Aug 18: Kuhoo, the education financing platform focused on enabling access to higher education, today released insights from its latest lending data, highlighting evolving trends in education financing across India. The findings point to a growing demand for structured education loans from students in emerging markets, increasing preference for career-oriented programmes, and a rising need for financing solutions that accommodate diverse household income profiles.
Between January 2025 and July 2026, Kuhoo received over 2.5 lakh loan applications requesting for education loans worth 7.5 thousand crores. By embedding financing directly into the student admission journey, the platform is simplifying the path to higher education across undergraduate, postgraduate, and professional programmes. A striking 86.5% of applications came from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, against 13.5% from Tier 1 markets, signalling how educational aspiration is now firmly taking root beyond metropolitan India. Uttar Pradesh (12.87%) and Maharashtra (12.52%) led in volume, followed by Karnataka (7.16%), Bihar (6.91%), Tamil Nadu (6.77%), Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal, and Rajasthan.
The data also underscores a decisive shift toward outcome-driven learning. Job training courses accounted for 41.70% of total disbursals, followed by MBA programmes (29%), online courses (9.80%), engineering (5.50%), and medical education (4.70%), reflecting how learners are increasingly investing in skills with clear career payoffs. Self-employed co-applicant data was not available at this point.
Commenting on the findings, Mr. Prashant A. Bhonsle, Founder and CEO, Kuhoo, said, “Access to quality education should never be limited by financial constraints. What this data tells us is that ambition is no longer concentrated in the metros, it is rising fastest in India’s smaller cities and towns. As higher education becomes increasingly outcome-driven, students want financing that is transparent, accessible, and aligned with their long-term goals. Our purpose has always been to ensure that deserving students can pursue their academic ambitions with confidence, irrespective of their financial background”
As India’s higher education landscape becomes more diverse and career-focused, Kuhoo remains committed to bridging the gap between aspiration and access. By making education financing simpler, more transparent, and available to students regardless of geography or income profile, the platform continues to support the next generation of learners in pursuing their academic and professional goals with confidence.