International student enrolments dip, but India remains top source for US: Report

A new report showed a sharp 17% drop in new international student enrolments in US colleges for the 2025–26 academic year, even as India remained the largest source of foreign students. In 2024-25, undergraduate enrolment of Indian students rose to 40,135, while graduate enrolment reached 177,892. Participation in Optional Practical Training (OPT) also surged to 143,740, a 47.3% increase from the previous year.

The US-based Institute of International Education (IIE), in a report on international students for 2024-25 published on Monday, showed that India continued to be the top source country, with more than 360,000 Indian students enroled, a 9.5% increase from the previous year.

According to the IIE’s Open Doors 2025 data, 96% of institutions that reported declines cited visa application concerns, delays, and denials as the primary reason for the decrease. Travel restrictions were also flagged by 68% of those institutions.

Despite the drop in new students, the total population of international students in the US rose to 1,177,766 in 2024-25, a 5% overall increase from the previous year, according to the report.

Around 57% of these institutions reported a decline in new international students for the 2025–26 academic year, while 14% reported stable numbers, and 29% indicated an uptick.

International students accounted for 6% of the total US higher education population and contributed nearly $55 billion to the US economy in 2024, according to the US Department of Commerce.

INDIA CONTINUES TO LEAD AS THE LARGEST SOURCE OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

India continues to lead as the largest source country, with 363,019 students enroled, marking a robust 10% increase over the prior year and surpassing all others for the first time in over a decade.

Of these, 40,135 are undergraduates while 177,892 are graduates. In 2023–24, undergraduates numbered 36,053 and graduates 196,567, according to Open Doors data.

Participation in Optional Practical Training (OPT) surged to 143,740—a 47.3% increase from 2023 to 24.

India continues to be the highest priority for undergraduate and graduate recruitment, according to the report.

While India saw an over 10% surge in student numbers, China (265,919) recorded a decline of 4%.

Key U.S. states hosting Indian students include Texas, New York, Massachusetts, California, and Illinois.

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) continue to be popular among Indian students.

US COLLEGES CITE OPT AS CRUCIAL FOR ATTRACTING TALENT AND SUPPORTING BUSINESS NEEDS

The Fall 2025 Snapshot report found that US institutions surveyed emphasised the “benefits of OPT to the United States”.

US institutions report that OPT is important for recruiting international students interested in work experience (77%) and enabling US businesses to recruit and retain international student talent (70%). Further, 71% of institutions believe OPT presents an economic benefit to US businesses.

Over 80% of US institutions reported that if OPT were not available, international students would likely look to other destinations for their education abroad experience.

Mirka Martel, the organisation’s head of research, said despite new restrictions, the US remains the top study destination for students worldwide, according to the New York-based institute.

“International students come to every state. And 45 states experienced increases in their international student totals in 2024–25,” Martel said.

Other experts, however, warn that the numbers are a cause for concern.

“There are warning signs for future years, and I’m really concerned about what this portends for fall ’26 and ’27,” Clay Harmon, executive director of the Association of International Enrolment Management, representing colleges and recruitment agencies, told the Associated Press.

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