Indian students in US drop 13.5% to 317,000: SEVIS data October 2026
Synopsis
India remains the US's top source of international students — but the gap is narrowing fast. SEVIS data for October 2026 shows a 13.5 per cent year-on-year drop to 316,893 Indian students, with master's enrolment collapsing nearly 20 per cent. The shift points to a structural rethink among Indian students about the US as a destination, accelerated by tighter visa rules and what Indiaspora calls 'anti-Indian rhetoric' this election season.
Key Takeaways
Active Indian students in the US fell from 366,258 to 316,893 between October 2025 and October 2026 , a decline of 13.5 per cent .
Indian master's students dropped nearly 20 per cent , from 292,929 to 234,034 — the sharpest fall by programme level.
Indian doctoral students bucked the trend, rising from 28,609 to 41,729 .
India's share of all active international students in the US slipped from 28.5 per cent to 26.6 per cent .
Overall international student enrolment fell 7.1 per cent , less than half India's rate of decline.
Nonprofit Indiaspora linked the fall to tighter visa rules and 'anti-Indian rhetoric' during the US election season.
The number of active Indian students in the United States declined by 13.5 per cent year-on-year to 316,893 in October 2026, according to data from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), a US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) tracking system. The steepest fall was recorded at the master's level, even as India held its position as the largest source country of international students in the US.
Scale of the Decline
SEVIS figures show Indian student enrolment dropped from 366,258 in October 2025 to 316,893 in October 2026 — a fall of 49,365 students. India's share of all active international students slipped from roughly 28.5 per cent to 26.6 per cent over the same period.
The overall decline in international student enrolment was comparatively modest. Total active international students across all nationalities in SEVIS fell from 1,283,240 to 1,192,572, a drop of about 7.1 per cent — less than half India's rate of decline. Students from China, the second-largest group, fell roughly 10.2 per cent, from 245,038 to 220,157.
Master's Enrolment Bears the Brunt
Indian master's students recorded the sharpest fall, declining from 292,929 to 234,034 — a drop of nearly 20 per cent. Since master's programmes account for the bulk of Indian enrolment in the US, this segment's contraction drives most of the headline figure.
Doctoral enrolment moved in the opposite direction. Indian PhD students rose from 28,609 to 41,729, suggesting that higher-level research pathways remain attractive even as professionally oriented postgraduate degrees lose ground. Indian bachelor's students also edged lower, from 38,522 to 36,011. Of the total Indian student count in October 2026, 195,341 were male and 121,552 were female.
Why Indian Students Are Pulling Back
The contraction comes against a backdrop of tightening US immigration policy. Increased scrutiny of student visas, proposed fees on Optional Practical Training (OPT) and STEM extensions, and a broader crackdown on legal immigration pathways have collectively raised the cost-benefit calculus for prospective Indian students, analysts note.
Indiaspora, a nonprofit network of Indian-origin leaders, said in a statement on 30 October 2026 that 'Fewer Indian students are choosing to study in the United States,' linking the trend to 'anti-Indian rhetoric' during the current election season. The group did not specify which political actors it was referring to.
This comes amid a wider South Asian retreat from US campuses. Nepal's active student count also fell, from 35,273 to 33,992, though the decline was proportionally smaller than India's.
What the SEVIS Data Captures
It is worth noting that SEVIS records count students with active records in the system in a given month, including those on OPT — a post-graduation work authorisation. The figures represent a snapshot of October 2026, not an annual enrolment tally. This means temporary OPT completions, visa delays, and administrative exits can all influence the monthly count, though the scale of the year-on-year fall is broadly consistent with recruitment trends reported by US universities.
What Comes Next
With the US presidential cycle entering its final stretch and immigration remaining a live policy battleground, Indian student numbers are unlikely to recover quickly. Alternative destinations including Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Germany have actively courted Indian students, and recruitment data from those countries suggests a measurable diversion of applicant flows. The next SEVIS monthly snapshot will indicate whether October's figure represents the trough or a continuing trend.
Point of View
Not a blip. The near-20 per cent collapse in master's enrolment is especially telling — it is precisely the tier most exposed to OPT uncertainty and post-study work risk. India's doctoral numbers rising simultaneously suggests that US higher education still pulls research-track students, but the professionally motivated master's cohort — historically the engine of Indian enrolment — is recalculating. What mainstream coverage often misses is the compounding effect: fewer Indian master's graduates mean fewer H-1B feeders, which in turn recalibrates the pipeline for Indian tech talent in US corporates. The policy levers — OPT fees, visa processing delays, restrictive rhetoric — were not accidental; they are producing exactly the deterrence effect critics warned about.
NationPress
1 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Indian students are currently active in the US?
According to SEVIS data for October 2026, there are 316,893 active Indian students in the United States — down from 366,258 a year earlier, a fall of about 13.5 per cent.
Which level of study saw the biggest drop among Indian students?
Master's programmes recorded the steepest decline, with Indian master's student numbers falling nearly 20 per cent from 292,929 in October 2025 to 234,034 in October 2026. Master's students make up the bulk of India's total US enrolment.
Did Indian doctoral students also decline?
No — Indian doctoral enrolment actually increased, rising from 28,609 to 41,729 over the same period, suggesting research-track students still view US universities as an attractive destination despite the broader pullback.
Why are fewer Indian students going to the US?
Analysts and advocacy groups point to tighter US scrutiny of student visas, proposed fees on OPT and STEM extensions, and a broader crackdown on legal immigration pathways. Indiaspora, a nonprofit network of Indian-origin leaders, also cited 'anti-Indian rhetoric' during the current US election season as a contributing factor.
Is India still the largest source of international students in the US?
Yes, India remains the top source country, but its share has slipped from about 28.5 per cent to 26.6 per cent of all active international students. China, the second-largest group, also saw a decline of about 10.2 per cent over the same period.
