Why Indian Students Flock to U.S. Colleges Despite Tough Visas

(UNITED STATES) More than 363,000 Indian students are enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities in the 2024–2025 academic year, making India the largest source of international students in the United States 🇺🇸. They are coming in record numbers even as visa rules grow tighter, rejection rates climb, and new fees raise the cost of study, according to recent enrollment reports and visa data.

Why Indian students continue to choose the U.S.

The draw is clear: Indian students view U.S. degrees as a direct path to strong careers, particularly in fields such as data analytics, finance, computer science, cybersecurity, and healthcare management.

Many students select programs where hiring demand is high and where Optional Practical Training (OPT) provides a way to gain paid work experience in the U.S. after graduation. Officials report a 47% jump in students choosing OPT, showing how strongly they link a U.S. degree with practical work experience and long-term career gains.

• Public universities account for about 63% of placements for Indian students.
• States with the largest concentrations include Texas, New York, Massachusetts, California, and Illinois.
• Analysis by VisaVerge.com indicates many families are shifting toward second-tier but well-ranked public campuses for better cost and admission chances.

Economic impact and recruitment

• International students overall add almost $55 billion to the U.S. economy and support over 350,000 jobs in 2024.
• Indian students make up a growing share of that contribution.

Universities are responding by stepping up recruitment in India:

• Sending staff to education fairs in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Delhi, and Mumbai
• Offering more online information sessions timed for Indian evenings
• Increasing international-student advising and pre-departure briefings

Emerging fragility: signs of a slowdown for future intakes

While total Indian student numbers rose by about 10% in 2024–2025, early indicators for the fall 2025 intake show softening:

• Reports of up to 17% drops in new Indian student arrivals
• Around a 14% fall in applications according to campus surveys

University advisers largely attribute these declines to harder visa rules and growing uncertainty among families.

Visa rejections, delays, and procedural risks

One of the major concerns is the sharp rise in F‑1 student visa rejection rates. Some consular data and lawyer reports suggest rejection levels around 41% for certain groups of Indian applicants.

Students report:

• Rushed interviews at consulates
• Only brief explanations when visas are refused under section 214(b) of U.S. immigration law (doubts about plans to return home)

Visa lawyers also report:

• More extra background checks
• Closer review of social media
• Longer, less predictable processing times

The visa application process typically involves:

1. Paying the SEVIS fee
2. Filing the online Form DS-160 nonimmigrant visa application (see the U.S. Department of State’s student visa page)
3. Scheduling and attending a consular interview, after potentially waiting weeks or months for a slot

Small mistakes, changed financial documents, or a consular officer’s doubt about future plans can all result in refusal — which can mean large financial losses for families who have already paid university deposits.

SEVIS terminations and status shocks

Tension has grown around SEVIS terminations, where a student’s record in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System is closed, commonly due to enrollment lapses, work violations, or school-related issues.

• Under renewed visa policies tied to President Trump’s administration starting January 2025, many Indian students reported sudden SEVIS terminations.
• Some students only learned of the change when trying to travel or when their school’s international office summoned them for emergency meetings.
• A terminated SEVIS record can leave a student out of legal status, with very limited time to leave the country or obtain legal help.

“I thought I had arranged everything with my department,” said a 23‑year‑old master’s student from Pune who asked to remain anonymous. “Then the international office told me my status was gone and I had to fix it in 15 days or leave. My parents were terrified. We spent all our savings to get me here.”

Stories like hers have circulated widely on social media and WhatsApp among Indian student groups, increasing fear around SEVIS rules and OPT approvals.

Rising costs: new fees and budget pressures

From October 1, 2025, a new $250 “Visa Integrity Fee” will apply to all nonimmigrant visa applicants, including students. This fee is additional to the existing visa application charge and the SEVIS fee, pushing the up-front cost of an F‑1 visa attempt substantially higher.

• Counselors in India say families are now budgeting for multiple visa attempts in case of refusal.
• In some cases, students have declined U.S. offers in favor of Canada, the United Kingdom, or Australia, perceiving those pathways as less risky.

OPT: the key incentive that keeps many applying

Despite visa challenges and higher fees, OPT remains a powerful incentive:

• Most international students can work up to 12 months in their field after graduation.
• Students in approved STEM programs can extend OPT by 24 months, for a total of up to three years of U.S. work authorization.
• For many, even one year of experience at a top U.S. firm meaningfully boosts their resume and career prospects.

“If I get even one year of experience in a top American firm, it changes my resume forever,” said a 21‑year‑old engineering student from Gujarat heading to a public university in Texas. “Yes, the visa is scary, but the chance is too big to ignore.”

University responses and concerns

Universities are taking a range of steps to address student fears and administrative challenges:

• Hiring additional international student advisers
• Holding detailed online pre-departure sessions explaining visa rules, OPT, and SEVIS responsibilities
• Lobbying Washington to keep student visa processing fast and predictable, and to avoid sudden rule changes

Campus leaders warn that continued declines in new Indian enrollment could have broader effects:

• Potential budget pressure on graduate programs
• Possible loss of researchers and key personnel in university labs

Summary: demand vs. risk

For now, the picture remains mixed:

• The numbers on campus are still rising, driven by the appeal of high-quality education, research opportunities, and clear work pathways through OPT.
• However, early signs of falling new enrollment, rising rejection rates, SEVIS terminations, and higher fees highlight how quickly the landscape could change if students and families decide the U.S. promise is no longer worth the risk.

Key statistics at a glance:

If you want, I can extract this information into a one-page fact sheet, a checklist for prospective Indian students (fees, forms, timelines), or formatted slides for a presentation. Which would be most useful?