Indian Students Studying In US Drop By 13%; US Universities Concerned

The number of Indian students pursuing education in the US has dipped significantly between 2023 to 2024. One of the main reasons is the depreciating rupee against the dollar, which makes studying in the US for Indian students more expensive.

The US universities and policymakers are concerned about the significant decline in the number of Indian students studying in the US.

Christopher Clary, associate professor at the University at Albany said at the X platform, "The drop in Indian students studying in the US by 11% from 2023 to 2024 should be a cause for concern for US universities and policymakers. I suspect of some of it is a depreciating rupee against the dollar, some policy uncertainty ahead of Trump. But it’s a warning sign."

Indian Students Opting For Study Abroad Dips By 15%

The Indian education ministry recently revealed in the Parliament that the number of Indian students opting to study abroad has fallen by 15% in 2024 as compared to the last year.

The US, UK, Australia and Canada were once the favourite destinations for Indians to study abroad, but data shows that they are not as appealing now as it was earlier. Indian students pursuing study in Canada have declined by 41% followed by the UK, where it dropped by 27.7% and the US witnessed a decline of 13%.

"Indian student migration patterns are changing, and this isn't just a blip. It reflects deep-rooted global shifts in visa policies, affordability, and post-study work opportunities," Varun Singh, managing director of XIPHIAS Immigration told Business Standard.

“Studies abroad are a matter of individual will and choice. Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) has been set up by government of India in all Indian Missions and Posts abroad to meet the contingency expenditure incurred by Indian citizens, including Indian students studying abroad," the education ministry said, as reported by The Mint.

"ICWF's main objective was to provide on-site welfare on a means-tested basis. Indian Missions /Posts abroad also encourage Indian students travelling abroad for higher studies to register with them and on the MADAD Portal so that their grievances and issues can be addressed in a time-bound manner," it added.

Russia Becomes A Popular Study Abroad Destination

While the US, UK, and Canada are not anymore that attractive to Indian study-abroad aspirants, the other countries that are gaining popularity include Germany, France and Russia. Indian students studying in Russia have increased by 34% in 2024. In France, the total number of Indian students in 2022 was 6,406 which increased to 8,536 in 2024. The number of students in Germany in 2022 was 20,684 which increased to 34,702 students in 2024.

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