New Delhi: A growing number of Indian students are choosing to study biotechnology at international universities, reflecting a global surge in demand for specialists in gene therapies, synthetic biology, and vaccine development. This trend is being fuelled by increased investment from corporations and governments into biotech research and innovation.
“There is a marked rise in applications from Indian students pursuing biotechnology degrees in countries like the UK, US, Canada, and Australia,” said Piyush Kumar, South Asia Regional Director at IDP Education. “Biotech and life sciences students alone have constituted nearly 40% of the Indian STEM intake to the UK over the last couple of years—a major shift.”
Experts credit the COVID-19 pandemic as a pivotal moment. “The success of mRNA vaccines and gene therapies turned biotechnology into a field with real-world significance,” noted Rahul Subramaniam, co-founder of Athena Education. “Scientists like Kariko and Weissman became inspirational figures.”
Specialisations such as gene editing, computational biology, synthetic biology, and agricultural biotech have captured growing interest—especially among students from engineering, computer science, and rural pharmaceutical backgrounds.
“These fields are now seeing nearly double the interest compared to a few years ago,” said Akshay Chaturvedi of LeverageEdu. “Particularly among students from tier-2 cities with exposure to agriculture or pharma.”
Today’s students are more strategic, evaluating countries not just on academic prestige but also on practical opportunities like lab rotations, startup incubators, and research funding. Destinations such as Germany and Singapore are also gaining popularity alongside traditional choices like the US, UK, and Canada.
According to Sanjog Anand, co-founder of Rostrum Education, the most sought-after courses include medical biotechnology, bioinformatics, gene editing, and R&D in pharmaceuticals.
Funding sources vary, with many students relying on a mix of loans, scholarships, and assistantships. In Canada, up to 70% of funding comes from education loans, while the US attracts students with post-study work opportunities like the STEM OPT extension.
Graduates typically pursue careers in research, biomedical engineering, bioinformatics, or regulatory affairs, earning between $80,000 and $120,000 annually in North America and Europe.
“It’s a generation that values both purpose and pragmatism,” said Chaturvedi. “They’re choosing futures where science meets impact.”
