Indian student enrollment in the United States has fallen to a 29-month low, with the decline continuing for 10 consecutive months. According to US Department of Homeland Security data, there were 338,230 Indian students in the US in July 2026, down 12% since September 2025. The fall has been sharpest among postgraduate students, whose numbers dropped 11.3% year on year to 266,104. In the same period a year earlier, the overall decline was much smaller at 4.4%.
The decline extends well beyond Indian students. US colleges and universities could see 112,000 fewer international students in 2026-27, a projected 9.5% drop to roughly 1.057 million, according to NAFSA and JB International. The projected economic loss: $3.4 billion in revenue and 40,000 jobs. In 2024-25, international students contributed around $43 billion to the US economy and supported 356,000 jobs. For 2026-27, that contribution is expected to fall to $38.3 billion, with jobs supported dropping to 294,000.
Multiple policy shifts are driving the numbers down. Visa appointment availability has tightened at US consulates in India, China and Europe, with expedited appointments reportedly being denied. The State Department gave priority visa processing to FIFA World Cup ticket holders during the May-to-August window traditionally reserved for student visa appointments. A travel ban covering 39 countries makes no exceptions for student visa applicants, and from September 15, the longstanding “duration of status” system will be replaced by a fixed Admit-Until-Date, adding planning uncertainty for students in longer programmes.
Applications to US doctoral programmes from international students fell 21% for this fall. International admissions dropped 17%, and the Common App reported a 9% decline in international applications for 2026-27. The decline is no longer limited to students already in the pipeline. Fewer students are choosing to apply in the first place, and the ongoing uncertainty around Optional Practical Training, the programme F-1 students use for US work experience, is compounding the hesitation.
Source: Financial Express
