Indian undergraduate applicants to US colleges drop 15% as visa rules tighten
A report released by the Common App, a non-profit organisation representing over 1,100 colleges and universities, has found that the number of Indian students applying for undergraduate courses in the United States fell by 15% for the 2026-27 academic year compared with the previous year.
The decline comes against the backdrop of tighter immigration policies, including new visa rules and a proposed fee on work authorisation for foreign graduates. Overall, international applicant numbers through March 1 dropped by 10%, the steepest fall on record, even as total application volume rose.
India remains the largest source of international students in the U.S., with over 3.63 lakh students enrolled in various courses during the 2024-25 academic year. The latest figures indicate a notable reversal in the trend of growing Indian interest in American universities.
The report also highlighted the economic contribution of international students, estimating they added $41.77 billion to the local economy in Fall 2025-26. This is projected to decline to $38.37 billion in 2026-27, reflecting the expected drop in enrolments.
Earlier projections by NAFSA: Association of International Educators and research firm JB International suggested that stricter visa rules and policy uncertainty could lead to up to 1.1 lakh fewer international student registrations in Fall 2026. They estimated registrations would fall from 11.69 lakh in Fall 2025-26 to 10.57 lakh in Fall 2026-27.
The U.S. government in July announced new rules eliminating the traditional "duration of status" for student and visitor visas, capping stays at four years, the typical length of an academic course. Additionally, a proposal to impose a $100,000 fee on foreign students using the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme is under consideration.
OPT allows international students on F-1 visas to work in the U.S. for up to 12 months, extendable by 24 months for certain STEM fields. It also serves as a bridge to an H-1B visa, which enables U.S. companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations. The H-1B programme is heavily used by technology firms to hire talent from countries such as India and China.
These policy shifts are likely to influence the decisions of prospective students, though the full impact will become clearer as admission cycles progress.
