Indian Student Flow to US Slows, Lead Intact
India remains the largest source of international students, despite falling monthly numbers amid stricter visa rules.
Hyderabad: The number of Indian students heading to the United States for higher education has declined in 2026, with monthly figures showing a steady fall since the beginning of the year. However, India continues to remain the largest source of international students in the US, according to data from the US Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA).
The data show that the average number of Indian students in the US fell from 2,99,844 in January 2025 to 2,54,211 in September 2026. The figure has declined every month this year, from 2,79,855 in January to 2,54,211 in September.
In comparison, the average monthly figure for Indian students stood at 2,69,063 in October 2023, 3,02,913 in October 2024 and 2,92,929 in October 2025. The figures indicate a change in the trend after the numbers rose significantly between 2023 and 2024.
India still stands first as the biggest pool of international students in the US. The average number of all new Indian students in the US stood at 3,43,919 up to September 2026, keeping India ahead of other countries. China ranked second, with an average of 2,20,440 students, followed by South Korea with 40,904.
Indian students accounted for 29.50 per cent of international students in the US in 2025, highlighting the country’s importance to American higher education institutions.
The data also show a gender gap among Indian students in the US. An average of 2,12,760 students (61.86%) were male, while 1,31,159 (38.14%) were female.
The decline in monthly figures in 2026 is speculated to be due to ongoing restrictions and stricter rules around student F‑1 visas, and proposals to scrap several opportunities for international students.
Rameswar Rao, an immigration consultant from Hyderabad, said, “Rules are getting stricter day by day, and the government is removing opportunities to let a student go to the United States for education. They proposed major rules to remove OPT, and for a student who wants to complete his engineering or medicine, they will want at least one year’s experience under their belt. Removing such rules and opportunities will make potential applicants less enthusiastic about the US.”
