Number Of Active Indian Students In US Falls By 13.5% Amid Visa Issues

After Donald Trump was elected for a second term as President of the United States, his administration introduced several policies regarding student visas, creating uncertainty for foreigners planning to study there. This has led to the US seeing a decline in foreign student records.

According to data from the US Department of Homeland Security's SEVIS, the number of active international student records in the US fell by 7.07 per cent in October 2026 compared with October 2025.

The decline was steeper for Indian students, whose active records fell by 13.5 per cent over the same period. China also recorded a decline, but at a lower rate of 10.2 per cent.

Where Has India Seen Decline?

The largest decline in active student records from India was among master's students, with a fall of 20.1 per cent over the same period.

Bachelor's degree student records also declined, but at a lower rate of 6.5 per cent. In contrast, doctoral student records saw a jump of 45.9 per cent.

Is This Decline Normal?

Data from January 2023 to October 2026 shows that the active number of Indian student records in the US has seen a decline after reaching its peak in September 2024.

At that time, the number stood at 3.87 lakh, which fell to 3.66 lakh in October 2025 and further to 3.17 lakh in October 2026. The decline has continued through most of 2026, with active student records falling from 3.52 lakh in January to 3.17 lakh in October.

Reason For The Decline

The decline in Indian student records in the US comes amid stricter visa scrutiny, processing delays and uncertainty over post-study work opportunities under President Donald Trump's administration.

In June 2025, the US expanded screening of student visa applicants, including checks of their social media activity.

An Institute of International Education survey found that new international student enrolments fell by 17 per cent in 2025-26, with 96 per cent of institutions reporting declines citing visa-related concerns.