President Donald Trump recently expressed support for hosting foreign students in the US, stating in an Oval Office address, “It’s our honour to have them… we want them to be checked.”
This marks a change from his administration's restrictive visa policies targeting Chinese students, according to Business Standard.
In June 2024, Trump proposed automatic green cards for international graduates from US colleges, especially those from institutions like Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
However, since returning to office, his administration has implemented measures like temporarily halting visa interviews and blocking international student entries in institutions such as Harvard.
Impact on Indian students
India, which accounted for 27% of the total international students in the US in 2024, has experienced a significant decline in enrollment, Business Standard reported.
Between March 2024 and March 2025, active international student records dropped to 11.3%, from 1.153 million to 1.022 million, with Indian student numbers falling 28% from 3,54,295 to 2,55,442.
In contrast, Chinese student enrollments slightly increased by 3.28% to 2,63,510. Factors such as affordability, visa delays, and better permanent residency options elsewhere contribute to this fall, alongside concerns over the reported harsh treatment of some Indian students.
