Job worries, visa delays: Why Indian enrolments in US varsities fell sharply by 45%
India Today
A white paper by the Graduate Management Admission Council has found that the enrolment of Indian students in US universities has fallen by at least 45%, driven by delays in obtaining student visas, as well as concerns over future employment opportunities and the political environment in the US.
The enrolment of Indian students in US universities has registered a sharp fall of at least 45%, the sharpest decline among major international student groups, according to a new white paper by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), which cited uncertainties around visas and post-work opportunities as the driving factor behind the drop.
The paper also noted that affordability was also a key factor affecting Indian enrolments, citing the depreciation of the Indian rupee vis a vis the US Dollar, which decreased purchasing power for Indian students.
The drop is part of a broader year-on-year (YoY) decline in total new international student enrolments as of August 2025 in the US. However, the GMAC paper noted that the downturn in Indian enrolments has been far more severe than in countries like China, South Korea, Nigeria and others which also account for a significant proportion of international students in the US.
According to the GMAC paper, visa-related constraints were the biggest single factor behind the fall in the enrolment figures of Indian students.
The paper cited the temporary suspension of student visa interviews in May 2025 by the Donald Trump administration, which was imposed prior to the issuance of updated guidelines on social media vetting, creating a processing backlog that disproportionately affected Indian applicants. As a result, many students who had secured admissions and even paid deposits were unable to arrive on campus in time for the academic term, noted the paper.
According to a GMAC survey of American universities, 90% of surveyed institutions identified India as the top country from where students accepted offers but failed to matriculate. Institutions attributed this "deposit but no show" trend primarily to delayed or denied visas, along with uncertainty around interview availability and approval timelines.
An incident involving a promotional robot in Macau has raised safety concerns after a woman was startled, prompting police intervention and renewed focus on robotics in public spaces.
Laylatul Qadr is considered one of the holiest nights in Islam. The Night of Decree, when Muslims keep up late into the night for prayers, is different this year. It is a sombre Laylatul Qadr night amid fears for life and safety amid the US-Israel-Iran war in the Middle East.
A group of Rajasthani folk artists delivered an impromptu musical performance during a security screening at Jodhpur Airport.
The newspaper, citing officials familiar with the conversations, said the Saudi leader has been in frequent contact with Trump during the conflict and encouraged him to "keep hitting the Iranians hard" as the fighting intensifies across the region.
A video showing a woman holding a child near a moving train window for him to urinate has gone viral, stirring public outrage over safety risks.
Amid the widening US, Israel–Iran war, the cyber front intensifies as the Handala hacker group claims attacks on US companies and Israeli intelligence-linked figures.
A post about a software developer's salary in Bengaluru and savings amount has started a conversation among X users about how to save wisely.
The profiles of at least three of China's leading nuclear, missile and radar experts were scrubbed from the website of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the country's most prestigious academic body. This comes as a series of purges under Premier Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign have decimated the upper echelons of China's military and scientific community.
The aircraft had also been used by senior Iranian officials and military figures for both domestic and international travel, and for coordinating with allied countries, the Israeli military said. Meanwhile, Dubai International Airport has resumed flight operations after a temporary suspension of about seven hours caused by a drone strike near a fuel tank facility.
A government school teacher's gesture of buying a new uniform for an orphaned student has received widespread attention after a video of the act was shared on Instagram.
A father travelling with his toddler addressed fellow passengers ahead of a flight, asking for patience and understanding if his child became unsettled.
The lottery system for a segment of Green Cards, known as the Diversity Immigrant Visa programme, has been restarted. However, the stricter rules being enforced by the US won't impact Indian Green Card aspirants. Here's why.
Instead of putting an end to rumours, the video has triggered another wave of speculation about Netanyahu's fate. Several users on 'X' (formerly Twitter) have claimed that the video posted on 'X' was an AI-generated deepfake.