Indian international students in the US outnumber Chinese for the first time in 15 years

For more than a decade, Chinese students have flocked to the United States, drawn by the prestige of an overseas education and the glamor of the American Dream. But that’s changing now – and recent statistics suggest the allure may be wearing off.

For more than a decade, Chinese students have flocked to the United States, drawn by the prestige of an overseas education and the glamor of the American Dream. Education consultancies flourished across China, with parents paying big bucks for tutors and classes that promised to send their children abroad. But that’s changing now – and recent statistics suggest the allure may be wearing off. During the last academic year, students from India became the largest group of international students in American higher education – knocking China off the top seat for the first time since 2009, according to figures released Monday by the US State Department and the nonprofit Institute of International Education. China was still a major source, making up one fourth of all international students, compared to India’s 29%, the report found. But experts say the decline reflects significant shifts in both policy and public perception, with many Chinese students and families worrying about safety, racism and discrimination, and immigration difficulties – especially as more options open up in other countries, including in China itself. Meanwhile, India overtook China as the world’s most populous country last year, and more than 40% of Indians are under 25 – prompting hopes of a youthful new engine for the global economy just as China’s population begins to dwindle and age. There were more than 331,600 Indian students in the US last academic year, according to the State Department.