Trump continues to deliver a series of shocks to Indian students who dream of studying in the United States. The US think tank Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) has recently revealed that visa approvals for Indian students dropped significantly during the busy 2025 admissions season. This indicates a major cut in the issuance of US student visas to Indian students. The CIS study revealed that student visa rejections for Indians have been higher than in the past, compared to China. It appears that the visa restrictions imposed by the United States have had a severe impact on Indians, with China following next.
CIS stated that US consulates issued 22,149 F-1 student visas to Indian students between May and August last year (2025). This figure stood at 58,694 in 2024, marking a significant drop this year. Student visas (F-1 visas) fell by as much as 62 percent compared to the previous year. Typically, Indians receive an average of over 50,000 student visas during this season each year. However, the sharp decline seen last year is certainly a matter of concern. At the same time, visa approvals for Chinese students also fell by 34 percent. While 61,075 student visas were issued to Chinese nationals in 2024, that number dropped to 40,034 last year. The period from May to August is considered the most critical time for student visas, as this is the season when international students apply for visas ahead of the start of the academic year in the US.
Even though visa approvals for Indian students have dropped significantly, it is notable that Indians still make up the largest share of international students enrolling in US educational institutions. According to data from the Institute of International Education, a report stated that 3,63,019 Indian students enrolled in American colleges and universities during the 2024-25 academic year. It also stated that 2,65,919 students from China arrived in the US to study last year.
Meanwhile, students who previously came on F-1 visas had the option to remain under “duration of status” until they completed their course. The United States is now preparing to remove this provision and implement a fixed time limit instead. Under the new rules, foreign students wishing to stay in the US beyond four years will reportedly need to obtain renewed permission. These rules are set to come into effect in September.
According to the CIS report, nearly three lakh international students gained temporary employment in the US under the OPT program after completing their studies in 2024-25. Notably, of the 2,94,253 international students employed under this program, 49 percent were Indians, while 21 percent were Chinese. CIS stated in its report that OPT is having a negative impact on employment opportunities for American students and workers, and accordingly recommended that this program be brought to a complete halt.