier Indian institutions. Professor Tim Jones, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool, highlighted ongoing research partnerships with the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), as well as commercial ties with Hindustan Unilever Limited.

India’s Expanding Global Academic Footprint Minister Pradhan emphasized that this move reinforces India’s vision under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, positioning the country as a key global hub for higher education. “This is just the beginning. By the end of this academic year, 15 foreign universities are expected to begin operations in India,” he said.

The University of Liverpool becomes the fourth international institution to announce its presence in India. Two Australian universities—Deakin University and University of Wollongong—have already begun academic operations at GIFT City in Gujarat, though they fall under a separate regulatory body, the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA).

The University of Southampton, the first to gain UGC nod under the 2023 regulations, is set to commence classes at its Gurugram campus this August.

What’s Next? According to UGC norms, only foreign universities ranked within the top 500 globally—either overall or in subject-specific rankings—are eligible to set up campuses in India. New campuses are expected in key Indian cities including Lucknow, Gurugram, Greater Noida, Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, and Bengaluru, signaling a new era of cross-border academic exchange.

As the higher education landscape in India continues to evolve, the entry of globally recognized institutions like the University of Liverpool is expected to boost quality, research, and global exposure for Indian students—without the need to go overseas.