📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Johnston, Frances Benjamin, 1864-1952, photographe
Education
Indian Undergraduate Applicants to US Drop 15% in Latest Report
✍️ NDTV
🗓 25 Aug 2026, 06:21 AM
👁 3
A recent report shows a 15% fall in the number of Indian students applying for undergraduate programmes in the United States, the largest source of international students there.
A new study released by education analysts indicates that applications from Indian students for undergraduate courses in the United States have slipped by 15 percent compared with the previous year. India has traditionally been the top feeder country for U.S. higher‑education institutions, accounting for a sizable share of the international student body.
The decline is reflected across major U.S. universities that rely heavily on Indian enrolments for both academic diversity and revenue. While the report does not attribute a single cause, it notes that tighter visa processing, rising tuition costs and growing competition from alternative study destinations may be influencing student decisions.
U.S. colleges are expected to adjust recruitment strategies as the trend continues, potentially expanding outreach in other regions to offset the shortfall from India. The data underscores a shift in global education mobility that could have long‑term implications for both Indian aspirants and American campuses.
The decline is reflected across major U.S. universities that rely heavily on Indian enrolments for both academic diversity and revenue. While the report does not attribute a single cause, it notes that tighter visa processing, rising tuition costs and growing competition from alternative study destinations may be influencing student decisions.
U.S. colleges are expected to adjust recruitment strategies as the trend continues, potentially expanding outreach in other regions to offset the shortfall from India. The data underscores a shift in global education mobility that could have long‑term implications for both Indian aspirants and American campuses.