3 min readNew DelhiJan 16, 2026 09:55 AM IST
First published on: Jan 15, 2026 at 01:14 PM IST
Indian student enrollment at Harvard University has experienced a sharp decline in the latest academic cycle, despite the institution’s overall international student share reaching a new high. According to Harvard University’s Fact Book data for Fall 2025, the number of students from India fell to 545, down from around 788 in the previous academic year, a drop of about 31 per cent. The number of Indian students at Harvard had remained broadly stable through Fall 2023 and Fall 2024, before experiencing a steep decline in the most recent intake.
The decline comes even as Harvard expanded its overall international footprint. Data released by the university’s Office of Institutional Research and Analytics shows that while Indian enrollment fell, total international student numbers increased, pushing the share of foreign students in the overall student body to its highest level so far.
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This points to a shift in the composition of international cohorts rather than a pullback in overseas admissions, with students from other countries accounting for a larger share.
The trend at Harvard mirrors broader changes in migration patterns affecting the United States. The United States recorded negative net migration in 2025 for the first time in at least half a century, driven mainly by a sharp decline in new arrivals following the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, according to a report.
The Brookings Institution, in a report released on Tuesday, estimates net migration ranged from a loss of about 2,95,000 people to near zero for the year. While the administration stepped up removals, the report said the decline was largely due to fewer entries rather than deportations alone.
The slowdown reflects tighter visa approvals and longer processing times affecting students and skilled professionals from countries, including India, the largest source of international students and a major contributor to the US technology workforce. The trend could weigh on hiring in sectors such as technology, healthcare, and higher education, the report said.
“Though a high degree of policy uncertainty remains, continued negative net migration for 2026 is also likely,” the study added. The report concluded that net migration was likely close to zero or negative over calendar year 2025 for the first time in at least half a century. It is estimated that net migration was between –295,000 and -10,000 for the year.
Brookings warned that sustained lower immigration could constrain labour supply and long-term economic growth in the US.
Against this backdrop, national-level data present a contrasting picture for Indian students. According to the Open Doors Report, published by the Institute of International Education (IIE), India continues to be the largest source of international students in the United States. In the 2023-24 academic year, Indian student enrollment rose to 331,602, overtaking China for the first time in more than a decade. The upward trend continued into 2024–25, with Indian student numbers climbing further to 3,63,019, accounting for nearly one-third of all international students in the US.
The slowdown reflects tighter visa approvals and longer processing times affecting students and skilled professionals from countries, including India (Image: college.harvard.edu) 
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