India Maintains Lead as Top Source of US International Students

India has solidified its position as the largest source of international students in the United States for the academic year 2024-25, according to the latest findings from the Open Doors 2025 report released on March 4, 2024. This marks the second consecutive year that India has outpaced China, even as the overall new international student enrollments are projected to decline sharply by 17% in fall 2025.

The report indicates that a total of 363,019 Indian students were studying in the US during the 2024-25 academic year, reflecting a substantial increase of 9.5% from the previous year’s total of 331,602. Indian students now account for 30.8% of the total 1,117,766 international students in the country. In comparison, China sent 265,919 students to the US in the same period, representing a 4% decrease and its lowest enrollment figure in at least eight years.

Trends in Enrollment and Participation

The growth in the number of Indian students is primarily attributed to an increase in undergraduate enrollments, which rose by 11.3% from 36,053 in 2023-24 to 40,135 in 2024-25. Additionally, participation in the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program surged by 47.3%, jumping from 97,556 to 143,740 students. This indicates a growing preference among Indian students for work-based training and pathways to employment in the US.

Conversely, graduate enrollments saw a decline of 9.5%, dropping from 196,567 to 177,892. Non-degree enrollments also experienced a significant reduction, falling by 12.2% from 1,426 to 1,252.

Despite these fluctuations, US colleges and universities hosted a total of 1.2 million international students during the 2024-2025 academic year, marking a 4.5% increase from 1,126,690 in 2023-24. International students thus represented 6% of the total US higher education population, which stands at 19,247,640. However, the number of new international students enrolling for the first time in fall 2024 fell by 7.2%, decreasing from 298,705 to 277,118.

Future Outlook Amidst Visa Uncertainties

Although the Open Doors 2025 report primarily focuses on the academic year 2024-25, it also provides a preliminary overview of trends for the upcoming academic year. Signs point to a steeper decline in new international student enrollments for fall 2025, primarily due to ongoing uncertainties surrounding US visa policies.

In terms of academic disciplines, 57% of international students enrolled in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs. This trend underscores the continued attraction of US institutions for students pursuing careers in technology and related fields.

The Open Doors report is published annually by the Institute of International Education (IIE) and serves as a critical resource for data on international students in the US, as well as American students studying abroad. As international education landscapes evolve, the implications of these enrollment trends will be closely monitored by educational institutions and policymakers alike.