Indian student applications to US colleges drop 15 per cent

Applications from Indian students to US colleges fell 15 per cent in the 2025-26 admission cycle, one of the steepest declines from any country, according to a Common App report. The report found international applications to US undergraduate programmes dropped 10 per cent through March 1, the steepest overall decline on record, even as total application volume rose for 2026-27.

Both Hindustan Times and Times Now report that the drop in Asian applications (11 per cent) was driven largely by fewer Indian applicants, while African applications fell 17 per cent led by a 34 per cent decline from Ghana. The reports attribute the decline to the Trump administration's tighter immigration policies, including proposed caps on F-1 and J-1 visa stays and limited visa appointments.

Separate CBP data cited by both outlets shows illegal immigration from India to the US fell 69 per cent from its 2023 peak, with encounters at the southwestern border down 99 per cent. Gilbert Guerra of the Niskanen Centre said stricter asylum policies and the high cost of travel are key deterrents.