Visa rules, policy changes cause nearly half of Indian students to skip the US in 2025

New data shows a steep decline in Indian students heading to the United States (US), with arrivals in July and August 2025 dropping nearly 50 per cent compared to the same period last year.

The fall signals potential challenges for US universities in the 2025-26 academic year, as India remains the largest source of international students, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.

Data from US authorities

According to the US International Trade Administration, arrivals from India fell from 74,825 in August 2024 to 41,540 in August 2025, and from 24,298 in July 2024 to 13,027 in July 2025. 

International student arrivals overall, excluding Canada and Mexico, dropped 19.2 per cent in August and 28.5 per cent in July.

Universities report the decline on campuses: Saint Louis University saw 45 per cent fewer international students, the University of Cincinnati recorded a 25 per cent drop, and the University at Buffalo lost over 1,000 graduate students, mostly in STEM fields.

Policy changes affecting arrivals

The drop is tied to stricter visa rules and policy shifts under the Trump administration:

• Suspended visa interviews and enhanced social media checks.
  
  

• Travel bans on nationals from 19 countries.
  
  

• High-profile student removals, including from Harvard.
  
  

• Proposed changes to H-1B visas, Optional Practical Training (OPT), and fixed admission periods.
  
  

• A $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas announced on September 19, 2025.
  
  

International student responses

A survey by the Institute for Progress and NAFSA shows international students are reacting strongly:

• 53 per cent would not have enrolled if H-1B was determined by wage levels.
  
  

• 54 per cent  would not have joined without OPT.
  
  

• 57 per cent  are unlikely to stay if OPT ends.
  
  

• 49 per cent would not have applied if fixed admission periods replaced “duration of status.”