Contrary to belief, India remains the top country of origin for international students in the US

As global education undergoes one of its most profound shifts in decades, students from Kolkata and Eastern India are positioning themselves at the forefront of this transformation. A generation once oriented towards traditional academic routes at home is now charting bold new trajectories across continents—armed with ambition, analytical sharpness, and aspirations that stretch far beyond national borders.

In a country where more than 140 million young people compete for a shrinking pool of elite domestic seats, the world’s most selective universities have emerged not merely as alternatives, but as crucial gateways to global careers.

Rahul Subramaniam, co-founder of Athena Education, shares a ringside view of these shifting currents. Under his mentorship ecosystem, thousands of students have navigated competitive international admissions, securing coveted spots at Ivy League, Oxbridge, and top global universities.

In this wide-ranging conversation with Bizz Buzz, he offers a deep dive into the changing motivations of students from Kolkata and Eastern India, the rise of AI-driven academic pursuits, the evolving language of global admissions, and the growing emphasis on authenticity and purpose in shaping the next generation of world-ready leaders

How are students from Kolkata and Eastern India approaching global education today, and what shifts have you observed in recent years?

Over the last few years, the appetite for global higher education among students and families from Kolkata and Eastern India has expanded dramatically. India has the world’s largest population of college-age individuals—over 140 million—and yet the number of elite Indian institutions has not kept pace.

We continue to have only a handful of premier institutions like the IITs and IISc, and hardly any presence in the top tiers of global university rankings. When families realise that only nine Indian universities feature even in the top 500 of the QS World Rankings 2026, the appeal of top international universities becomes clear.

What is truly striking is not merely the increase in numbers, but the evolution in mindset. Parents and students who once saw domestic education as the singular path are now looking outward with conviction.

They are encouraging children to venture beyond conventional career routes and consider fields such as artificial intelligence, sustainability, policy, behavioural sciences, and interdisciplinary studies. This shift mirrors the evolving expectations of international admissions offices, which no longer view applicants through the narrow lens of grades alone.

Today, global universities seek holistic excellence—an interplay of academic rigour, leadership, creativity, and meaningful extracurricular impact. As competition intensifies and acceptance rates at top universities decline, qualitative dimensions of an applicant’s profile carry more weight than ever.

At Athena, despite this competitive landscape, more than 90% of our students have secured admission to top-20 US universities and top-5 institutions in the UK in recent cycles, including over seventy Ivy League admits in just three years. These outcomes reflect how effectively Kolkata’s students are adapting to—and thriving in—this new global paradigm.

How has the rise in STEM and AI-driven academic projects shaped the study-abroad aspirations of students from Kolkata in 2025?

The momentum behind AI is unprecedented. Take Google’s Gemini 3, for example—its PhD-level reasoning ability and exceptional performance on ‘Humanity’s Last Exam’ mark a pivotal leap in artificial intelligence. With advancements accelerating, students clearly perceive AI not just as a field of study but as the defining technology of their generation.

Unsurprisingly, the United States remains the epicentre for AI learning and innovation. Stanford, UPenn, Carnegie Mellon, MIT—these universities sit at the intersection of cutting-edge research, entrepreneurial ecosystems, and technology-led problem solving. Students from Kolkata who are serious about AI naturally gravitate towards these hubs.

However, the competition for AI-linked programs is fierce. This has pushed students to invest far more deeply in developing both technical skills and real-world experiences—whether through research, hackathons, collaborations, internships, or interdisciplinary applications of AI.

At Athena, we have integrated AI into our curriculum extensively; in the last year alone, our scholars have completed over a hundred advanced AI projects spanning health, policymaking, education technology, computational social science, and even filmmaking.

There is remarkable enthusiasm for the intersections of AI with humanities and social sciences. This reflects a global trend: universities increasingly value students who can bridge technology with human contexts. Kolkata’s students are leaning into this hybrid future with surprising maturity.

What factors are fuelling the growing interest among Eastern Indian students in destinations beyond the traditional US-UK-Canada trio?

The US, UK, and Canada continue to be the primary destinations for Indian students, and contrary to media narratives, interest in the US is actually rising. India remains the top country of origin for international students there, with 360,000 Indian students presently enrolled—up nearly 10% from the previous year.

The decline reported in some outlets largely pertains to lesser-known universities; top-tier institutions still attract a strong, stable pool of Indian applicants.

Canada is the notable exception. Its political tensions with India since 2023, compounded by domestic policy changes, have dampened its appeal. Conversely, interest in certain alternative regions—Continental Europe, Singapore, and Hong Kong—has grown.

Factors such as affordability, proximity to India, strong post-study work options, and pathways to skilled migration (such as Germany’s policies) are important drivers.

That said, undergraduate options in Europe remain constrained because English-language courses are limited. For students aiming for world-class academic and career opportunities, the US and UK continue to dominate—and will likely do so for years to come.

“Purpose-driven profiles” have become a buzzword in admissions circles. Why do they matter so much, and how can students build them authentically?

Purpose-driven profiles have become essential because universities want to understand the individual behind the grades. Academic excellence is still foundational, but it is no longer sufficient.

With global applications at record highs, universities want to gauge a student’s worldview, motivations, depth of involvement, and capacity for meaningful impact.

Holistic admissions essentially ask whether a student will “fit” into the institution’s intellectual and cultural ecosystem. Students who rely solely on predictable activities or formulaic achievements often struggle to convey authenticity.

Building a purpose-driven profile means uncovering one’s genuine interests, pursuing them with intent, and connecting them through projects, research, competitions, internships, and social initiatives.

It requires depth, not just breadth. When students build narratives rooted in real curiosity and impact, universities can immediately sense the difference. Increasing selectivity globally only reinforces the value of such purposeful, coherent profiles.

What emerging trends in Ivy League and Oxbridge admissions should families be aware of?

One of the most significant trends is how American universities are adapting to the post-affirmative action landscape. Since the 2023 US Supreme Court ruling, institutions can no longer explicitly consider race in admissions.

However, we are seeing an increase in questions related to identity, worldview, and community engagement. Optional video introductions—which now replace alumni interviews at many schools—have become important spaces for authenticity.

Another fast-rising trend is academic research. At universities like UPenn, nearly one-third of admits in the Class of 2026 had substantive research experience. Published work or recognition through national platforms gives applicants unique credibility.

Ivy League acceptance rates continue to decline, with more applicants—and more qualified applicants—every year. Oxbridge remains more academically straightforward, with interviews and assessments still playing a central role. But even there, we see broader diversity in the kinds of profiles admitted, especially from India.

Athena’s mentorship model is widely discussed. Can you explain how it works and what makes it effective?

The foundation of our model is personalization. Every student is matched with a team of mentors—subject specialists, research advisors, editors, and application strategists.

We think of students as athletes and our mentors as coaches. Our first task is helping students discover their academic motivations, intellectual identity, and personal brand.

From there, we guide them across a multi-year journey: Advanced coursework, structured research, internships, entrepreneurial projects, societal initiatives, competitions, and writing. Nothing is random; each experience is aligned with the student’s long-term vision.

This is not a short-term intervention—it is deep, formative work that shapes character, leadership, and intellectual maturity.

Our results reflect this. Since 2014, we have mentored over 1,500 students and secured more than 4,000 global admits. In the 2024–25 cycle alone, Athena students earned 900 acceptances.

Our Ivy League admit rate is eight times the global average. But more importantly, our alumni thrive at university and beyond—in graduate school, in research, and at companies like OpenAI, Nvidia, Google, and McKinsey.

Where does mentorship make the biggest difference in helping students succeed internationally?

Mentorship matters most in teaching students to think like admission officers. Many high-achieving students believe that strong grades automatically translate into strong applications. They don’t realise that admissions decisions hinge on compelling stories backed by impactful activities.

Mentorship provides clarity. We help students understand what world-class universities truly seek—leadership, intellectual depth, resilience, originality, and community impact. We guide them in ‘reverse-engineering’ those traits into their real lives. This involves building confidence, taking intellectual risks, and engaging in meaningful initiatives across research, entrepreneurship, social innovation, and creative pursuits.

One of our key roles is mythbusting. We show students that admissions officers don’t want clones. They want thinkers, creators, and innovators. When students understand this, their transformation is extraordinary.

The outcomes speak for themselves: 95% of Athena scholars gain admission to one of their top three choices. More importantly, they go on to flourish academically, professionally, and personally. In a world shaped by AI, uncertainty, and rapid change, these young individuals emerge with the clarity, resilience, and purpose required to lead.