Indian Students Ignite Explosive Growth in US University Enrolment!

Indian students in USA have recently shone into the limelight as their numbers in the country hit a record high. Indian students make up a large portion of international students in the USA and have recently created a boom for American universities. The boom comes from a staggering 35% increase in the number of Indian students in USA in the span of a year. As things stand, there are over 250,000 Indian international students in the USA.

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A record-breaking number of students are pursuing their education abroad in the US in pursuit of an education they find lacking at home. According to data provided by the Indian government, more than 1.5 million students are studying at universities outside of India - an eightfold increase since the year 2012 - with the highest number of students heading off to the States.

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This popularity comes at the same time as the dwindling interest of Indians in studying in Canada. Canada, which, until recently, was a favorite amongst the international student populace from India, has now fallen out of favor due to its crackdown on the number of international student visas it issues. A shift was seen from October to December 2023, where an 86% decline was seen in the issuance of study permits to Indian students. 

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India has a growing economy. However, unemployment is still rampant in many sectors of society. “I think many young people today feel like the economy isn’t meeting their potential, their aspirations, and so they want to try their chances abroad if they can,” says Rosa Abraham, an economist at Azin Premji University. Therefore, the American dream well and truly lives on amongst the affluent Indian class that can afford to go abroad in search of higher pay and a better quality of life.

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Another major reason for the surge in Indian students in the USA is that the higher education sector in India is also running short of capacity. Acceptance rates in elite universities in India have dropped to as low as 0.2% - 0.3% compared to unis like Harvard, which has a 3% acceptance rate.

For American universities, conducting college fairs at Indian universities has started to become a hotbed of potential students. Universities in USA for international students have begun to see the potential in increasing their visibility in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities in India. However, for most Indians, studying abroad is financially unattainable. Therefore, the Biden administration has begun to ease visa norms for international students in the USA. Students can now apply for a visa one year before the start of their course. However, entry is restricted to within 30 days of the start date.

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While the finances required to study abroad are prohibitive for many Indian students, attaining a student visa becomes a huge roadblock for those who can. US embassies all over India turn away Indian hopefuls in large numbers every day. As of May 2023, the cost of visa applications in India rose from $160 (₹13,300) to $185 (₹15,380).

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The rising number of Indian students has become prevalent in the Indian students in USA news. The trend has seen a higher number of Indian applicants on campuses such as the University of Texas, Dallas, in the past four years. While enrolment from China dropped from 1,200 to 400, enrolment from Indian students rose from 3,000 to 4,000, according to the Associated Press.

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