Hyderabad is an important seat of learning in southern India. The city is home to three Central Universities, houses two Deemed Universities, and six State Universities. Among them is the flagship, Osmania University, established in 1917, it is the seventh oldest in India and the third oldest in South India. Many institutes for technical education like Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, International Institute of Information Technology, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University ,ICFAI Business school (University), and medical colleges such as the Gandhi medical college are located here. Also based here is Indian School of Business, Hyderabad Central University and the National Academy of Legal Studies & Research Nalsar.

Hyderabad has various research institutes such as the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology and Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages ( CIEFL was accorded Central University status recently). It is the home of Maulana Azad National Urdu University as well as BR Ambedkar Open University. This educational infrastructure attracts students from all over the country and some beyond, especially from Africa and the Middle East. Due to the rising IT boom in the state, Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani has now decided to start a new campus in Shamirpet area of Ranga reddy district an area in the outskirts of Hyderabad. A new IIT has been proposed by the central government in Medak District which is just an hour's drive from Hyderabad. Recently Georgia Institute of Technology signed an MOU for setting up its offshore campus in the city.