Indian students in US fall 13.5 pc to 317,000

The number of active Indian students in the United States has fallen by about 13.5 per cent in a year to 316,893, according to US government data, with the sharpest drop at the master's level, even as India remained the largest source of international students in the country.

Data published by Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) show 316,893 active students from India in October 2026, down from 366,258 in October 2025, a decline of 49,365.

The fall was steeper than the overall decline. Total active international students in SEVIS fell from 1,283,240 to 1,192,572, a drop of about 7.1 per cent.

Students from China, the second-largest group, fell about 10.2 per cent, from 245,038 to 220,157.

India's share of all active international students slipped from about 28.5 per cent to about 26.6 per cent.

The decline among Indians was concentrated in master's programmes, which account for the bulk of Indian enrolment. Indian master's students fell from 292,929 to 234,034, a drop of about 20 per cent.

Doctoral enrolment appears to have moved the other way. The number of Indian students at the doctoral level rose from 28,609 to 41,729, according to the DHS figures.

Indian bachelor's students numbered 36,011 in October 2026, against 38,522 a year earlier.

Male students made up 195,341 of the Indian total and female students 121,552.

The SEVIS figures count students with active records in the system, including those in Optional Practical Training (OPT), and are a snapshot of a single month rather than an annual total.

The decline comes amid tighter US scrutiny of student visas, proposed fees on OPT and STEM extensions, and a broader crackdown on legal immigration pathways.

Indiaspora, a nonprofit network of Indian-origin leaders, said in a statement on October 30 that "Fewer Indian students are choosing to study in the United States," linking the trend to "anti-Indian rhetoric" this election season.

Other South Asian countries also recorded falls. Nepal's active student count fell from 35,273 to 33,992.