The University of Colorado Denver will open a campus in Hyderabad, becoming the first American public university authorised to grant degrees in India.

CU Denver said it has received a letter of intent from India’s University Grants Commission. It is also the first foreign university approved in Telangana. The first batch of students is expected in August 2027.

The Hyderabad campus will offer programmes in business, computing, engineering and analytics. These are fields with strong demand from students and employers, the university said.

The move builds on a wider trend. Under UGC rules introduced in 2023, top foreign universities can set up campuses in India. The University of Southampton opened in Gurugram in 2025. The Illinois Institute of Technology has approval for a Mumbai campus. Telangana is also courting the University of London and Northeastern University for Hyderabad.

India sends lakhs of students abroad each year for higher education. Foreign campuses aim to give students global degrees at home.

The plan now awaits final regulatory clearances before admissions open.