Despite the previous reports of Indian bigotry, a falling rupee and dismal economic conditions, many Indians still hedge their bets for a great future by obtaining higher education degrees overseas, primarily the United States and United Kingdom.

As of the latest count in 2011, the Indian student intake has risen from 94,563 in 2010 to 103,260 in 2011. Many Indian students opt to study in the US East Coast or in the Midwestern United States schools. As for the United Kingdom, nearly 19,205 study in British universities where half of that number are pursuing postgraduate degree completions. The following are the top choices of UK universities by Indian students.

1. The University of Bedfordshire. This institution is located at Luton and Bedford, two of the largest towns of Bedfordshire County. The university was created after the University of Luton and the De Montfort University Bedford Campus was merged by the Privy Council. With such integration, the school has earned a reputation of being one of the top schools in the country.

2. The University of Greenwich. This university is the best of both worlds as it is located right outside London in the rolling hills of Kent County. The setting includes famed pub-crawls in its district, seaside resorts of Kent and the Canterbury Cathedral, all just a stone's throw from the university perimeter. It is also one of the most dynamic educational institutions in the world today.

3. The Middlesex University. Founded in the 1880s after St Katherine's College and the Hornsey School of Arts and Crafts created the Middlesex Polytechnic to eventually become the university it is today. It is also one of the foremost research facilities in the United Kingdom where there is an annual prize handed out by the University for innovation in education.

4. The University of Cardiff. This university is recognized to be the one of the country's leading teaching and research educational institutions. It was established by Royal Charter in 1883, the institution combines both modern facilities and dynamic approach to teaching and research. The expertise of the university encompasses all the major sciences and humanities degrees.

5. The University of East London. Recently established in 1992, this is a modern university that has educational traditions spanning a century earlier. The grounds are located in the state of the art Docklands Campus and are acknowledged as amongst the top universities for research and instruction in many disciplines and degrees.

These top five schools have become favored destinations for Indians seeking a degree in the United Kingdom.