How many first EU study permits went to people from South Asia in 2025?
In 2025, EU countries issued 99,932 first residence permits for education reasons to people from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. That is 28% more than in 2024. The total for all non-EU nationalities rose 9%. Here are the published numbers, with the source beside them.
Source: Eurostat, table migr_resfirst, first residence permits by reason, citizenship and issuing country, EU27, 2025. Checked against the Eurostat database on 16 October 2026.
first study permits for people from the five countries together, up 28% from 77,965 in 2024.
for people from Pakistan, up 42% in a year and 2.8 times the 2022 figure of 6,345.
for all non-EU nationalities together, up 9% from 549,458. The five countries were 16.7% of this total.
Change in first EU study permits, 2025 compared with 2024
Each bar is the percentage change for people from that country. The axis starts at zero. The dashed line marks the 9.0% rise for all non-EU nationalities together.
Source: Eurostat, table migr_resfirst, first residence permits for education reasons, all durations, EU27, 2024 and 2025. Percentage changes calculated by B4A from the Eurostat counts. Eurostat data may be reused with the source acknowledged.
First study permits by citizenship, 2022 to 2025
Show or hide the table
| Citizenship | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Change 2024 to 2025 | Times the 2022 level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistan | 6,345 | 8,871 | 12,740 | 18,044 | +41.6% | 2.8 |
| Bangladesh | 4,793 | 7,359 | 8,600 | 11,860 | +37.9% | 2.5 |
| India | 38,071 | 46,730 | 48,189 | 60,447 | +25.4% | 1.6 |
| Nepal | 2,347 | 3,840 | 5,249 | 6,139 | +17.0% | 2.6 |
| Sri Lanka | 1,716 | 3,194 | 3,187 | 3,442 | +8.0% | 2.0 |
| Five countries combined | 53,272 | 69,994 | 77,965 | 99,932 | +28.2% | 1.9 |
| All non-EU nationalities | 470,057 | 544,840 | 549,458 | 599,081 | +9.0% | 1.3 |
Persons receiving a first residence permit for education reasons in the year, all durations, EU27. Percentage changes and multiples are B4A calculations, rounded to one decimal place. The five countries are in order of 2024 to 2025 growth.
The three EU countries that issued the most to each group
Eurostat counts permits by the country that issued them. The table shows the three issuing countries with the largest counts for each citizenship in 2025. The share is of that citizenship’s EU total. All 27 countries are in the data file.
| Citizenship | Issuing country | 2024 | 2025 | Share of EU total, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | Germany | 12,533 | 23,889 | 39.5% |
| India | Ireland | 10,440 | 8,980 | 14.9% |
| India | France | 6,317 | 5,847 | 9.7% |
| Pakistan | Germany | 3,092 | 4,239 | 23.5% |
| Pakistan | Cyprus | 318 | 2,122 | 11.8% |
| Pakistan | Italy | 820 | 1,803 | 10.0% |
| Bangladesh | Germany | 1,068 | 1,782 | 15.0% |
| Bangladesh | Hungary | 730 | 1,515 | 12.8% |
| Bangladesh | Denmark | 1,478 | 1,377 | 11.6% |
| Nepal | Denmark | 1,612 | 1,803 | 29.4% |
| Nepal | Finland | 1,432 | 1,237 | 20.1% |
| Nepal | Germany | 450 | 747 | 12.2% |
| Sri Lanka | Finland | 1,062 | 849 | 24.7% |
| Sri Lanka | Germany | 308 | 503 | 14.6% |
| Sri Lanka | Sweden | 433 | 440 | 12.8% |
Source: Eurostat, table migr_resfirst, by issuing country, 2024 and 2025. Shares are B4A calculations. For each citizenship, the 27 EU country counts add up to the EU total.
What these numbers do not show
- Applications and refusals. The table counts permits that were issued. It does not say how many people applied or how many were refused, so it is not a success rate.
- Why the numbers moved. The table gives counts, not reasons.
- Only first permits. Renewals and permits people already held are not counted here.
- Education reasons are wider than university study. The category can include school pupils, trainees and volunteers as well as degree students.
- The EU27 only. The UK, Norway and Switzerland are outside these figures.
- One person, one country. A permit shows where it was issued, not where a person studies later or how long they stay.
- Timing. Permits are counted in the year they were issued, which can be later than the year of the application.
From the Eurostat table to this page
- We took the counts from Eurostat’s database on 16 October 2026: table migr_resfirst, reason “education”, unit “person”, all durations, EU27 and its member states.
- We recalculated every change and share ourselves. For each of the five citizenships, the 27 member-state counts add up to the EU total in both years, and for all non-EU nationalities the country rows add up to 599,081 in 2025.
- AI helped us find and sort the figures. A person checks and approves the key figures and charts before a story is published.
Source: Eurostat, table migr_resfirst, accessed 16 October 2026. © European Union. Totals, changes and shares are B4A calculations. Eurostat is not responsible for these changes or for this page. This page is information, not immigration advice. Data sources and disclaimer.
Planning to study in Europe?
New Life Europe is our sister practice. It helps students and families compare study routes in Europe and prepare for the move. The numbers on this page are public statistics, not advice on your own case.
Questions people ask
What is a first residence permit for education reasons?
It is the first permit an EU country issues to a person for education reasons, as Eurostat defines it. Renewals are not counted. Eurostat collects the counts from national authorities and publishes them by citizenship and by issuing country.
Does this show how many applications were approved?
No. The table counts permits that were issued. It does not include applications, refusals or withdrawals, so it cannot give an approval rate. For the UK, we have a separate story on published refusal rates.
Why did the numbers rise?
The table does not say. It gives counts by citizenship and issuing country, not the reasons behind them. We show what the numbers are and leave the explanations to the people who have them.
Does a permit mean the person is now studying in that country?
A permit shows that a person was authorised to stay in the issuing country for education reasons. It does not show when they arrived, what they study or how long they stay.
How often do the figures change?
Eurostat updates the table once a year. It last updated the 2025 figures on 28 September 2026. Figures can be revised, and we will update this page when they are.
Can I reuse the data?
Yes. Eurostat allows reuse with the source acknowledged. Our files add columns with our own calculations, labelled as B4A calculations. Please name Eurostat as the source.
More data stories
Public data on migration, trade, finance, education and tourism, checked against the primary source.
New Life Europe
Our sister practice helps students and families compare study routes in Europe and prepare for the move.
Have data like this? We will turn it into a decision.
Bring a report, a spreadsheet or a question. We will tell you what the numbers can and cannot say.