Indian student strength in US fell sharply by 13.2% in 2020-21: Open Doors Report

However, Indians continue to make up the second-largest cohort (18.3%) of international students in the US, after China (34.7%).

Of the total Indian students, the majority (34.8%) chose Math and Computer Science, followed by Engineering (33.5%) and Business and Management (11.7%) in 2020-21.

The academic year 2020-21 is the second consecutive year that saw a drop in the absolute number of Indians going to the US for higher education. In 2019-20, the number decreased from 2.02 lakh to 1.93 lakh. Before that, at least since 2014-15, the Indian student strength had been on the rise, albeit at a slower growth rate.

US embassy officials on Monday described the trends in the 2020-21 dataset as a “Covid blip”. Minister Counsellor for Consular Affairs at the embassy Donald Heflin said the pandemic and the ensuing lockdown posed major challenges, and raised safety concerns in the minds of parents whose children were to fly to the US for higher education, but efforts were made on both sides (US and India) to ensure a safe and comfortable transition for students.

The situation is already looking up this year, Heflin told reporters, as the number of Indian students and exchange visitors travelling to study in the US this year is at an “all-time record”.

“Despite the global pandemic, Indian students were able to apply for visas and travel to the US. We issued over 62,000 student visas this summer alone, more than in any previous year. This goes to show that the US remains the destination of choice for Indian students looking to study abroad,” he said.

The decrease in the number of international students is not limited only to those coming from India. In fact, overall, the US witnessed a 15% reduction in its global student population.

The Open Doors report is released by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Institute of International Education.

–With PTI inputs