India sends record number students to U.S., surpasses China: Report

India surpassed China to become the largest source of international grad students in US for 1st time since 2009-10. Record 268,923 Indian students travelled to US for higher ed, a 35% increase. 63% of these were grad students, 16% were undergrad. US Embassy in India issued 95,269 visas, 18% more than 2022. US Ambassador to India said Indian students bring countries closer together.

India surpassed China to become the largest source of international graduate students in the United States for the first time since 2009-10, according to the Open Doors Report (ODR), published by the Institute of International Education (IIE) in partnership with the U.S. government’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

According to the report, released on Monday, a record number of Indian students travelled to the United States to pursue higher education for the third year in a row.

The report said the number of international students from India to the United States increased by 35%, numbering an all-time high of 268,923 students in the academic year 2022-23. “Indian students constitute more than 25% of the over one million foreign students studying in the United States,” said the US Embassy in India in a press release. The number of Indian graduate students rose by 63% to 165,936 students, an increase of nearly 64,000 students, compared to last year, while Indian undergraduate students also increased by 16%, the Embassy added.

As many as 69,062 students opted for optional practical training (OPT), a type of temporary work permission that allows eligible students to get real-world experience related to their field of study. “The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India issued record high numbers of student visas during the main student visa season of June-August 2023. Consular officers across India issued 95,269 visas in the F, M, and J categories. This is an 18% increase over 2022 during the same timeframe,” the release added.

U.S. Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti said that Indian students are bringing both countries closer together. “We celebrate the strength of the Indian educational system that prepares students to compete globally and look forward to seeing India continue to lead. We also look forward to balancing these record numbers. We want to see equal numbers of women pursuing studies in the United States and see more U.S. students coming to experience all that India has to offer,” he said.