New Delhi/Washington: The number of student visas issued by the United States to Indian nationals witnessed a steep decline of over 44% in August, marking the sharpest drop among all countries. This fall comes amid the Trump administration’s stringent new immigration policies, reshaping global student mobility and reversing years of steady growth in Indian enrolments at American universities.
According to data released by the International Trade Commission, the US issued 313,138 student visas in August, the primary intake month for most American universities. This represents a 19.1% decline compared to the same period in 2024. India, which was the top source of foreign students last year, saw the most dramatic fall in visa issuances—44.5% fewer than a year earlier.
China overtook India as the leading source of international students, with 86,647 visas issued to students from mainland China, more than twice the number granted to Indians. While Chinese student visas also fell, the rate of decline was significantly lower than that of India.
The steep reduction comes against the backdrop of President Donald Trump’s renewed focus on curbing immigration after returning to the White House. His administration has particularly targeted universities, which it views as bastions of liberal influence, and has sought to impose tighter scrutiny on foreign students.
In June, Secretary of State Marco Rubio temporarily suspended student visa processing, directing US embassies to vet applicants’ social media accounts. Thousands of visas were subsequently revoked, often on grounds such as criticism of Israel, with officials citing the right to deny entry to individuals opposing US foreign policy interests.
For Indian applicants, the new rules have made it harder to apply for visas outside their jurisdiction, even in the face of consular backlogs, further slowing down the process. Additionally, Trump has imposed steep new fees on H-1B visas, widely used by Indian tech professionals.
In contrast, Trump has expressed interest in increasing Chinese student numbers as part of his broader diplomatic strategy toward Beijing. Meanwhile, student visa issuance from several Muslim-majority countries also plummeted, with Iran witnessing an 86% drop.
