Studying abroad in 2026: How currency swings are reshaping student finances

₹70 to a dollar. Today, it’s significantly higher.

Inflation has hit both India and the US, and salaries have increased too—but not enough to counter the gap created by the weakening rupee. So even with job experience and hikes, the same education feels like a much bigger financial risk now,” says Nambiar.The impact of the falling rupee is being felt by first-time students as well.Jainil Piyushkumar Patel, 19, has applied for a student visa to Flinders University in Australia and says currency depreciation quietly pushes up both tuition fees and everyday expenses.“When students plan their study abroad journey, they often focus on tuition, rankings, and visas.

But the weakening Indian rupee silently increases the cost of every month—tuition remains the same in dollars, yet in rupees, a course that once cost ₹30 lakhs can now cost ₹35 to 40 lakhs," said Patel.He added that monthly expenses like groceries, transportation, and insurance are also rising, making the journey more expensive than many realize.“The weakening of the Indian rupee has had a substantial impact on the overall cost of education. Furthermore, the annual increase in tuition fees by universities, coupled with the rise in visa and living costs, has compounded the situation,” says Ravi Lochan Singh, managing director of Global Reach, an overseas education consultant.According to Vinay Nanjappa, director (India) at SilverPeak Global, an education and business consulting group, the surge in overseas education costs over the past five years has been driven more by currency depreciation and inflation abroad than by tuition hikes alone.“Between 2021 and 2025, fees and living expenses in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, and France have jumped by 35–40%,