2 weeks ago

Indian students in US hit 29-month low amid visa delays

Indian students in US hit 29-month low amid visa delays
Count of Indian students in US sees sustained drop; at 29-month low · thehindubusinessline.com

Many students from India dream of studying in the United States.

But lately, fewer Indian students are going there to study.

In fact, their numbers have been falling for ten months in a row.

This is the lowest number of Indian students in the US in over two years.

A big reason is that getting a US student visa now takes a very long time.

New rules and high costs, including a possible $100,000 fee to work after graduation, also make the US less appealing.

The job market for technology workers is not as strong as it used to be.

So many Indian students are now applying to universities in the UK, Germany and France instead.

Some students are applying to several countries at once to keep their options open.

At the same time, more Indian students are still choosing the US for doctoral research.

Key facts

Indian students in US (July 2026)
3,38,230
Decline streak
10 consecutive months since September 2025
Decline Sept 2025–July 2026
12%
Year-on-year decline (July 2026)
8.6%
Master's students (July 2026)
2,66,104 (down 11.3% YoY)
Proposed OPT fee for international graduates
$100,000
Projected fewer international students (Fall 2026)
Up to 1,11,000
Countries gaining Indian applicants
UK, Germany, France

Quotes

Avnish Singhal

Head of Consumer Business (India, APAC, & Middle East), Emeritus

“We are currently speaking to over 1,000-odd young Indians aged 15 to 28 for an upcoming report — and an early finding tells us that over 40 per cent have seen their interest in studying in the US decrease in the past year, driven directly by visa policy and rising costs.”
thehindubusinessline.com
“Depreciating rupee, tightening visa regimes, and evolving post-study work policies — including the proposed $100K fee for international graduates seeking OPT, have forced Indian talent to re-examine the value proposition that once drew them out of the country.”
thehindubusinessline.com

Sources

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