Indian student numbers in US fall 13.5%; master's enrolment drops 20%

Washington: The United States has recorded a significant decline in its Indian student population, with enrolment falling by 13.5 per cent over the past year, largely driven by a sharp reduction in the number of students pursuing master's degrees.

Figures released by the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) show that 316,893 Indian students held active records in October 2026, compared with 366,258 during the same month last year, marking a decrease of 49,365.

Despite the decline, India continued to account for the largest share of international students in the US, followed by China, whose student population dropped 10.2 per cent to 220,157.

The steepest contraction among Indian students was recorded in master's programmes, with numbers falling nearly 20 per cent from 292,929 to 234,034. In contrast, doctoral enrolment increased from 28,609 to 41,729. Undergraduate numbers also declined, reaching 36,011 from 38,522.

Indian students accounted for 26.6 per cent of the 1.19 million active international students in October, down from 28.5 per cent a year earlier.

The trend comes amid tighter visa scrutiny and proposed changes affecting Optional Practical Training (OPT) and STEM extensions. Indiaspora attributed the decline partly to anti-Indian rhetoric during the election season.

Nepal also recorded a fall in student numbers, from 35,273 to 33,992.

With IANS inputs