Archive · 15 Jan 2026
Harvard Sees Record International Enrollment Amid Indian Decline
Harvard University had a record number of international students in 2025, with 6,749 students from other countries.
This is the highest number since at least 2002.
Most of these students are from China, and there are also many from South Korea.
However, the number of Indian students at Harvard fell sharply to 545, down from 788 the previous year, a decline of about 31%.
This decline comes even as Harvard expanded its overall international footprint.
The biggest growth was in graduate programs, especially at the T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
The decline in Indian students at Harvard mirrors broader changes in US migration patterns, including tighter visa approvals and longer processing times.
Despite this, India continues to be the largest source of international students in the United States, with 363,019 Indian students in the 2024-25 academic year, accounting for nearly one-third of all international students in the US.
Harvard University enrolled a record 6,749 international students in fall 2025, the highest since at least 2002.
International students make up 28% of Harvard's total enrollment.
Indian student enrollment at Harvard fell sharply to 545 in fall 2025, down from 788 the previous year, a 31% decline.
Chinese student enrollment grew by 4.5%, and South Korean enrollment by 8.7%.
Harvard's graduate programs saw an increase, particularly the T.H. Chan School of Public Health with an 8% rise.
- Who
- Harvard University
- What
- Record international student enrollment in 2025 with a decline in Indian students
- When
- Fall 2025
- Where
- Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Why
- Despite the Trump administration's immigration policies, Harvard saw an overall increase in international students, particularly in graduate programs, while Indian student enrollment declined due to tighter visa approvals and longer processing times.
Harvard's International Growth
Indian Student Decline
Overall Enrollment
Harvard's International Growth
Harvard enrolled a record 6,749 international students in fall 2025, the highest since at least 2002, with international students making up 28% of the total enrollment.
Indian Student Decline
Indian student enrollment at Harvard fell sharply to 545 in fall 2025, down from 788 the previous year, a 31% decline.
Regional Trends
Harvard's International Growth
Chinese student enrollment grew by 4.5%, and South Korean enrollment by 8.7%.
Indian Student Decline
The decline in Indian students contrasts with the overall increase in international students, indicating a shift in the composition of international cohorts.
Broader Context
Harvard's International Growth
Harvard's graduate programs saw an increase, particularly the T.H. Chan School of Public Health with an 8% rise.
Indian Student Decline
The decline in Indian students at Harvard mirrors broader changes in US migration patterns, including tighter visa approvals and longer processing times.
- Total International Students
- 6,749
- Percentage of Total Enrollment
- 28%
- Indian Student Enrollment
- 545 (down from 788)
- Growth in Chinese Students
- 4.5%
- Growth in South Korean Students
- 8.7%
- Graduate Program Growth
- 8% increase at T.H. Chan School of Public Health
- US Net Migration in 2025
- Negative, ranging from -295,000 to -10,000
- Indian Students in US (2024-25)
- 363,019 (nearly one-third of all international students)
