Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Indian students hoping to study in the United States saw a steep decline in visa approvals during the peak admissions season in 2025. New data showed the drop was far steeper than the decline recorded among Chinese students.
According to an analysis by the US-based Centre for Immigration Studies (CIS), American consulates issued just 22,149 F-1 student visas to Indian nationals between May and August 2025. That was down 62 per cent from the 58,694 visas issued during the same period in 2024. Chinese students also saw a decline, but at a significantly lower rate. F-1 visas issued to Chinese nationals fell 34 per cent year-on-year, from 61,075 to 40,034.
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The May-August period is considered the busiest time for student visa processing as most international students receive their visas ahead of the US academic year.
INDIA RETAINS TOP SPOT IN US ENROLMENT
The sharp fall contrasts with India’s status as the largest source of international students in the United States. According to the Institute of International Education (IIE), cited in the CIS report, US colleges and universities enrolled 363,019 students from India during the 2024-25 academic year. China ranked second with 265,919 students.
Together, students from the two countries accounted for more than half of the 1.17 million international students studying at American higher education institutions.
The CIS analysis noted that the latest decline in visa issuances could influence future enrolment numbers, the pipeline of international graduates entering the US workforce and discussions around immigration and national security.
VISA NUMBERS FALL WELL BELOW HISTORICAL AVERAGE
According to the report, the decline is not limited to a comparison with last year. Indian nationals received an average of 55,717 F-1 visas during the May-August period between 2017-19 and 2021-24, excluding the pandemic-hit year of 2020.
The 2025 figure is roughly 60 per cent below that historical average. Chinese applicants also experienced a decline compared with previous years, though the reduction was less severe.
The report focused on May through August because those four months account for nearly three-quarters of annual student visa issuances for both India and China. It also emphasised the significant role Indian graduates play in the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, which allows eligible international students to work in the US after completing their studies.
According to IIE data cited by CIS, 294,253 international graduates were working under OPT during the 2024-25 academic year. Nearly half of them — 143,740 — were Indian nationals. Chinese graduates accounted for another 61,981 participants.
Indian students also formed the largest group under the STEM OPT extension, which allows graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields to remain employed in the US for up to three years after graduation.
Of the 165,524 STEM OPT authorisations in 2024, Indians accounted for 79,331, while Chinese students received 33,807.
TRUMP IMPOSES TOUGHER VISA RULES
The Centre for Immigration Studies stated that a smaller flow of international students would eventually reduce the number of foreign graduates entering the American workforce through OPT. The decline in student visas is follow a comprehensive tightening of US immigration rules under the Trump administration, making it more difficult for international students to study and build career in the country.
In July, the US Department of Homeland Security finalised a rule that replaces the decades-old “duration of status” policy with a fixed period of admission for most F-1 student visa holders. The rule takes effect on September 15. Under the new rules, students will generally be allowed to remain in the US for up to four years and must seek an extension if their studies take longer. The administration has also reduced the grace period after graduation from 60 days to 30 days and imposed stricter rules on changing schools or academic programmes.
The changes extend beyond college campus. The Trump administration has also taken a tougher view of the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, which allows eligible international students to work in the US after completing their studies. While the programme remains in place, proposals to tighten or scale it back are being discussed. If Donald Trump decides to move ahead with the plan, the impact could be particularly significant for Indian students, who make up the largest share of participants in the OPT programme, especially in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.
– Ends
With inputs from agencies
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
