Growth in Indian student additions to the US has nearly halved in 2025, with net additions dropping 49.9 per cent year-on-year to 31,417. The slowdown from 62,679 additions in 2024 and the peak rise of 69,741 in 2023 signals a clear cooling after the post-pandemic spike.

Data from the Open Doors report show that while the overall base of Indian students in the US remains high, incremental growth has moderated significantly. The surge in 2023 was largely driven by deferred pandemic demand, which temporarily inflated outbound mobility. As that backlog cleared, expansion returned to more normal levels.

Experts stated that rising tuition fees, higher living expenses and currency pressures have increased the overall cost of studying in the US, prompting families to adopt a more cautious approach. Immigration uncertainty and visa-processing delays have further influenced decision-making.

“The US continues to attract strong student interest. What we are witnessing is not declining aspiration, but more strategic decision-making. Students today are evaluating destinations through the lens of career outcomes, immigration clarity and financial viability,” said Ankit Mehra, CEO & Founder, GyanDhan.

Even as overall growth moderates, enrolment patterns are shifting. Optional Practical Training (OPT) additions surged from 874 in 2023 to 46,184 in 2025, an increase of over 5,000 per cent. The sharp jump highlights the growing importance of post-study work opportunities in enrolment decisions.

Experts stated that OPT has increasingly become central to the US study-abroad proposition, particularly for STEM aspirants seeking longer work authorisation.

In contrast, postgraduate additions turned negative in 2025, while undergraduate numbers remained broadly stable. Non-degree enrolments also declined, indicating a tilt towards employment-linked programmes.

Course preferences reflect this career-oriented pivot. Math and Computer Science accounted for 43.4 per cent of Indian enrolments in 2025, up from 34.8 per cent in 2021. Engineering’s share declined to 22.8 per cent from 33.5 per cent over the same period.

Experts stated that the shift does not signal a decline in interest in engineering per se, but rather a move towards computing-intensive and AI-driven disciplines such as data science, cybersecurity and analytics, which align more directly with labour market demand and STEM-linked work benefits.

Looking ahead, experts indicated that growth will depend on immigration clarity, visa processing efficiency, cost trends, and competitive positioning from destinations such as the UK and Australia. If policy predictability improves and employment prospects in technology sectors remain robust, enrolments could stabilise.

Published on February 20, 2026