Indian students have further strengthened their position as the largest international student group in the United States, even as Chinese enrolments continue to slide, according to new data released on Monday by the Institute of International Education (IIE).
In the 2024–25 academic year, the number of Indian students in the US rose nine percent to 3,63,019 — extending the milestone achieved last year when India overtook China for the first time in about 15 years. By contrast, Chinese enrolments fell four percent to 265,919, marking a continued downward trend since 2019–20.
Despite the fall, Chinese students still contributed slightly more to the US economy — about $14.6 billion in 2024 — compared with India’s $14 billion. However, India’s rapid growth trajectory and the heavy tilt towards science and technology fields are reshaping the profile of international students in the US. Nearly 72 percent of Indian students pursued STEM subjects in 2024–25, compared with about 52 percent among Chinese students.
The widening gap comes amid heightened anxiety among Chinese nationals following Donald Trump’s return to the presidency and renewed restrictions targeting Chinese researchers and applicants. Washington has openly signalled a preference for Indian talent in certain strategic sectors, citing national security concerns. Senior US officials have repeatedly highlighted India’s growing role in American universities and the tech workforce.
The second Trump administration has tightened rules for international students, leading to delays in visa processing, travel restrictions, and proposals to overhaul the H-1B system — a critical pathway for many Indian graduates. US institutions reporting declines in new enrolments blamed visa challenges (96 percent) and travel restrictions (68 percent). Partial IIE data suggests that new international enrolments overall have dropped 17 percent for the 2025–26 cycle.
Even so, the US continues to prioritise international recruitment. About 84 percent of American colleges still view overseas students as essential to their academic and financial health, with India now the single most important market for both graduate and postgraduate STEM talent.
In 2024–25, the US hosted around 12 lakh international students — a five percent increase from the previous year — underscoring America’s continuing appeal despite geopolitical tensions. For India, the trend reaffirms both the country’s expanding youth demand for global education and its growing influence in US universities and the wider knowledge economy.
