US student visa arrivals fell to a four-year low in August due to a 50% drop from India, underscoring a grim future for the country's education sector.
Student arrivals to the US dropped 19% year-on-year in August to a little over 3,13,000—a fifth consecutive month of declines, according to data from the International Trade Administration that tracks visa arrivals. That's the lowest since 2021 amid the covid pandemic. Total student are down nearly 12% for the year through August.
The downturn is dramatic among those from Asia, particularly India.
The number of Indians opting for a US student visa fell 45% while those from China fell 12%. Thirteen of the biggest source markets in Asia—from Japan to Vietnam—experienced declines in student arrivals in August and for the year.
In all, only 1,91,000 Asians came to the US on a student visa in August—a 24% drop from the previous year.
“If the trends continue, the impact will be significant not only for campuses and their students—both international and American—but for the economy overall,” Zuzana Cepla Wootson, the deputy director of federal policy of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, told Bloomberg. “Fewer international students mean fewer contributions to US leadership in science and technology—and, ultimately, a less competitive United States in the long run.”
The latest US student visa data comes even as US President Donald Trump doubles down on immigration reforms. On Friday, he signed a proclamation that imposed a $100,000 fee on applications for H-1B visa—preferred by Indians looking to study and work stateside.
{{/usCountry}}The latest US student visa data comes even as US President Donald Trump doubles down on immigration reforms. On Friday, he signed a proclamation that imposed a $100,000 fee on applications for H-1B visa—preferred by Indians looking to study and work stateside.
{{/usCountry}}The education industry is expecting to see further declines in September, with estimates suggesting new international student enrolment could be down by as much as 40% in autumn. That would translate to roughly $7 billion in lost revenue for universities, according to NAFSA.
International students contributed nearly $44 billion to the US economy and supported 4,00,000 jobs in 2023-24. For every three international students, one US job is created.